Heath Lauseng works for the University of Missouri Office of Financial Success. He also teaches a class at MU and says students aren’t the only people that are carefree with credit card policies.

“By no stretch of the imagination are people paying close enough attention to their policies,” Lauseng said.

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Questioning Credit

Downtown Columbia businesses have used a Special Business District (SBD) to look after their interests for nearly 30 years.

Initially the vision of the program was to fill vacancies in central city properties. Today the project focuses more on beautification to improve the appearance through new street lights, sidewalk amenities, and a touring system that directs visitors.

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Downtown Merchants Debate Improvement Tax

The January 2009 rate is at 8 percent but this time last year it was at 5.5 percent. The Missouri Department of Economic Development reports 11,500 jobs were lost this January, alone.

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Understanding Unemployment Numbers

The state plans to cut the funding the Department of Mental Health receives. Dr. Joe Parks of the department said they were asked by the legislature to find ways to cut back at the 10, 15 and 20 percent levels.

“We’ve been working on a project to have acute beds operated by the state to become operated by community hospitals a year before that,” Parks said.

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Workers Want More Information

John Denbigh, the farm manager at the Foremost Dairy Center, admits he’s lucky. He works at the Agriculture Experiment Station for the University of Missouri. Although he’s happy to have funding from the University, he says the farm is still facing problems.

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Dairy Woes

Nixon wants to cut the jobs from the mental health budget, and called for transferring ownership of the Mid-Missouri Health Center to MU. The transfer of ownership would go into effect at the start of the fiscal year in July.

Nixon is pushing for the takeover by MU because the Mid-Missouri Mental Health Center would qualify for more Medicaid reimbursements if operated by a university.

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Mental Health Care Handover

In 2005, former Gov. Matt Blunt cut Medicaid funds. These cuts still affect programs like full dental and vision coverage as well as physical and occupational therapy. Advocates are looking to restore these programs with funds from the federal stimulus plan.

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Restoration Rally For Medicaid

Wednesday morning Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder held a press conference to say he’s worried about the money going toward the state’s unemployment compensation laws.

Kinder says in order to get stimulus money, the state would have to change existing compensation laws, and open up unemployment benefits to people not eligible under the current state law. This new plan would include people who are at fault for losing their job and temporary workers.

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Controversy Over Missouri Stimulus Package Funds

The bill would give school districts the option of having four-day school weeks. The alternative would not be a state mandate. Representatives gave first-round approval to the bill but it needs another House vote before moving to the Senate.

The four-day week would lengthen each school week by one hour and have 32 fewer days of instruction each year. The total number of instruction hours would stay the same but the bill does allow for flexibility.

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Four Day School Week?

The University of Missouri Hospital system is in talks to take over the health center currently run by the Department of Mental Health. Mental Health Center workers received an email Tuesday about the possible transition, causing some concern.

“There are a lot of unhappy employees because of the fact some of them might lose their jobs, some of them are a little concerned about their future,” says employee Lee Lewis.

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Possible Change Ahead