MIKE COLONA | Candidate for State Representative

SCHOOLS
As the only homeowner who is running to be your next State Representative, fixing our schools is one of my top priorities. It is no secret our City Schools are in trouble. The State of Missouri has taken away local control; many teaching jobs remain unfilled and the quality of a St. Louis Public Schools diploma has been significantly reduced. In the end, it is truly our children who suffer. As your next State Representative, I want to work with other progressive city Legislators to bring about real change. My Excellence in Education Plan has four elements that can bring about real change for our kids. First, we need to attract the best teachers to teach our kids. Teachers who are in the top of their graduating class and agree to teach in the St Louis Public Schools should be awarded a signing bonus upon agreeing to a five-year commitment to stay and teach in city schools. Second, teachers who agree to teach and are qualified to teach in courses which are traditionally under served such as math, special education and science, should receive an additional bonus. Third, we need to fund programs that will engage our schools in before and after school learning opportunities. Offer early opening and late closing of schools for those students who want or need extra help in a specific subject or who truly want additional time with teachers to prepare them for future classes or college. Fourth, while some students excel in the traditional college preparatory environment, others excel in other areas of learning. The award winning avionics program at Gateway High School prepares students to go into the field of aviation. The United States Air Force and Boeing Corporation heavily recruit graduates of this program. Gateway is a shining example of a school that works; that offers opportunities to students who want a little something different. We should dedicate more funding to programs like this to help our kids in the areas they excel.

CRIME
I have practiced law for almost fifteen years. Over that time period I have witnessed what works in our criminal justice system and what doesn't work. Simply put, we need more cops on the street. As your next State Representative, I plan to fight for our fair share of state law enforcement dollars and earmark new money specifically for additional police officers, training and equipment.
We need to continue successful programs like Drug Court that is a program offered to first time drug offenders to participate in a very intense, committed program that if successfully completed, results in the dismissal of their case. Upon admittance to the program, participants are screened by a prosecutor, social worker and caseworker. Drug treatment, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, GED courses and job placement opportunities are all available to participants. Of those people who complete the Drug Court program, over 90 percent never step foot in another courtroom.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Today we are faced with an economy that is uncertain. As your next State Representative I pledge to protect programs that work like State Historic Tax Credits for our neighborhoods. These credits are vital in the continued development of commercial areas and protect their historic architectural beauty. Residential homeowners who want to invest in their home and neighborhood also rely upon these credits.

Although our region is the economic hub for the entire State of Missouri, we don't receive our fair share of funds for transportation; be it funds for new Metrolink stops, improved highways and bridges, better rail opportunities or even funding for a new bridge over the Mississippi. With a better, updated transportation network that has a regional plan on maximizing our economic potential, we will bring new jobs to St. Louis.

The City of St. Louis has the highest unemployment rate in the State at over 9%. The Republicans have ignored our pain here in St Louis and I want to fight to bring in more State aid in helping our citizens not just find jobs, but also help them in training for new jobs. This can be accomplished by restoring funds cut form our social service organizations and working with our friends and neighbors in identifying people who need help in finding jobs or receiving the tools they need to re-enter the workforce.

HEALTH CARE
The Republicans took away health insurance coverage from over 180,000 men, women and children. As a practicing lawyer, I have seen the direct impact of this inhumane and cruel act. Clients of mine who have just one emergency room visit are forced to choose between buying prescription drugs or sometimes just putting ONE meal on the table per day. This is wrong. I will fight to restore health insurance to each and every one of our citizens who were victimized by Governor Blunt's cuts. But I won't stop there.

My mother is not old enough for Medicare, still works 50 - 60 hours a week and can't afford health insurance - well, who could at a premium of $1,500.00 a month. And that is the lowest estimate we could find. There is no reason why in our State, someone who has worked all her life believing in a system that will take care of her or at least allow her the opportunity to have affordable health care, can't do something to ensure that all of our working citizens can have access to affordable health care. I pledge to you that I will work endlessly to bring the cost of health care under control so the average working person has access to affordable health care.

CHOICE
The decision to bear a child is one that should be between a woman, her doctors, and the people who are close to her. I am embarrassed by our Republican Legislature which continues to chip away at health care opportunities and deny information to women. Republicans have cut funding from medical outlets which traditionally have empowered women to make informed medical decisions with their doctors; not only about pregnancy but also about sexual activity and the spread of STD's. Clinics that perform vital health care to women in rural Missouri have been hardest hit by these funding cuts and have been forced to close. I will fight to restore funding to health clinics regardless of their position on choice; fight to remove gag orders from doctors who need to provide their patients with information that can prevent unwanted pregnancies and prevent the transmission of STD's; and fight to keep this vital health care choice between a woman and her doctors without intrusion from the state. (On June 10th, NARAL--the National Abortion
and Reproductive Rights Action League--endorsed Mike's campaign.)

ENVIRONMENT
I will promote a Green Missouri at every opportunity. Comprehensive recycling plans, incentives to recycle, use renewable materials while renovating or building and use renewable fuels are just some of the things I want to promote as your next Representative.

NON-DISCRIMINATION
The 67th District has the privilege of being one of the most diverse districts in the sate in the areas of race, gender, national heritage and sexual orientation. All one has to do is travel down South Grand to see the wonderfully diverse number of restaurants, bars, organizations, places of worship, and shops to see a microcosm of our neighborhood. Tower Grove Park, which is in the 67th District, is home to the area's Pride Festival, where thousands of LGBT friends and supporters gather every year to celebrate diversity. As your Representative in Jefferson City, I want to fight to end discrimination of all types. As has been my platform for many years, I want to be an ambassador of tolerance and work with progressive Missouri leaders to end legislative discrimination of all types of people.