Thank goodness that the November election is behind us. My teenage daughter calls political news “brain rot” — a description that’s not terrible.
While otherworldly Washington, D.C., shifts to a different flavor of surreal, what might a local businessperson expect or hope from this year’s state legislative session?
Our new crew
Well, first, Boone County has an updated legislative contingent we’re sending to Jeff City. While three House incumbents remain unchanged, progressive nurse Gregg Bush and social conservative business owner John Martin will be new faces in the Capitol.
Absent will be term-limited conservative firebrand Rep. Cheri Toalson-Reisch and most notably Sen. Caleb Rowden, who capped out as the prestigious leader of the State Senate. Many, if not most, locals still have not comprehended how important his role there was for COMO — and Mizzou.
Replacing him will be Stephen Webber, a known quantity from his service in the House. But pragmatically, whether one likes it or not, he will caucus with a party in the super-minority, so “fighting” for us locals, or teaming up with MU’s president, Dr. Choi, will be a relative uphill battle.
Nonetheless, the recent pattern of disfunction in the Senate should subside as some of the former thorns in Caleb’s side from the radical Conservative Caucus have now departed. But the question remains about what leadership style our legislators will employ: the combative, bomb-throwing customary these days, or the cordial bridge-building approach? The latter is best for everyone.
Chill on hot-button issues
Still, we can likely expect rhetoric about the eternal lurch toward zero taxation. And even though Amendment 3 passed in November, abortion will still be hotly debated in the legislature, the courts, and around the water cooler at your workplace. Stressed employees, worried about (even rumors of) what politicians might do on hot-button issues, are not good for business.
Modernize for a modern economy
What state government should provide is reasoned clarity in multiple industries, providing a reasonably regulated and taxed business environment.
Years ago, when ride sharing services like Uber came to COMO, City Hall was left scrambling to make its own rules from scratch. Likewise, dealing with short term housing rentals, like Airbnb, has brought our fair city years of consternation.
Instead, state government should get ahead of these new(er) industries, to integrate them into the legal, regulatory, and tax system. Provide a basic structure state-wide, then allow municipalities some range of discretion on local policy preferences. Like, um, every other economic activity.
Fix urgent learning loss
Columbia is now set to allow Charter schools, after a new law passed last year. For public education funding or policy, instead of the stereotypical brinksmanship from both sides of the aisle, hopefully we can heed the words of outgoing Sen. Rowden, to get to a place where EVERYBODY wins in education.
Yes, everyone may win but especially focus on kids with very significant pandemic-era learning loss, which is an urgent problem. Remember, student learning is the reason public schools exist in the first place. Therefore, every dollar, every idea should laser focus on that.
Should we primarily focus on raising chronically substandard teacher pay and steadying bus funding, or instead too-opulent athletics facilities and district offices filled with six-figure salaried administrative staff? The public discussion needs to get real. We can no longer afford to fritter away with the future of civilization.
Ideally, our State Capitol will be full of cordial adults the next few months, working toward constructive and relatively centrist lawmaking overall. It’s what Boone Countians at large deserve. We can hope.
Steve Spellman is a lifelong Columbia-area resident and political observer.
