Politics Watch — February 1, 2010
City cannot raise MU game day shuttle fees
The cost of a bus ride to MU football games will not increase next year without all other city transit rates rising, according a report presented to the City Council on Monday night.
Catching a bus anywhere in the city costs $1, but City Council debated raising this fee to $2 for the game day shuttle in order to make it self-sustaining.
But, a 2008 federal law prohibits establishing a “premium fare” for transportation services that a grant-receiving entity, such as the city of Columbia, provides for an irregular event, such as a football game, according to the report written by Public Works Director John Glascock.
“We came up with that great idea only to discover it is a violation of the United States constitution,” Hindman said. “If that is designed to protect the private sector, which is showing no interest whatsoever in doing this, it just seems like there ought to be a way to anyways.”
These regulations were put in place, Glascock writes, to protect private business. He said in essence, the federal law prohibits entities that receive public money for transportation from using that equipment, and those bus drivers to compete head-to-head with private businesses, who do not get assistance from taxpayers.
“It keeps us from undercutting private businesses," Glascock said. "We have to charge the same as we do for all other fares."
Despite this regulation, the city is allowed to raise transit rates across the board, which happened during 2008, when rates went from 50 cents to $1. In 2009 that increase was applied halfway through the football season Glascock said.
Obama takes YouTube questions on federal budget
President Barack Obama fielded questions submitted by Internet users across the country about the national budget for 2011 in an interview posted to YouTube Monday afternoon.
This marks the first time a president has fielded questions from constituents about the federal budget on the day of its release. In the video, Steve Grove, YouTube's news and political director, asks the president questions that were submitted and selected by YouTube users following Obama’s State of the Union address last week.
The president took questions on health care, small businesses, the bailout of large banks and also talked about some ideas for improving the country. In his State of the Union speech, Obama had put more emphasis on creating jobs to cut the country’s 10 percent unemployment rate.
The president said he wants the House and Senate to pass a health care within the year and emphasized the benefits of passing such a bill, such as medical cost reduction and coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions.
He said the government is expanding loans to small businesses through the Small Business Administration and offering tax breaks so small businesses can expand. He also came back to health care on this point and said bringing down insurance costs would help business owners.
As for improving the country, Obama supported suggestions to offer people incentives for living healthy lives and also converting government offices to run on solar energy to save money. He opposed privatizing struggling government agencies, such as the Postal Service, saying business would focus on providing only the services that are profitable and not those that are necessary.
Third Ward councilman appointed to leadership training council
Columbia’s Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala was appointed to the National League of Cities 38-member Leadership Training Council last week.
“It’s something I’ve been looking at for quite some time,” Skala said.
The National League of Cities is an organization committed to strengthening the leadership skills of the country’s elected officials and has more than active 3,000 members.
Skala said the Leadership Training Council is constructed to design leadership-training programs for elected officials. He is the only member on the council from Missouri.
“It’s always a good idea to continue to work on your leadership credentials,” Skala said. “That’s a critical component to leadership and governing effectively.”
In addition to the appointment, Skala will receive a gold level award from the league. Skala achieved the silver level in 2007. He said the gold level is given out after achieving various requirements and accomplishments.
The league will meet in March in Washington.
Skala said he is happy with the honors but doesn’t want to miss too much time working on his re-election campaign for the Third Ward seat.
MSO members react to new flight guidelines
Security measures put in place by the Obama administration after the Christmas day bombing plot are seen as ineffective by some Muslim MU students.
The guidelines, which apply to 14 countries, mean any person flying into the U.S. from these countries, which are mostly located in the Middle East, will be required to undergo enhanced security screenings. Anyone who meets certain physical characteristics stereotypical to certain ethnicities will also be subject to additional screening.
Although Muslim Student Organization spokesperson Bushra Naz said she has never felt personally victimized or subject to profiling, she said after 9/11 many people went along with new security measures.
“The Muslim community accepts that security is just trying to keep everyone safe,” Naz said.
She said now that another incident has happened, it might be a sign that profiling is ineffective.
MSO President Malik al-Jarad said it is very hard to profile every Muslim because it is the physical appearance of a person that is typically stereotyped in this situation, and every Muslim does not portray the same stereotypical physical characteristics.
Thomas Anthony, U.S.C Aviation Safety and Security program director, said new ways to enhance security include several options.
He said a low-powered X-Ray technology used for full body scans and an electronic device that detects any traces of explosives are both additional types of security measures.
Anthony also said additional security measures should always be added and changed in order to create better security systems because terrorists are constantly monitor these measures.
In addition to these measures, he said profiling was necessary.
“You can’t really treat everyone the same all the time because we don’t have the resources,” Anthony said.