By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Democratic members of the Missouri legislature toured troubled neighborhoods in north St. Louis on Wednesday. The tour was designed to generate cooperation on issues affecting both urban and rural districts.
"The fact that someone who lives in outstate Missouri, who is about as far removed from St. Louis City as you can get wanted to see where I and my constituents live is a huge step in the right direction," says Connie Johnson of St. Louis's 61st District.
Participating in the tour were eight members of the Black and Rural caucus's of the state legislature. Representative J.C. Kuessner, from district 152 in Iron County feels that urban and rural communities face many of the same issues.
"The Medicaid cuts affected my district as much or more so then they did Connie Johnson's district here in St. Louis," says Kuessner. "The poverty level also is high in my area and you have a lower average income in my area but poverty is poverty."
The tour made a stop at a Habitat for Humanity home in the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood as well as Mark Twain Neighborhood which has been crippled under the weight of violent crime.