NCI’s Policy Agenda
Advocating and defining economic and community development in North St. Louis County.
NCI is a not-for-profit regional development organization. Since 1977, we’ve been a catalyst for North St. Louis County’s growth and long-term sustainability.
There is room for everyone at our table, and we welcome voices from across the region. We are proud to collaborate with a diverse membership that includes municipal, community, and business leaders. Together we are dedicated to the sustainability and advancement of the residential and business climate of the region.
In everything we do, NCI is intentional in its efforts to strive for an equitable and inclusive community. We encourage the utilization of an equity lens to ensure that public policies and legislative actions always result in equitable outcomes for everyone impacted.
We invite you to browse our policy focus for this year and how we affect change.
Chancellor, University of Missouri-St. Louis
NCI Member
NCI's 2026
Policy Priorities
Economic Development
Business Climate
We support a strong business climate necessary for attracting, retaining, and growing through a strong infrastructure, trained labor force, and affordable housing
Community Development
Education
We support increased funding for all levels of education from early childhood through higher ed. A well-educated populace is necessary for community development and economic stability.
Healthcare
We support increased funding for Medicaid, timely reimbursement to providers, and increased funding for healthcare education. Adequate access to affordable, quality healthcare is essential for economic growth.
Public Safety
We support policies to reduce overall crime in the St. Louis region with a focus on measurable and meaningful reduction in the rate of violent crime.
We support the municipal fire departments and fire protection districts, and EMS that provide essential 911 services in North St. Louis County.
Transportation
We support investment in infrastructure that creates jobs, connects where people live with centers of employment and education, and ensures employers have ready access to critical utilities and freight networks.
We further support a modernized, public, multi-modal transportation system throughout North County, prioritizing economic development and need.
More Information Below
Economic
Development
Business Climate
We support a strong business climate necessary for attracting, retaining, and growing through a strong infrastructure, trained labor force, and affordable housing
We support the protection of proven, performance-based tax credits and incentive programs that leverage private investment and stimulate employment and economic growth for our region, encourage companies to invest in Missouri, provide a positive return on investment, and allow us to be competitive with other regions.
Workforce Development
We support funding that will increase educational attainment, workforce readiness, and proven trades training solutions to meet the region’s employment needs.
We support policies that will increase the region’s percentage of adults with post-secondary credentials.
Employment Opportunities
We support all employment opportunities and support services for people with developmental disabilities in Missouri including their choice to work in a Missouri sheltered workshop.
We support policies that expand opportunities in the trades and federally recognized apprenticeship programs.
Small Business and Entrepreneurial Growth
We support policies that stimulate an entrepreneurial culture and enhance the growth of small businesses.
We support assistance to small businesses with high growth and job creation potential, including mentoring, low-interest loans, matching funds, grants, and expansion capital.
Redevelopment
We support initiatives to spur sustainable redevelopment efforts in economically distressed areas.
We support tax credits and meaningful liability reform for brownfield sites to encourage their turnover to a productive use.
Education
Funding
We support increased funding for all levels of education from early childhood through higher ed. A well-educated populace is necessary for community development and economic stability.
Primary & Secondary
We support appropriations to fully fund the Missouri Foundation Formula, including categorical funding (i.e. transportation services), and all state-mandated initiatives for education.
We support funding proven programs that increase equitable and successful pathways to students' success by addressing educational, social, and emotional well-being (i.e., early childhood education, Parents as Teachers, after-school programs, STEAM curriculum).
We support all schools accepting public funding for education being held to the same accountability standards.
Mental Health in Education
We support increased funding and the creation of initiatives to provide training to schools and administrators to utilize the resources available in their communities to provide mental healthcare to students.
Parochial Schools
We support North County parochial schools and the value they provide to families and communities in North County.
Higher Education
We support increasing core funding levels for our higher education providers.
We support fully funding the A+ Scholarship Program for all eligible students.
We support increasing the income caps for Fast Track recipients (state aid for adult students): from $40K - $50K for the individual, from $80K - $100K for the family.
We support increasing opportunities for dual credit/dual enrollment for high school students.
We support expanding the investment in 529 Match College Savings Accounts.
We support maintaining funding from property tax revenue. If property tax reform is mandated, then the education funding from that revenue that would be lost must be replaced.
We support the execution of the seamless transfer of all 60 hours between the two-year and four-year institutions.
Healthcare
Rick Stevens
President, Christian Hospital
NCI Executive Board Member
Funding
We support increased funding for Medicaid, timely reimbursement to providers, and increased funding for healthcare education. Adequate access to affordable, quality healthcare is essential for economic growth.
We support state-level subsidies and public-private partnerships to expand access to affordable health insurance for uninsured and underinsured populations.
Access
We support reforming prior authorization, ensuring patients access to providers in a timely manner.
We support strengthening 340b legislation, providing low-cost pharmaceuticals to those least likely to afford them.
Behavioral and Mental Health Services
We support dedicated funding streams for behavioral health through Missouri’s Department of Mental Health, including expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).
We support value-based reimbursement models that reward quality and outcomes, not just volume of services.
We advocate for crisis intervention teams in collaboration with local law enforcement and EMS.
We support funding for 988 crisis line infrastructure, including mobile response units and follow-up care coordination.
Other
We support regional health-data sharing to improve population health planning and emergency preparedness.
We support investment in healthcare workforce pipelines, including training, recruitment, and retention programs for nurses, behavioral health providers, and allied health professionals.
We support having a trauma center located in North County.
We support certificate of need regulations that ensure a level playing field between hospitals and specialty providers.
Transporation/
Infrastructure
Funding, Maintenance, and Safety
We support investment in infrastructure that creates jobs, connects where people live with centers of employment and education, and ensures employers have ready access to critical utilities and freight networks.
We further support a modernized, public, multi-modal transportation system throughout North County, prioritizing economic development and need.
We support efforts to obtain full funding for improvements for the I-70 corridor from the Missouri River to Hanley Road and around the St. Louis Airport.
We support the emphasis on the maintenance of existing infrastructure and keeping roadsides clean and safe. We encourage the Transportation Commission to increase litter and debris removal efforts.
We support maintaining St. Louis’ representation on the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and oppose efforts to redistribute money away from the St. Louis region.
We support increasing traffic law enforcement to promote driver and highway worker safety.
General Issues
Housing
We encourage efforts to increase affordable and workforce housing options, including for people with disabilities.
We support efforts to increase the rehabilitation of older, underutilized, and abandoned single-family housing stock throughout the community to return these homes to a livable and attractive condition, keep them affordable for purchase, and get them back on the tax rolls.
We support policies and funding solutions to rehabilitate, improve, and require increased maintenance of single-family and multifamily rental properties. We encourage stronger required reporting by owners of rental property, making it easier to identify and locate the party responsible.
We encourage increased code enforcement of rental properties.
Public Safety
We support policies to reduce overall crime in the St. Louis region with a focus on measurable and meaningful reduction in the rate of violent crime. We encourage all community stakeholders to carefully examine current policies to eliminate all inequities caused through racial profiling in a meaningful and effective way to restore minority community trust in public safety institutions.
We support the municipal fire departments and fire protection districts, EMS that provide essential 911 services in North St. Louis County. We support innovative fire service leadership that addresses the hazards associated with fire/rescue/hazardous materials incidents and comply with minimum NFPA standards. We encourage these organizations to address the needs of their community in education and prevention programs. We support programs that expand equal opportunities for employment in training, and educational programs for the fire service.
We support the modification of Supreme Court Operating Rule 28 so that it is applied uniformly across the State by assessing all points on the assessment form based on all crimes allegedly committed by the juvenile. This would ensure that the juvenile goes before a judge who will determine the appropriate next steps, including social services and programs to help deter future criminal activity, and proper notification of their activity is given to their legal guardians.
We support legislation that allows more efficient enforcement of municipal fines and orders. We would also support a re-evaluation of the current fine structure.
Local Government
Tax Structure
We support financial and tax policies that allow greater flexibility for local governments and local taxing districts to adapt to technological and economic changes that impact funding for core services. A new, far-reaching tax policy discussion is needed with input from officials at all levels of government to design a system that moves Missouri forward. Isolated changes, especially exemptions with vague benefits, should be avoided. The goal of creating a tax policy that is
equitable to all while allowing local governments the revenue needed to maintain quality and mandated services should be prioritized. Objective analysis should govern efforts to offer state tax incentives and exemptions, while avoiding financial harm to local governments and taxing districts.
Land Use and Planning & Zoning
We support local efforts to maintain viable and sustainable communities and allow cities the necessary latitude to set guidelines for land uses that promote responsible development, balance the desires of citizens, preserve property values, and protect the rights of property owners
We support legislation that would provide all municipalities with the authority to require owners of rental property to provide contact information for responding to questions or concerns about the property. This contact information, at a minimum, must include the name, address, telephone number, and emergency contact information for the property owner. Properties that are owned by individuals or entities that do not reside at that location should be required to have information about a local contact for the property.
We support the County-wide planning efforts, including the St. Louis County 2050 Plan, as well as meaningful municipal/local planning efforts.