St. Louis RCGA Public Policy

Overview
The public policy initiatives of the RCGA are member-oriented and volunteer-driven. The Public Policy Council is a volunteer leadership group whose mission is to review, debate, and make recommendations to the RCGA Board of Directors on governmental and public policy issues that affect the economic development of the region. The 2008 St. Louis RCGA Legislative Agenda is our comprehensive program for Missouri, Illinois and Federal issues.

Forward Metro St. Louis
Forward Metro St. Louis is a coalition of our region's business leaders from the RCGA, Civic Progress, the The Regional Business Council, Partners for Progress and Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois who joined together to set a proactive regional public policy agenda. By partnering with our region's elected officials and other civic leaders, Forward Metro St. Louis seeks to establish broad consensus on public policy issues that advance the region's interests. Each member of Forward Metro St. Louis is committed to advocate for the region's priority issues and is willing to invest their civic energies and political capital to the advancement of these issues. The Forward Metro St. Louis agenda for 2008 promotes specific legislative intiatives in the areas of transportation, economic competitiveness, education, and riverfront redevelopment.

Infrastructure Initiatives
Transportation infrastructure is an essential element of the region's economic development strategy to attract and retain businesses. The Private Sector Infrastructure Council conveys the St. Louis business community's priorities for surface transportation, transit, airports, and river ports. The Council identified the region's transportation needs for the next 10 years in their Metropolitan Action Plan and listed as top priorities the funding for the new Mississippi River Bridge, the reconstruction of Highway 40/Interstate 64.