Upcoming: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Director of Health and Senior Services Margaret Donnelly

Date: Wednesday, April 29th at 6:00 p.m.
Place: Webster University Center, Presentation room

Join the Holden Public Policy Forum for free pizza and expert roundtable discussion from the director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Margaret Donnelly. How do we increase access to medical coverage for all Missourians, and for the elderly in particular? Where does Missouri stand relative to the nation in terms of healthcare? What reforms need to be made to Missouri’s Medicaid program? Come and ask the director of health and senior services these questions and more at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29 at Webster University Center.

Student View: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Director of Transportation Pete Rahn

On Wednesday, March 18, Candice Walton again attended one of the Holden Public Policy Forum’s Pizza & Politics lectures, this time featuring Missouri Director of Transportation Pete Rahn. Here are her impressions from the event:

The Missouri Department of Transportation is receiving $525 million from the federal stimulus package. Pete Rahn, the Director of Missouri Transportation, is one person in charge of allocating these funds. Rahn has a big job to tackle and he seems well aware of the issues.

FACTS:

• Missouri has the 7th largest highway system in the country
• However we are 44th in state wide revenue
• We receive $44,000 per mile
• Illinois receives $200,000 per mile
• Missouri has deferred maintenance in many areas as well as a need to expand in developing areas
• Rahn points out the difference between needs and wants and recognizes that our state has some major needs.

One man asked when he would be able to drive on highway 70 without needing to take drugs. Everyone laughed, but it’s true. With all of the 18-wheelers on HWY 70, anyone would be scared to drive for miles next to them everyday.

FACTS:

• Trucks on HWY 70 are overwhelming
• Rahn has an idea to create specific truck lanes for 70. An example can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTUf3qZQvf4
• The damage caused to roads by one 18-wheel truck is equivalent to standard 9,600 cars.
• Trucks and traffic have turned 70 into “mush.” Rahn wants to rebuild 70 from St. Louis to Kansas City

Other issues that were discussed included: money allocated to sound walls and noise pollution, investment in public transportation and alternative methods of transportation, and the legal reasons behind how and why decisions are made.

To voice your opinions, make suggestions, or for more information visit the Missouri Department of Transportation website by clicking here.

Info: St. Louis Beacon article

MoDOT’s Rahn defends outstate stimulus spending, calls I-70 “worn out”, by Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter

Click Here to Go to THE BEACON article

Upcoming: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Transportation Director Pete Rahn

Date: Wednesday, March 18th, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Place: Emerson Library Conference Room

Join the Holden Public Policy Forum for free pizza and expert roundtable discussion from the director of the Missouri Department of Transportation Pete Rahn. What’s going on with upcoming cuts to St. Louis Metro services? What’s going on with Hwy 40/64? Are Missouri’s bridges safe? Come and ask the director of these social services and more at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18 at Webster University’s Emerson Library.

Student View: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Social Services Director Ron Levy

From time to time on the Holden Public Policy Forum blog, we will try to share the perspectives of real Webster University students who attend Forum events, and their thoughts on the issues discussed.

Candice Walton is one such student. She has been enrolled in a public relations class dealing with the Forum this semester. On Thursday, March 5, she attended the Pizza & Politics events with Missouri Social Services Directory Ron Levy. Here is her take on that meeting:

Levy is new to the political world, retiring in 2007 from his position as President and CEO of SSM Health Care in St. Louis. Although he is a new public official, Mr. Levy is no stranger to dealing with the healthcare issues that many Missourians must deal with regularly. And like speakers past, Levy acknowledges that we are in a crisis, but also maintains that crisis creates opportunity.

“Healthcare is the key to keeping our economy growing,” said Ron Levy, “and our healthcare system is at its tipping point. We have a lot of work to do.”

FACTS:

• Approximately 5 ½ million people live in Missouri
• ~8% are unemployed
• 1 million people are on food stamps
• 842,000 people are on Medicaid
• 730,000 are uninsured
• Missouri requires you to be earn 20% of the Federal Poverty Line to be eligible. This means you must make less that $292/month, or less than $3,600/year to qualify.

Levy said that Governor Nixon would like to use stimulus money to lower the requirement to 50% of the poverty line, which would include citizens earning less than $9,000 a year.

“The Hidden Tax”

Mr. Levy said that the Missouri State House is currently recommending a 10% cut in the children and family services divisions. This cut would come into effect even after the state receives its stimulus dollars.

Gov. Holden and Levy discussed the “hidden tax” Missourians will end up paying for their state’s broken health care program.

“If we don’t cover the children now, who do you think will end up paying for them down the road?” the governor asked.

Mr. Levy agreed. The two discussed the relative cost of preventative healthcare versus emergency healthcare. Levy said that ultimately, Missourians paying for turning a blind eye to healthcare issues that desperately need attention.

For more information on the Missouri Department of Social Services click here.

Info: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Linked below is a .pdf file (read with Adobe Acrobat) providing a detailed 14-page summary of the effect that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (also known as the economic stimulus plan, or ARRA) will have on the state of Missouri itself. This file comes courtesy of the Missouri Budget Project, recent guests of the Holden Public Policy Forum’s pizza and politics series. Quoting the article:

Missouri is expecting to recieve funds under the ARRA from literally dozens and dozens of sources, and for a similar number of uses. But these sources break down for ease of analysis into three basic categories of funds: (I) Budget Stabilization funds, (II) Exisiting Government Program funds, and (III) Competetive Grants. Descriptions of these, with details as to the funds available under each, are set forth [in the summary]. In addition, there are two other key components to the ARRA that the governor will be advocating and helping to implement, to ensure that Missourians can and will access. They are (IV) the substantial tax relief measures for Missouri families and businesses, and (V) a wide variety of other recovery financing tools, including tax credits, additional bonding authority, etc.

A link to this summary can be foud here: ARRA in Missouri.

Upcoming: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Social Services Director Ron Levy

Date: Thursday, March 5th, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Place: Emerson Library Conference Room

Join the Holden Public Policy Forum for free pizza and expert roundtable discussion from the director of the Missouri Department of Social Services Ron Levy. How do we increase access to medical coverage for children? Where does Missouri stand relative to the nation in terms of foster care and child support? What reforms need to be made to Missouri’s Medicaid program? Come and ask the director of these social services and more at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 4 at Webster University’s Emerson Library.

Recap: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Corrections Director George Lombardi

State’s top corrections man talks self-improvement, education in MO prisons

Missouri Director of Corrections George Lombardi visited Webster University on Thursday, Feb 19 to participate in the Holden Public Policy Forum’s pizza and politics lecture series. Lombardi attended the meeting to share his thoughts and answer questions on the state of Missouri’s prisons and corrections systems.

When Lombardi began working for the Missouri Dept. of Corrections (MO DoC) in 1972, the prison environment was very different from today, a place where he says murder and stabbings were ordinary.

“The penitentiary was a bloody and horrible place [back then],” he said, “and our main focus almost all the time was keeping the peace.”

Today, he says, the system has thankfully changed. A classification scheme was put into place during the 70’s which separated at-risk and violent offenders from general population, and the result has been a significantly safer prison environment—and with that, a new focus and mission for the Lombardi and his department.

“Our priority now, the cornerstone of our work,” Lombardi said, “is doing everything we can to divert people from coming back into the prison setting once they’ve left it.”

Recap: Pizza & Politics w/ MO Democratic Leadership

State democrats emphasize infrastructure, health care, long-term solutions

Leaders from the Missouri Democratic Party met Thursday, Feb 12 at Webster University for informal eats and town hall-style political discussion as part of the school’s free Pizza & Politics lecture series.

The hour-long panel discussion joined three of the top democratic lawmakers in Missouri—State Representatives Paul LeVota and Rachel Storch and later State Senator Jeff Smith—on stage with former Mo. Gov. Bob Holden to answer questions and comment on a variety of public policy issues.

Topics ranged from the present economic crisis and stimulus package, to the democrats’ dual priorities of expanding job growth and health care, to the importance of grassroots involvement in the political process.

Foremost on the minds of audience members was the newly enacted federal stimulus package, with several questions on the new legislation early on in the meeting.