Rep. Evans Speaks at WS Chamber of Commerce

The Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce held its regular monthly meeting at Chapala Mexican restaurant on West Main on October 6. To support Willow Springs restaurants, Chamber meetings have rotated from restaurant to restaurant each month. 

 

At Tuesday’s meeting, Representative David Evans was the guest speaker. He took the opportunity to brief the Chamber members on Amendments to the Missouri State Constitution which will be appearing on the ballot in November’s general election. 

 

Amendments 1 and 3 are both on November’s ballot by referendum. Amendment 1 would extend the current two-term limit for Missouri’s Governors, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, and Attorney General. 

 

Amendment 3 would change the Missouri State Constitution to transfer the responsibility of the redistricting process approved by voters in 2018 from a Nonpartisan State Demographer to Governor-appointed bipartisan commission. 

 

“It’s an important issue, and there’s a good chance it passes,” said Rep. Evans.

 

Rep. Evans also gave an overview of the impact on the state’s budget that the recently passed Amendment 2 (Medicaid Expansion) will have. As a Constitutional Amendment, legislators are required to fund the program, which will mean cuts to funding for other programs that are not constitutionally obligated, such as higher education and infrastructure improvements. 

 

As a member of the House of Representatives’ budget committee, Rep. Evans told the Chamber that funding Medicaid Expansion immediately will cost an estimated $200 to 250 million before federal money starts coming in, which will certainly strain the Missouri State budget which has been reduced by $700 million due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

The representative took questions from Chamber members as well as from high school students who were present as members of the Future Business Leaders of America.