‘Tis the season for gift shopping, preparing for family celebrations, and spending quality time with our loved ones.  It is also the time when your state elected officials prepare for the upcoming legislative session that begins in January. The 2015 Session will be my third one as your State Senator. I plan to continue to focus on the issues that move us forward as a state and as community.

For the third year in a row, I will offer the proposal to expand Medicaid eligibility requirements under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). This would provide Missouri access to billions of dollars in federal funds, assist in providing another 300,000 Missourians with affordable health care, and save the lives of at least 700 people a year.

Had we expanded Medicaid last year, Missouri would have been able too free up $94 million of general revenue. Money we could have put toward Missouri schools, and helping our citizens. With the savings we would receive, along with the federal money coming in over the next 10 years, Missouri would not have to spend any of our general revenue towards Medicaid expansion.

Providing access to affordable health care remains one of the most important public policy issues Missouri faces today. The public has made it clear that they not only want but need affordable health care. However, staunch opposition from certain members prevented us from even having an honest debate about the issue last year. With a new General Assembly, I am hopeful we will have a more open discussion of the ways Medicaid Expansion can benefit our state and its citizens.

Delivery of health care services is vital to the lives and well-being of this state’s citizens and our economy. We cannot take a complacent approach to this issue any longer. I have filed Senate Bill 90, identical to bills filed in the two previous years, in an effort to retain our federal tax money and improve the health and lives of Missouri residents.

With 15 percent of Missourians falling below the poverty level, increasing Missouri’s minimum wage can create a life altering change in the lives of millions of citizens. This increase would improve our economy and create an overall financially healthy Missouri. Last year alone 34 states considered increasing minimum wage, and it is time Missouri stopped considering and started doing.

I will diligently continue to offer legislation to increase Missouri’s minimum wage in efforts to improve the lives of hard-working families throughout the state.

Campaign finance limits were eliminated by the Missouri General Assembly in 2008. The repeal of these limits has led to a financial “free-for-all” in the past four election cycles. As predicted, the lack of limits has decreased accountability from elected officials and citizen participation in the process. We now have a state government that seems removed from ordinary citizens and the needs of people. Missourians from all sides of the political spectrum feel that their own government is more interested in marginal issues instead of focusing on improving our state.

The repeal of these limits has led to a financial “free-for-all” in the past four election cycles. As predicted, the lack of limits has decreased accountability from elected officials and citizen participation in the process. We now have a state government that seems removed from ordinary citizens and the needs of people. Missourians from all sides of the political spectrum feel that their own government is more interested in marginal issues instead of focusing on improving our state.

I have again filed legislation, Senate Bill 96, that would reinstate campaign contributions limits to keep the conversation in the forefront. I believe it is a root problem that is limiting the progress of many other issues in our legislature. Our state government will never focus on the true needs of its citizens while there are no limits to campaign contributions. I believed that in 2008, and I am more convinced of this fact today.

Last year, despite the governor’s veto and objections from numerous elected officials, the Majority Party enacted a massive tax cut benefiting the wealthiest citizens of Missouri, without considering the detriment this would place on our state’s future revenue. It’s estimated this will result in a $650 million deficit per year, which happens to be close to the amount we’re currently under funding our school foundation formula.

Adding to the irony of the situation was that while majority members pushed through an ill-conceived tax cut, they also attempted to raise the state sales tax to generate more money for transportation, something that would have severely affected low-income Missourians.

I staunchly opposed that measure. I believe tax policy is a critical component of economic development, but it has to be balanced and weighed against our funding obligations as a state. Our foundation formula for K-12 schools is under funded by half a billion dollars, our highways and bridges are falling apart, and social welfare programs are woefully underfunded to meet current demand.

Unfortunately, it appears we’ll be having the same debate during the 2015 session. Certain members have already filed legislation to further slash taxes. One bill seeks to double the cuts passed last year. We are quickly approaching a point where we’ll be forced to choose between funding our education system for Missouri children or letting multi-million dollar companies claim a 50 percent deduction on their income taxes.

Missouri is in desperate need of a coherent tax policy that supports our true priorities, such as education, safe roadways, and programs that benefit the neediest Missourians. This year, I will continue to push for a common-sense approach to economic development and tax reform measures that don’t impair our duty to support Missouri citizens and the programs they need.

Last year, lawmakers spent a significant amount of time addressing the school transfer issue. Current state law allows students from an unaccredited district to transfer to an adjoining accredited district. The tuition for those transfer students is paid by the unaccredited district, along with transportation costs. This resulted in utter chaos last September in the St. Louis area, as students in Normandy flooded nearby districts.

This year, I have filed Senate Bill 70, which allows districts to adopt a policy that would establish guidelines for class size and student-to-teach ratios. Once the most effective class size and ratio have been chosen, acceptance of transfer students from unaccredited district would no longer be required.

This bill addresses the student transfer issue in a way that is beneficial to accredited and unaccredited school districts. Accredited schools should not be required to sacrifice the education of its students with oversized classes. However, students of unaccredited districts should have the opportunity to receive the education they desire, provided the district has room to accommodate them. Students will receive the option to appeal to the State Board of Education if a transfer is denied.

As you can see, there is much work to be done by your elected officials in the upcoming year. It is an honor to serve as your State Senator. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments at www.senate.mo.gov/levota or my Capitol office at (573) 751-3074. On behalf of my family, I wish you the happiest of holidays.