Sedalia Chamber and Visitors Bureau

In keeping with the goal of the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce to represent “Business at Work for a Blue Ribbon Community,” the following priorities have been established and approved by the Board of Directors.

•  Support legislation that will encourage small business startup and growth while avoiding unfunded mandates and additional regulations.

•  Support a system of state tax incentives which are reasonable and encourage economic growth and retention.

•  Support legislation to create record-keeping requirements for purchasers of scrap metals such as copper, steel, and aluminum to help stop the sale of stolen materials from construction sites, utility facilities, and business locations.

•  Support state legislation that all rights to unaccrued workers’ compensation for permanent total disability shall cease upon the death of the injured employee. (This is in reaction to a Missouri Supreme Court ruling in January 2007. Known as the Schoemehl decision, it ruled that a surviving spouse could be compensated by the Second Injury Fund after the death of the worker being compensated for disability. This is a significant department from previous case law and there is much concern over how this will impact workers’ compensation costs and the solvency of the Second Injury Fund.)

•  Support legislation to encourage continued development of advanced technologies for businesses with limited regulations. (e.g. technology parks, wireless data, voice over the Internet, etc.)

•  Support increased funding for the Missouri Housing Trust Fund that helps reduce home foreclosures and dependence on public assistance.

•  Support reform of the health care system to make health care accessible and affordable for employers, veterans, and individuals in Missouri.

•  Support adequate funding for Medicaid so that health care providers and Missouri citizens do not continue to suffer from harmful consequences to the uninsured.

•  Support additional insurance reform to assist employers and employees in controlling health care costs.

•  Support funding and continued development of Highway 50 eastward into a 4-lane highway from Sedalia to I-44 and Highway 65 south eastward into a 4-lane highway to Springfield.

•  Support the exploration of alternate funding for highways, roads and bridges.

•  Monitor the implementation of the new foundation formula to be sure that it is fully funded and provides adequate funding for school districts.

•  Support expanded funding for new jobs training programs.

•  Support continued funding for the A+ program, which provides up to 2 years of tuition for qualifying high school students to attend community colleges and technical schools.

•  Support efforts to continue the restoration of funding for community colleges back to the FY2001 levels and support appropriations for capital projects. (State funding was cut by 12.6% in FY2002 with 4.2% restored in the current year and 4.2% proposed for the next 2 funding years.)

•  Support increased state and local funding for tourism that will further develop, promote and sustain Missouri and Sedalia as a tourism destination.

•  Support continued funding of the Cooperative Marketing program in the Missouri Department of Tourism and other programs that are used to promote tourism in Missouri and the Sedalia area.

•  Support additional improvements to Health Savings Accounts to make it easier for small businesses and individuals to participate.

•  Support making the Bush tax cuts permanent, including the elimination of the death tax and block enactment of provisions that impose new or increased taxes on business.

•  Support positive energy proposals to expand domestic oil, gas, and coal production; invest in alternative and clean energy technologies; boost U.S. refinery capacity; and improve the energy infrastructure.

•  Oppose efforts to reauthorize ergonomics regulations and all other efforts to expand OSHA in ways that do not enhance an employer’s ability to provide a safe workplace.

•  Support legislation to extend the moratorium on Internet taxes.

•  Support the DREAM initiative, legislative efforts and local initiatives that encourage the development of the downtown area.

•  Support legislation reinstates the Federal overtime standards in place before the passage of Proposition B (2006) including exemptions for firefighters, commissioned employees, and flex-time rates. (This legislation may not be necessary due to a favorable court ruling on 1/9/08)

•  Support the updating of the Sedalia Master Plan that will include new opportunities for quality of life improvement and business growth.