tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post2108246634357616711..comments2007-02-12T16:46:05.903-06:00Michael R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262548806079447404noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-83458787703981444942007-02-12T19:59:00.000-06:002007-02-12T19:59:00.000-06:002007-02-12T19:59:00.000-06:00According to the PD article, the corporate beneficiaries include Express Scripts and Centene Corp. Do these large and successful companies in StL need handouts from the public's purse to succeed?<BR/><BR/>Clearly the WORD is out… need subsidy, come to St. Louis! As quoted in the PD article, housing subsidies begets more susidies: “It needs to be followed by subsidy after subsidy after subsidy” Kinder said. <BR/><BR/>But do companies like Centene and Express Scripts NEED more subsidies? Or do they just know how to play state/local politics better than their competitors? Or do they insist on such without the true need as that is the way the game is played in StL?<BR/><BR/>Already Centene has convinced Clayton of the need to blight property in order to use ED to build for executives’ preferred new office space. It didn't hurt that the high school football field needed some improvements and CNC was happy to have the stadium renamed for $400,000. As one of the nation’s largests Medicaid HMOs, CNC generated $1.5 billion in revenue last year. Some of that is used to maintain the CEO’s corporate jet that features an expresso machine. With such money and connections, CEO Neidroff claims “I call a governor, I usually get a call back within 24 to 48 hours”. Do you get the same timely response? With the rapid growth in Medicaid costs and the stress it places on our state's funds, he’ll probably have to wait less in the future.<BR/><BR/>Last week Express Scripts, which is much larger than CNC, raised its earnings guidance to Wall Street and earnings for the quarter rosed to $147 million while revenues were $4.5 billion for the three months. Also the NY Post reported that the company enriched senior executives with options at unusually opportune times.<BR/><BR/>In writing these representatives, be aware of the facts and ask why these companies need handouts. Are these companies the neediest entities in our state? What kind of messages are being sent to other investors if local entities are provided with such preferential treatment?<BR/><BR/>Think about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-74201425371022870652007-02-12T16:13:00.000-06:002007-02-12T16:13:00.000-06:002007-02-12T16:13:00.000-06:00If you would like to e-mail each senator, here are their addresses (this bypasses the form some use to limit who e-mails them):<BR/><BR/>Committee<BR/>harry_kennedy@senate.mo.gov<BR/>kevin.engler@senate.mo.gov<BR/>carl_vogel@senate.mo.gov<BR/>victor_callahan@senate.mo.gov ryan.mckenna@senate.mo.gov<BR/>jgriesheimer@senate.mo.gov <BR/>jcrowell@senate.mo.gov<BR/>Jack.Goodman@senate.mo.gov<BR/>chriskoster@senate.mo.gov<BR/>wes.shoemyer@house.mo.gov<BR/><BR/>St. Louis City Senators<BR/>maida_coleman@senate.mo.gov<BR/>Jeff.Smith@senate.mo.govJon Gallowaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-66217839519618838112007-02-12T11:22:00.000-06:002007-02-12T11:22:00.000-06:002007-02-12T11:22:00.000-06:00Here are more folks that need to hear from citizens:<BR/><BR/>Mayor Francis Slay<BR/>http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/mayor/contact.html<BR/><BR/>State Representative Rodney Hubbard<BR/>314-535-5800 <BR/>rodney@rodneyhubbard.com<BR/><BR/>McEagle Properties, LLC<BR/>636-561-9300The Late Theodore Linknoreply@blogger.com