Last week was one of the most enjoyable weeks of the Legislative Session: Great Northwest Days. Although this year’s event was delayed a couple of weeks due to the snowfall, approximately 300 committed campaigners came together to make this year’s Great Northwest Days an overwhelming success. These leaders of our local communities seized the opportunity to meet face-to-face with legislators and state agency leaders in Jefferson City to highlight the opportunities and address the challenges we face in our region of the state.
Although Great Northwest Days is important every year, this year it takes on even greater significance as roughly one-third of Missouri’s General Assembly is comprised of first-term lawmakers. Normally, freshman legislators tour the entire state thereby getting a glimpse of each region. Due to budget shortfalls, this year’s new lawmakers were not afforded the same opportunity. As a result, many of these newly-elected officials have come to Jefferson City with little or no knowledge of our region of the state and their first interaction was delivered by the dedicated local leaders who were willing to bring the spirit of northwest Missouri to our State Capitol.
From my first day in office I have fought hard for our local communities. While Missourians throughout the state struggle with many of the same problems, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution. The support we need to create jobs, strengthen our local economies, enhance educational opportunities for our students, and improve healthcare delivery across a vast, rural area is much different than what is needed by our counterparts large cities and suburban areas. The personal interaction and legislator education that is achieved through Great Northwest Days makes a noticeable impact on my colleagues in the Capitol.
The effectiveness of our government relies on citizens who are actively involved in our political and legislative processes. Great Northwest Days is a remarkable effort by representatives from all parts of the region working together to advance our shared priorities. I believe our event is the largest and most effective of its kind, and I am very proud and extremely grateful for the hard work and commitment of those who make this event so special. Your involvement throughout the year makes my job easier and more enjoyable. I truly appreciate your support in this effort and I am proud to work on your behalf and represent our district in Jefferson City.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 422, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
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