Public Policy Class Survey

 The purpose of this survey is to provide feedback to students who have written policy memos on the topics included. There are about 25 public policy questions and five background questions. Thank you for your feedback. 

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* 1. Alcohol abuse results in more violent crimes, including sexual assaults and traffic accidents. In downtown Columbia MO it is easy to  find  $0.75 drink specials,  $5.00 bottomless cup and more. The City of Columbia should restrict cheap drink specials by increasing the price of one standard drink to $2 in all local bars.

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* 2. Black drivers in Columbia are stopped at a rate 3.9 times higher than the rate at which white drivers are stopped. Columbia should require mandatory reporting  for all  discretionary traffic stops.

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* 3. In Missouri there are thousands of abandoned and deteriorating buildings that cause health and safety issues, foster criminal activity, and decrease the property values of other homes within the area. Do you support a sales tax increase with a 5-year sunset provision to fund the demolition and rebuilding of homes for low income families?

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* 4. School buildings have become much larger and students are using more complicated studying devices such as iPads, binders, and heavy backpacks.  The time between classes is too limited for many students to calmly exchange classes. Middle school students should have at least  6 minutes between two periods instead of the current 4 or 5 minutes. 

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* 5. Young adults, specifically those 18 to 20 years of age, continue to  undergo cognitive development well into their mid-20s. Growing minds are particularly sensitive to becoming dependent on addictive substances, such as nicotine. The minimum age to buy cigarettes should be increased  from 18 to 21.

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* 6. "Food deserts" occur  when a supermarket or grocery store is greater than 3 miles from residential area, resulting in low income individuals purchasing food at small convenience stores that sell limited selections of food items, which are often non-perishable and unhealthy items,  with limited nutritional value. These establishments should be required by state law to stock a minimum of 7 different options of fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread, eggs, and three low-fat dairy products.

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* 7. Columbia should adopt an ordinance  reducing alcohol serving time by 2 hours in downtown bars to reduce alcohol-related injuries and deaths. 

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* 8. The CDC reports that binge drinking is most common among younger adults aged 18-34 years old, and that most people younger than 21 have binge drank on multiple occasions. All Missouri public colleges and universities should be required to provide a mandatory program to their students on the dangers of alcohol consumption.

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* 9. Video games have begun to include in-game purchases that involve games of chance and elements of gambling but remain accessible to children below legal gambling age. Individuals that have early gambling experience are more likely to develop gambling problems and issues of impulse control in the future. Removal of these games of chance can help prevent future gambling disorders.
Video games including  games of chance involving real money should NOT  be accessible to children.

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* 10. Ninety-five percent of adult smokers smoked their first cigarette before the age of twenty-one. Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, smokers often move from an experimental stage to regular daily use of tobacco products. Increasing the age to purchase tobacco  in Missouri will help prevent young people from ever starting to smoke and reduce disease, deaths and health care costs associated with smoking.  The legal age to purchase tobacco products should be increased to 21. 

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* 11.  The current health care policy in the United States costs almost 18 percent of the economy, which is likely to increase to almost 20 percent in 2023. A national healthcare system should be adopted to be efficient.

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* 12. The prevalence of cavities in Missouri youth is now higher than the incidence of asthma, which used to be the number one chronic illness among children. K-12 schools should provide a free dental exam and basic preventative care to all students (funded equally by the Departments of Education and  Social Services). 

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* 13. Personal mobilities such as "Hoverboard" and "Segway" has become more popular.  However, their use on streets and sidewalks often cause confusion.   Personal mobilities will reduce the use of fossil fuels and will preserve the environment. We should promote the use of personal mobilities. Personal mobilities should be allowed on streets as long as they follow traffic regulations. 

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* 14. Since 2017, Columbia City Council has approved two big downzoning requests from a large number of self-organized property owners (over thirty for each case). Through downzoning (from R-2 or R-3 to R-1), redevelopment on these lots will not be allowed for duplex, thus closing the door to renters that lack place attachment and enabling the communities to preserve their characters. Do you support downzoning in Columbia, MO?

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* 15. The EPA is currently taking measures to ease air pollution regulations. The Trump Administration has taken a lax position on environmental issues, and in lieu of this several states are threatening lawsuits over the EPA's lack of enforcement. Do you believe that the Clean Air Act is too harsh, not harsh enough, or just fine as is?

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* 16. In the state of Missouri, homeowners can receive a tax rebate for installing energy-efficient appliances and windows in their homes. However, due to the nature of home-ownership and the cost of appliances, the rebate typically applies only to people with middle-to-high incomes. Missouri should subsidize energy-efficient appliances and units for low-income home-owners and renters in the name of economic and environmental justice. 

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* 17. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, provided for the expansion of Medicaid across all states to cover individuals earning incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level ($16,753). Missouri is one of 19 states who have chosen not to expand their state-run Medicaid program which only provides Medicaid coverage to individuals that earn incomes up to 44% of the federal poverty level ($5,342). Individuals living in Missouri are able to apply for insurance subsidies if they earn more than 100% of the federal poverty level ($12,140) which leaves the people who earn anywhere between 44%-100% of the federal poverty level (roughly 100,000 people across Missouri) with no affordable way to get health insurance, otherwise known as a "coverage gap".

Should Missourians vote in favor of the "Missouri Medicaid Expansion Initiative" in the next general election on November 6, 2018 which would amend Missouri law to expand Medicaid coverage to everyone who makes 138% of the federal poverty level?

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* 18. Most major cities continue to see an increase in the amount of garden waste generated but their the current garbage treatment plants have a limited ability to dispose of green waste.  Local government should adopt a new technology to replace the old one that is landfill or incineration.

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* 19. The City of Columbia, MO should adopt a city ordinance to increase  recycling centers (to 12 from the current 8) and provide an additional option in the centers to recycle plastic bags. 

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* 20. In debates about gun control, opponents to gun control laws argue that “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” However, statistics show that, among the most developed countries in the world, The United States rates  first in personal gun ownership and the highest in the number of deaths caused by guns. The Federal government should ban the use of high-capacity magazines in order to reduce the number of mass shootings.

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* 21. Housing vouchers help 5.3 million people in 2.2 million households — the vast majority of which are seniors, people with disabilities, or families with children — obtain  decent housing in the private market. Housing vouchers reduce homelessness and housing insecurity, lift people out of poverty, and improve their quality of life.
    The Congress should oppose President Trump’s 2018 HUD budget that proposed severe cuts in many housing programs, including housing vouchers and public housing.

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* 22. Columbia has long recognized the severity of the number of families in poverty and the lifelong impacts that creates for the parents and children, such as higher risk for child abuse, chronic health diseases and incarceration. Studies show that investing early on in a child's life improves their lifelong outcomes. Columbia should establish an education program called Nurses for Newborns providing pre-natal and early childhood instruction and care  to families below the poverty level. 

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* 23. Students in China and other countries  are wearing out of date and low quality uniforms. Some education reformers argue that upgrading school uniforms improves students' self esteem and interest in attending school. School uniforms an essential aspects of K-12 education.

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* 24. Which of the folloing best describes you?

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* 25. In what nation did you attend high school?

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* 26. What is your age? 

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* 27. Compared with the average citizen, how informed are you about public policy and government? 

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