May 5, 2010
U.S. Senate Candidates Roy Blunt and Robin Carnahan to Speak at RCGA Luncheons
In one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate races in the country, U.S. Representative Roy Blunt (R) and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) will face off this November for the opportunity to replace Christopher "Kit" Bond, who is retiring after four terms as the senior Senator from Missouri.
Carnahan and Blunt will each headline luncheons at the RCGA as part of our annual Public Policy Speaker Series. For more information and to register please see below.
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U.S. Representative
Roy Blunt
Republican
Tuesday, May 18th
11:30
a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
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MO Secretary of State
Robin Carnahan
Democrat
Friday, June 4th
11:30
a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
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Both events will be held at the RCGA's Regional Collaboration Center
One Metropolitan Square (211 N. Broadway), Suite 1300
St. Louis, MO 63102
Cost for each event: $30 per person for RCGA members; $45 for non-members. Lunch will be provided.
If you have any questions, please contact Sherri Bailey at sbailey@stlrcga.org or (314) 444-1134.
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About the Candidates
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U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt
Served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997 representing Missouri's 7th Congressional district, which includes Springfield, Branson and Joplin.
Served as House Republican Whip from 2003 to 2009
Missouri Secretary of State from 1984 to 1992
Former President of Southwest Baptist University
Graduate of Southwest Baptist University and Missouri State University
Born in Niangua, Missouri
MO Secretary of State Robin Carnahan
Served as Missouri's Secretary of State since 2005
Co-Chair of the Elections Committee for the National Association of Secretaries of State in 2008
Practiced business law at Thompson & Mitchell
Graduate of William Jewell College and the University of Virginia School of Law.
Raised in Rolla, Missouri
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Kinder Touts Impact of Missouri's Historic Preservation Program
Last week Lt. Governor Peter Kinder held a news conference in downtown St. Louis with St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed and other elected officials to emphasize the importance of the Missouri Historic Preservation tax credit program to the revitalization of downtown St. Louis, saying that "but for" the use of the credits, most of the rehabilitation projects like the Old Post Office would not have been economically feasible. Kinder stated that he was
strongly opposed to subjecting the program to the discretion of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, saying it could lead to "pay to play" politics, and maintained that education and economic development should go hand in hand, not be pitted against each other as Governor Jay Nixon has recently attempted to do.
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Lt. Governor Peter Kinder (center) is joined by (from left) St. Louis Alderman Antonio French, President of the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis Leonard Toenjes, Missouri Rep. Tishaura Jones (D-downtown St. Louis), Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, and Board of Aldermen
President Lewis Reed.
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The RCGA has been a long-time supporter of the Historic Preservation program, which has been a major catalyst to the revitalization of downtown St. Louis by leveraging at least $4 in private investment for every $1 of state tax credits invested. Over the past 15 years the program has spurred nearly $5 billion in private investment in downtown St. Louis. The RCGA strongly opposes all efforts to reduce the effectiveness of proven tax credit programs, including proposals to subject them to the annual appropriations process.
Historic preservation projects can do more than simply rehabilitate an old building--they can help revitalize whole communities, as was the case with the Chase Park Plaza (pictured right). The building, built in the 1920s, closed in 1989 after falling into a state of neglect and disrepair. After seeing the effect this was having on the surrounding neighborhood in the late 1990s, a group of investors leveraged $20 million in state Historic Preservation tax credits to complete the $137 million renovation of the
building. The Chase Park Plaza reopened in 1999 with more than one million square feet of guest suites, apartments, restaurants, and banquet and meeting facilities. The project, which created 150 permanent jobs, has had a profound ripple effect on St. Louis' Central West End, serving as an anchor for the neighborhood's revitalization and success.
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Final 2010 Missouri Legislative Breakfast Sponsored by St. Louis County
On April 28th St. Louis County sponsored the last of RCGA's biweekly legislative breakfasts for 2010. The breakfast featured County Executive Charlie Dooley, Midwest China Hub Commission Chairman and Chief Policy Adviser for St. Louis County Mike Jones, St. Louis County Chief Operating Officer Garry Earls, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Curran, and Special Assistant Andrea Jackson.
More than 50 people attended the breakfast.
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County Executive Charlie Dooley with (from left) Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray (D-Black Jack), Rep. Sharon Pace (D-Northwoods), and Andrea Jackson.
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Host Mike Jones and Sen. Jim Lembke (R-South St. Louis County) share a laugh at the breakfast.
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Garry Earls and Rep. Vicki Englund (D-South St. Louis County) pause for a photo.
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Tom Curran and Rep. Stacey Newman (D-Richmond Heights).
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Rep. Margo McNeil (D-Florissant) and County Executive Charlie Dooley enjoy the breakfast.
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Andrea Jackson and House Budget Chairman Allen Icet (R-Wildwood).
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UPCOMING EVENTS
May 13 - Guest Speaker General Barry McCaffrey
General Barry McCaffrey, USA (Ret.), National Security and Terrorism Analyst for NBC, former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and decorated Four-star General and Desert Storm Commander, will speak on the national security need to modernize America's infrastructure. General McCaffrey serves on the Board of Directors of HNTB and is chairman of HNTB Federal Services. This free event, which is presented by the RCGA and HNTB, is on
Thursday, May 13th from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. at One Metropolitan Square - Suite 990. RSVP to Sherri Bailey at sbailey@stlrcga.org.
May 18 - U.S. Representative Roy Blunt
The RCGA's Public Policy Speaker Series will feature U.S. Representative Roy Blunt, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, on Tuesday, May 18th from 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. in the RCGA's Regional Collaboration Center in downtown St. Louis. Click here for more details and to register for the event.
May 20 - RCGA Energy and Environmental Council
U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Dr. Karl Brooks
will speak to the RCGA's Energy and Environmental Council on Thursday, May 20th. Brooks oversees the Agency's activities in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska and will speak about the U.S. EPA's priorities and initiatives in our region. Hosted by St. Louis County Government, this special meeting will be held at the World Trade Center - 121 S. Meramec Avenue - Suite 1012 in Clayton from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. In addition, St. Louis County officials will present their environmental initiatives and their "Green and Growing"
framework for sustainability, climate protection and development. RSVP to Sherri Bailey at sbailey@stlrcga.org.
June 4 - MO Secretary of State Robin Carnahan
The RCGA's Public Policy Speaker Series will feature Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, on Friday, June 4th from 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. in the RCGA's Regional
Collaboration Center in downtown St. Louis. Click here for more
details and to register for the event.
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