**Updated: Click here for a list of Joan's endorsements!**

 

(Copyright 2008 Gary Bollinger)

Healthcare

            All families in Missouri should have the ability to take care of their health needs through access to quality, affordable healthcare.  Citizens who cannot afford healthcare coverage are more likely to use costly emergency room services, instead of clinic services, for non-emergencies.  Healthcare facilities do not absorb these costs, but instead pass these costs on through increased medical costs to those who can still afford private health insurance.  In other words, if you are among the fortunate who can afford healthcare insurance, your rates have gone up in order to pay for those who cannot afford healthcare insurance!  In addition, people are more likely to become more ill because they cannot afford to see a doctor.  While other states have found ways to ensure  that all citizens have access to affordable healthcare, the Blunt administration has found a way to make sure that fewer citizens in Missouri have access to healthcare.  Maintaining the health of our families should not be an option or a luxury because you can’t afford healthcare insurance.     

Education

            Improving and maintaining a quality public education system in the city is vital to the economic future of Missouri.  Instead of looking for ways to improve the current systems, we allow city residents to remove valuable tax dollars to the schools outside of the local district for a better education.  Removing our property tax dollars from the city weakens the financial foundation of public school systems in the city, and threatens the educational quality of the children who remain in the city schools.  All of Missouri's children should have access to quality education, not just a selected few.  We can no longer ignore the problems in the system.  We need to find solutions to ensure that every child has equal access to the same high quality education no matter where they live.  Not only will I work to keep your property tax dollars where you intend for those dollars to be used, in your local school districts, but I will also work to repair our city schools. 

Environment/Green

            Our environment is at risk. Growing population and changes in the way our economy progresses has caused threats to air and water systems.  It is important to future generations that we implement changes to limit the amount of emissions polluting our environment and waste runoff that is filtering into our water systems.  The pollution we are creating is causing the real threat of global warming.  We need to stop the deterioration of our environment before it is too late.   Offering tax credits to businesses that limit the amount of emissions they emit and to developers who utilize LEEDS certified building, as well as consumers who buy hybrid vehicles is a start to cleaning up our environment.   It is past time that we make the commitment to leave a sustainable planet to our children and grandchildren.        

Economic Development

           We need to ensure that promoting economic development in the region is a priority.  A strong economic development policy ensures that Missouri is actively focusing on recruiting new business operations and assisting in the start–up of new business, while at the same time ensuring the retention or expansion of existing businesses.  Vital economic development policies help to provide job creation and growth, which in turn provides the necessary revenues to provide and improve necessary infrastructure and services, such as highways, parks, education and police protection.  Good economic development policies improve the quality of life for all of Missouri’s citizens. 

Transportation

            Urban sprawl and the uncertainty of available oil sources has caused major increases in daily transportation costs.  We can no longer ignore the fact that other forms of transportation need to be explored.  A city the size of St. Louis needs much more efficient and effective forms of mass transportation, and the time to consider alternative  forms of public transportation is past.  These alternative forms should include clean burning vehicles, such as hybrid buses and electric systems.  Even though great strides have been made to improve our current public transportation system, a large population of the metro area is still underserved.  We need long-term solutions that benefit the larger population of the metro area.

Arts

            Improving the aesthetics of our cities through public art is an important variable in attracting tourists and conventions.  Finding ways to incorporate art into new projects is a small cost to the overall project, but adds so much to beautify the urban landscape.  St. Louis has a thriving community of artists which could be utilized to enhance new projects, making St. Louis the great city for artists it once was.  We have a reputation as a dynamic cultural city, which could be furthered through creative public art projects.  

Restoring Civil Liberties

            Certain aspects of our private lives should remain free from government intrusion.  Each and everyone of one of us should be allowed to make certain choices regarding the formation and well-being of our families, free from the pressures of others who may not share our philosophy.  No one should be marginalized or forced into conducting their life to the satisfaction of societal pressures.  Choices in lifestyle and reproductive options are privacy issues that should remain private.  No one, not the government or our neighbor, should be allowed to dictate these aspects of our life.   We should all have the freedom to choose the development of our family life.  Our government should focus on the larger aspects affecting our families, like education and healthcare, rather than the composition of our families.