Top Priorities
Protect Our Democracy
Since 1910 Missourians have relied on the initiative petition process to secure popular legislation in the face of intransigent state lawmakers. In recent years Missouri voters have used initiative petitions to raise the state minimum wage, expand Medicaid, restore abortion rights and overturn Missouri’s ‘right to work’ law. Unfortunately, certain lawmakers in Jefferson City are committed to destroying our initiative petition process and roll back the gains that Missourians have made using it. As someone who has worked on several initiative petition campaigns Jimmy will fight to ensure that our petition process remains, and that the will of Missouri voters will be upheld.
Restore Local Control
While serving as an alderman Jimmy and his colleagues were consistently stymied in our efforts to secure the rights of and advance progressive policies for people who live and work in our city, by a hostile Missouri General Assembly. As a state legislator Jimmy will work to restore basic self-governance and local control to the City of St. Louis.
Protect and Expand Access to Health Care
All Missourians should have access to whatever healthcare they need, including access to abortion care. Certain lawmakers in Jefferson City are committed to limiting access to health care; Jimmy will work to ensure that all Missourians have access to care, and will defend Missouri’s votes to expand Medicaid and restore abortion rights.
Protect Public Education
As a parent of an St. Louis Public Schools student Jimmy is deeply committed to public education and will work to ensure that every Missouri child has access to a quality public education, and that the teaching profession is properly esteemed and compensated. Jimmy will always fight for public schools and against efforts to expand public support for unaccountable private schools.
Restore Missouri’s Safety Net
Over the past several decades Missouri’s social services have been systematically neglected, causing undue hardship for countless Missouri families. Jimmy will work to ensure that Missouri’s frayed social safety net is rebuilt, and work to ensure that Missouri’s safety net programs are brought in line with national averages.
Workers Rights
As a lifelong union member Jimmy understands how important unions are and will work tirelessly to ensure that all workers are able to join and form unions without interference from their employers or the government. Jimmy will fight to maintain collective bargaining rights for all workers in our state, against so-called ‘Right to Work’ laws, to increase the state’s minimum wage, and to protect prevailing wage laws.
Public Safety & Livable Communities
All Saint Louisans and all Missourians deserve to live in safe, healthy & stable communities. Meaningful public safety means equipping local communities with the the tools they need to address unstable and unsafe properties, to bring absentee property owners to account and to ensure that emergency and public safety responses are quick, efficient and appropriate. As your state representative Jimmy will work with state and city leaders and first responders to ensure that our communities have the resources that we need to ensure safe and healthy communities throughout the 81st District, the City of St. Louis and across the State.