I always learn something new when I
am in Jefferson City. This week I was
very upset to learn of Mo DOT spending time, money and resource to provide
Cultural and Diversity training to employees.
You may ask why I am upset over this, I will explain the reasons I have
regarding my disapproval and frustration with this training. This past year we have all heard how Mo DOT
was short of the needed funds to maintain and repair our roads and bridges, it
went so far as to a ballot measure that failed and bills being filed in the
legislature this past session. During
the past session, I was very aware of and concerned for Mo DOT’s funding needs,
especially as I have been under our bridges and seen for myself the deteriorating
condition of our bridges, I have tried to be supportive of finding ways to
address the funding issues to ensure Missourians safety on the roads. Mo DOT has recently released a plan to care
for a very primary roadway structure and I have been very good to explain the
importance of this primary structure even though we have very little on the
primary structure. I have talked with
other members of the legislative body about ways to find more funding for Mo DOT
so that the secondary roads and bridges can be addressed.
With all this being said, I cannot
and will not be supportive of funds, resources and time, all of which are very
precious commodities, to be used for Cultural and Diversity training while we
have so many of our roads and bridges are listed as being in critical
condition. People’s lives and safety are
more important than this type of training!
How will we all feel if someone is killed on our roadways or a bridge
because we used our financial and personnel resources on other types of
activities instead of first making sure our roads and bridges are safe? If this is a Federal requirement due to some
Federal monies our state has accepted, I will be more than happy to take this
fight to our Federal Delegation serving in Washington DC and ask them to change
this. We must have safe roads and
bridges to travel on. Our economy needs
safe roads and bridges for businesses to grow and thrive. Our people deserve to be safe as they travel
over Missouri roads and bridges. I will
continue to stand for wise use of our tax dollars and for common sense. Missourians safety and lives come before
Cultural and Diversity training.
