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Updates from the Missouri Municipal League:Annual Legislative Conference <br /> The <br />will be held February 20-21 at the Jefferson City Capitol Plaza Hotel. Registration <br />material can be found on the MML Web site. We urge all city officials to attend this <br />important, informative Conference. <br /> <br />LEGISLATIVE CONTACTS … <br /> When the General Assembly convenes on January 9, <br />several issues impacting municipalities will have been pre-filed; many of these bills are <br />detrimental to municipal interests. To date, bills have been or will be filed relating to <br />property taxes, collective bargaining, police/fire overtime, transportation funding, liability <br />for delinquent water and sewer bills, open records, relocation of utilities in the rights-of- <br />way and many other issues. <br /> <br />Municipal officials will need to contact legislators at the appropriate time before they <br />commit to support these bills. Building relationships with legislators takes time and <br />careful effort, but it is the most effective way to shape the rethinking of those who <br />decide public policy. The best way to build these relationships is by being a useful and <br />trustworthy source of sound information and insight. Your message should be to oppose <br />legislation that makes it more difficult to govern cities. City budgets are in a crunch, and <br />the state should not reduce local revenues or mandate costs on local government. <br /> <br />MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS … <br />If you arrange a meeting with your legislators <br />either in Jefferson City or at home, please remember to invite MML staff. If we are able <br />to attend, it is helpful to us in our lobbying effort. <br /> <br />2007-2008 POLICY STATEMENT … <br />The 2007-2008 Policy Statement is now available <br />for download on the MML Web site. Members may also request a hard copy from <br />League headquarters. The policy statement was adopted at the business meeting <br />during the Annual Conference. <br /> <br />FLAT STATEWIDE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS … <br />From July to November, statewide <br />sales tax collections increased only 1 percent over last year, not even keeping pace <br />with inflation. City officials need to keep this in mind when preparing budgets. <br /> <br />MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT BOARDS: TRAINING REQUIRED … <br /> To clarify last <br />month’s article on this topic, the training is required of each member of a retirement <br />board, not the board of aldermen. If your municipality is a member of LAGERS, the <br />training is required of each LAGERS board member. If your city has established its own <br />retirement system, the training is required of each member of your retirement board. <br />Sorry for any confusion. <br /> <br />NLC POLICY COMMITTEES … <br />We have openings for appointments to the following <br />National League of Cities Policy and Advocacy Committees: Community and Economic <br />Development; Energy, Environment and Natural Resources; Finance Administration and <br />Intergovernmental Relations; Human Development; Information Technology and <br />Communications; and Public Safety and Crime Prevention. The policy committees meet <br />only at the two regular NLC conferences. Preference will be given to officials from cities <br />that are not represented already on NLC committees. Please let us know if you are <br />interested in serving on one of the above committees. <br />Federal Legislative Updates from the National League of Cities <br /> <br />