Medicaid expansion, education and anti- discrimination bills top

Webber's agenda
EMILY O'CONNOR
Oct 24, 2016

COLUMBIA If anyone knows politics, it's Stephen Webber.

He's carried his political career up the ladder from elementary school to the maximum
four terms in the Missouri House of Representatives as part of the Democratic super
minority. Webber is now reaching for the next rung: the 19th District seat in the Missouri
Senate.
The past several months have been overflowing with meet and greets, door knocking and
candidate forums. When asked about any hobbies, Webber paused to find an answer.
"I don't know," Webber said. "Maybe after the election I'll try to find a hobby."
But for now, Webber said he's "all in" on becoming the 19th District's next senator.
Here's a look at some of his priorities.
Medicaid expansion
The Affordable Care Act has been a partisan point of contention since it became law in
March 2010. Missouri has not expanded Medicaid statewide, but Webber said he plans to
introduce legislation that would accomplish just that.
Currently, Missourians who meet certain eligibility requirements can be covered by MO
HealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid program,according to the Missouri Department of Social
Services.
Missouri could have expanded the number of people eligible starting Jan. 1, 2014. This
would have had a significant impact on the reimbursement of health care providers.
Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would have covered the entire
costs of the broadened coverage for three years, but the level of federal subsidy would
decline after that.
Rebecca Woelfel, director of communications at the Missouri Social Services
Department, said via email that about 16 percent of Missourians, or 985,392, were
covered by MO HealthNet as of August. If the General Assembly expanded Medicaid
statewide in fiscal 2017, an additional 293,157 residents would have access to the
coverage, she said.
Expanding Medicaid statewide would save millions of dollars, Webber said. The

expansion would create a net positive impact of $163 million in 2023, according to the
2014 Medicaid expansion budget summary from the Missouri Office of Administration
Division of Budget and Planning.
"Republican legislative committees have said that it would save Missouri taxpayers
money," Webber said. "My plan has been to take that money and invest it in higher
education."
Republicans are instinctively against Medicaid expansion because the legislation was
proposed by Democrats, he said.
State Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, researched the effects of Medicaid expansion in
Missouri a few years ago.

"(Barnes) put out a plan that showed dollar for dollar how it saves. At that time it was up
to $80 million a year," Webber said. Still, expansion legislation failed to pass.
Webber said expanding Medicaid would create jobs in Columbia, which is "built on
education and health care."
"Our hospitals are being choked right now with treating patients that fall into this
Medicaid gap," Webber said. "Its millions of dollars of uncompensated care our
community is providing. We can (put) tens of millions of dollars into the local economy,
bring more money into our local universities, take better care of our people and not raise
taxes."
K-12 funding
Webber attended Grant Elementary School and graduated from Hickman High School.
Webber said he recently revisited Grant and said students are no longer offered the same
kinds of opportunities he got.
At Democratic "stump speeches" in September, Webber told the audience he spoke with
Grant students about the budget cuts. He said one student asked him if the cuts were the
reason he had no science teacher. That's absolutely the reason, Webber said.
"What has happened is that the Republican super majority passes special interest tax
breaks (to the wealthy)," Webber said. "Communities have two choices. They can either
cut services to our kids, or they can raise their own property taxes on local people to
make up that difference. Neither of those choices are ideal."
Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said 22.7 percent of the
district's budget came from state funds last year, and 55.7 percent came from local
funding. The percentage of state funding declines every year, which is why Columbia
Public Schools must raise local taxes, she said.

Columbia residents approved a 65-cent increase for the school district's property tax levy
in April, enough to provide an additional $14.7 million to the district. But the Columbia
School Board unanimously voted in August to increase the property tax only by 57 cents,
which will generate an extra $12 million per year.
The last increase was 40 cents in 2012, Baumstark said. The district's property tax levy
stands at $6.04 per $100 assessed valuation.
Missouri Nondiscrimination Act and gender pay gap
Webber has been a leading advocate for the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act since he
was elected in 2008. The act would prevent a person from being fired based on sexual
orientation or gender identity. Webber said he plans to continue sponsoring this
legislation if he wins the Senate seat.
"It's the right thing to do for our people, and if Missouri is going to move forward, we
need to be welcoming to everyone and get the best out of everyones talents," Webber
said. "The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act is an important piece of doing that."
The first attempt at passing the legislation came in 1998, according to a previous
Missourian report.
Webber also has sponsored legislation for the past two years that would attempt to close
the gender pay gap. He said the problem is beginning to gain more attention.
"I think more and more people are realizing it's a serious issue and it needs to be
addressed, and theres things that we can do," Webber said, mentioning accountability
and transparency in terms of pay as possible solutions. "I want to be part of the solution
in that."
Women earn 80 cents to every dollar earned by a man in the U.S.,according to 2016 data
from the American Association of University Women. In Missouri, women earn 78 cents
for every dollar earned by a man, according to the same research.
That pay gap is even wider for minority women. African-American women earn 63 cents
to every dollar earned by a white man, and Latina or Hispanic women earn 54 cents, the
same data reported.
Struggles of the super minority
The Missouri General Assembly comprises a Republican super majority, meaning
Republicans dominate both the House and the Senate. As a result, if Democrats want to
pass legislation, it must appeal to Republicans as well.
In the Senate, 24 of the 31 seats that are filled belong to Republicans. Three districts have
vacant seats. In the House, Republicans hold 115 of the 163 seats.

Democrats need to stop Republicans' "extreme" ideas, Webber said, and work with them
one on one. Webber said he gained Republican support in the past with the Missouri
Nondiscrimination Act by finding a familial connection.
"Now the frustrating thing is that you shouldnt have to have it directly impact you before
you realize that its good public policy," Webber said. "But well try to bring people on
board with diversity any way we can."
Although the General Assembly is ruled by Republicans, Webber said he doesn't believe
Missouri is a Republican state.
"When the state votes as a whole, it votes for Democrats more often than it votes for
Republicans, which I think is an important distinction," Webber said. "This area in
particular is a Democratic area."
Even so, the Republican Party has been a powerhouse in the legislature, especially when
it comes to campaign contributions.
Republican Caleb Rowden, Webber's opponent, has received substantial campaign
contributions from the Missouri Senate Campaign Committee. Webber has received more
than $1.5 million this election cycle from over 2,000 contributors.
"I dont have an individual donor that can give me a half a million dollars, and so, yeah, I
have to work harder," Webber said. "But I think the job thats best is when youre
reaching out and talking to people, and so I think we have a much broader base of support
than our opponent as a result of that.