January 20, 2010
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. - Gov. Jay Nixon delivered his = second=20 State of the State Address this evening to a joint = session of=20 the Missouri General Assembly. During the speech, the Governor = outlined=20 strategies to address the state's urgent economic issues, while also = laying a=20 solid foundation for long-term economic growth.
"Our most pressing economic challenges - creating jobs, seizing = opportunities=20 for growth, and balancing the budget - are too important to be = sidetracked by=20 partisan bickering. That would betray the trust put in us by the = people,"=20 Gov. Nixon said during the address. "We also need = to take=20 the long view, and be wise stewards of the blessings that make Missouri = so=20 special: our families, our communities, and our God-given natural=20 resources. In everything we do this year, we must = put our=20 differences aside and put Missouri first."
The central element of Gov. Nixon's address was his three-pronged = 2010 jobs=20 package, which will enhance tools to help existing Missouri businesses = expand;=20 invest in the blossoming science and technology enterprises; and commit=20 additional resources for job training at Missouri community = colleges.
The full text of the Governor's address is below. Video of the =
speech=20
will be available on the Governor's Web site -
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
Gov. Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
Jan. 20, 2010
Thank you, Speaker Richard, President Pro-Tem Shields, Leaders = Callahan and=20 LeVota, Judges of the Missouri Supreme Court, Lieutenant Governor = Kinder, state=20 officials, members of the General Assembly and members of my = cabinet.
Welcome honored guests and my fellow Missourians.
It's a privilege to be here this evening. I am blessed to have with = me=20 Missouri's First Lady, my wife Georganne, and our two sons, Jeremiah and = Will.
One year ago, as we gathered in this very room, a massive ice storm = struck=20 southern Missouri.
Miles of power lines went down, plunging tens of thousands of people = into=20 bitter cold and darkness.
I'll never forget what I saw in the days and weeks that followed. = Everywhere=20 I went, people of every color and creed were joining hands to help their = neighbors.
They brought blankets and home-cooked meals to Kennett.
They came with chainsaws and pickup trucks to Thayer.
They turned school gyms and church basements into havens of warmth = and safety=20 in Doniphan, Naylor and Poplar Bluff.
They didn't ask how anybody voted. They didn't care who was rich or = poor.
They came together in a crisis, because that's what the people of = Missouri=20 do.
That's a powerful lesson for us here tonight: The worst of times = brings out=20 the best in us.
And when the people of Missouri join hands and work together we can=20 accomplish anything.
That makes me proud of our state, proud to be a Missourian and proud = to be=20 your Governor.
Tonight, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti, who =
are=20
suffering in the tragic aftermath of the massive earthquake on January =
12. There=20
are many ways Missourians can help. I encourage you to go to our Web =
site,
From the moment I took the oath of office, I have focused my energy = on one=20 thing: turning this economy around.
Our mission is clear:
We must keep the jobs we have, and create thousands more.
We must build a granite foundation for Missouri's future growth.
And we must balance the budget without raising taxes.
Tonight, I will review some of the hard-won accomplishments of the = year=20 behind us... address the challenges ahead of us ... highlight the = opportunities=20 we must seize now to spur job growth ... and lay out my long-term = strategy to=20 create a vibrant future for our state.
But before I get to the heart of my economic message, I'd like to = recognize=20 the brave Missourians, in all branches of our military, who have left = their=20 families in our care, to fight terror around the = world.
With us tonight is Specialist Michael Thomas, a Citizen-Soldier with = the=20 Missouri National Guard. Specialist Thomas was serving with the = Missouri=20 National Guard's Agri-Business Development Team II in Afghanistan when = his=20 convoy was hit by a suicide bomber in March 2009. As the gunner on = his=20 vehicle, Specialist Thomas sustained a direct hit from the blast. For = his=20 sacrifice, he was awarded the Purple Heart.
Specialist Thomas, as Commander in Chief of the Missouri National = Guard, I=20 commend you for your service to our country. You represent every man and = woman=20 who has ever fought for our freedom and liberty... in every time... and = on every=20 field of battle.
Specialist Thomas, on their behalf, please stand and accept the = gratitude of=20 your state.
Every action we took in 2009, and every action we will take in 2010, = is set=20 against the backdrop of global forces that constrain our nation's = economy. That=20 is the nature of the complex world we live in.
But it will not determine Missouri's destiny.
We will.
Our most pressing economic challenges - creating jobs, seizing = opportunities=20 for growth, and balancing the budget - are too important to be = sidetracked by=20 partisan bickering. That would betray the trust put in us by the = people.
We also need to take the long view, and be wise stewards of the = blessings=20 that make Missouri so special: our families, our communities, and our = God-given=20 natural resources.
In everything we do this year, we must put our differences aside - = and put=20 Missouri first.
I'm an optimist by nature, and nothing I have seen this year has = diminished=20 my optimism.
My vision of the future is colored by my abiding faith in the = resourcefulness=20 and determination of the people of Missouri.
I want the little girl who someday cracks the code of cancer to be a = product=20 of Missouri schools.
I want the little boy who invents clean fuel to heat our homes and = power our=20 cars to be a native son.
And I want thousands of Missourians working in high-tech jobs, using=20 technology we can only dream of today.
That's the future I see for Missouri.
And to reach it, I want Missouri to be first in job creation.
First in education.
First in innovation.
First in quality of life.
And first in leading this nation to recovery.
Everywhere I've traveled in the last 12 months, from K.C. to Cape, = I've heard=20 the same refrain from businesses large and small: "Give us the tools, = help us=20 train the workers, and we'll do the rest."
Last year, our bi-partisan jobs bill helped put more of these tools = in=20 place.
We ramped up financial incentives for businesses that offered good = jobs and=20 health insurance. And we focused state resources on targeted, fast-track = training programs to prepare a workforce ready to step into those = jobs.
Let me give you a few examples of our success.
Express Scripts in St. Louis, used Missouri BUILD incentives to = expand here,=20 rather than Pennsylvania. Now it's building a huge, automated facility = for=20 filling medical prescriptions. And it will create nearly 300 jobs paying = an=20 average wage of more than $40,000 a year.
McLane, a grocery distribution company owned by Warren Buffett, used = state=20 incentives to build a large new facility in Republic that will create = 250=20 full-time jobs with good wages. If Warren Buffett is bullish on = Missouri, it's=20 good for all of us.
Smith Electric Vehicles makes all-electric, zero-emission trucks. = It's=20 building a new plant in Kansas City using our Quality Jobs incentives. = That=20 plant will create 200 jobs, and pump millions of dollars into the local=20 economy.
And the list goes on.
While we were helping large employers, we didn't forget about the = small=20 businesses that are a mainstay of Missouri's economy.
We eliminated the franchise tax for 16,000 small businesses like = Kelley's=20 Furniture in Kirksville, so they could expand and add jobs.
We also started a small business loan program. One of those loans = went to=20 Beth Daniels, who owns a company in Eureka that makes educational games. = Last=20 year, Beth was worried she wouldn't have enough games in stock to fill = holiday=20 orders. So she used her loan to build up inventory and hire another=20 employee. Please welcome one of the Show-Me State's budding = entrepreneurs,=20 Beth Daniels.
Job-creation initiatives only succeed if there are trained workers = ready to=20 step into those jobs. So we upped our investment in training people.
Last fall, we began implementing our Caring for Missourians = initiative to=20 train more Missourians for careers in high-demand health care fields - = including=20 nursing and dentistry, optometry and medical technology. Over the = next two=20 years, we'll be enrolling at least 1,300 additional students in these = programs=20 at our two- and four-year colleges, and preparing these students to meet = our=20 state's critical health care needs.
We also put more money into accelerated programs at community = colleges to=20 help dislocated workers retrain and get back into the job market - = fast.
It's clear that our key business incentives and workforce investments = are=20 bearing fruit. But much more needs to be done. That's why my top = legislative=20 priority this year is my 2010 Jobs Plan.
It contains three key components.
First, we must leverage every tool and tactic to help loyal Missouri=20 businesses thrive.
Second, we must outrun and outfox our rivals to recruit new high-tech = companies to Missouri.
And third, we must train a workforce that's ready-to-roll, and=20 second-to-none.
The Missouri First initiative is my loyalty program for businesses = that are=20 already here. They'll go to the head of the line for financial = incentives to=20 help expand plants or payrolls.
We'll give an extra bump to businesses that have been in Missouri = longer than=20 five years. After all, these are the companies who have given = generations of=20 Missourians steady paychecks. They're also the folks who paid the taxes = that=20 built our roads, our schools and our parks.
Given Missouri's need to create jobs quickly, helping loyal = businesses=20 accelerate their growth just may be the smartest investment we can make = - with=20 the fastest return.
As your Governor, I'll continue to push hard to recruit new = businesses to=20 Missouri. And make no mistake: I've got a competitive streak.
That brings me to the second part of my jobs plan, the Missouri = Science and=20 Innovation Reinvestment Act: MOSIRA.
Missouri is already home to 1,000 biological science companies. This = is an=20 area where we can add muscle to existing strength.
MOSIRA will reinvest a small part of the taxes paid by existing = bio-tech=20 firms in Missouri, to recruit new ones. It will create a stable pool of = funds to=20 increase access to capital. And it will help turn scientific = breakthroughs into=20 commercial successes.
We want our bio-tech companies to grow because that creates more = jobs. But=20 just as important are the corollaries of that growth: a culture of = excellence=20 and collaboration, a forum where brilliant minds find kindred spirits, a = hotbed=20 of ideas that spark innovation, and a nexus of risk and reward, where = start-ups=20 thrive.
Synbiotics is a perfect example of how this synergy works to = Missouri's=20 advantage. Synbiotics is a global leader in animal health. A couple of = years=20 ago, its president and CEO, Paul Hays, decided to move the corporate=20 headquarters and research labs from San Diego to Kansas City.
Paul says there are five reasons why he brought his business to = Missouri:
First, the opportunities for synergy and collaboration with other = companies=20 and scientists in Missouri's booming animal health corridor.
Second, proximity to his customers.
Third, financial incentives from Missouri, Platte County and Kansas = City.
Fourth, Missouri's outstanding work ethic; and
Last, but not least, Paul's a Mizzou grad, class of '83.
All I can add to that is welcome back, and Go Tigers!
MOSIRA will help recruit more dynamic, science and technology = companies like=20 Synbiotics to Missouri. That's exactly what we want to do.
That brings me to the third part of my 2010 Jobs Plan. It focuses on=20 Missouri's greatest asset: our people.
"Training for Tomorrow" is a new initiative to train more Missourians = for=20 jobs in growing fields, like lab techs, nursing aides, surveyors and = mechanics.=20 It gives community colleges the flexibility to enlarge training programs = where=20 there's high demand, and ensures there are enough workers to meet that=20 demand.
In addition, I've proposed a 20 percent increase in funding for = customized=20 training programs tailored to the needs of specific high-tech = industries. By=20 matching industry's needs with training programs, more Missourians will = be able=20 to find work quickly.
Much of this training will take place at Missouri's excellent = community=20 colleges. There's no place where the link between education and = employment is=20 stronger.
I was at Crowder College in Neosho not long ago. President Alan = Marble told=20 me that if someone is out of work, they should go to the Dean's office = today.=20 They can sign up for a career training program - in alternative energy, = health=20 care, or drafting and design - and if they're willing to give it their = all,=20 he'll help find them a job.
Tonight, I call on you to show that same can-do spirit. Let's roll up = our=20 sleeves and pass this 2010 Jobs Plan.
There's another group of Missourians eager for work, who have = real-world job=20 experience and first-rate training from Uncle Sam. I'm talking about our = veterans.
When I was in Iraq and Afghanistan last summer, the troops invariably = asked=20 me two questions: "How is Pujols doing?" and "Will there be a job for me = when I=20 get home?"
Tonight, I'm proud to announce the creation of "Show-Me Heroes," our = new jobs=20 initiative just for our veterans. The leader of this effort is = Lieutenant=20 Colonel Alan Rohlfing of the Missouri Army National Guard.
He'll be calling on employers all over the state, telling them about = our=20 disciplined, dedicated, hard-working veterans. When a job comes open, I = want a=20 veteran's resume on the top of the stack, so they get first crack at an=20 interview.
I'm asking every employer in this state to step up and show that = Missouri=20 hires its veterans.
For veterans who are ready to retire, Missouri's also the first place = to=20 look, because we're going to continue to phase out the state income tax = on=20 military pensions until it's zero dollars.
Veterans are not the only ones who can get tax relief in Missouri = this year.=20 We're also helping homebuyers.
We're putting $15 million into an effort to give the housing industry = a boost=20 and help more Missourians afford the American Dream.
If you want to buy a house in 2010, the state will pick up your = property=20 taxes for the first year, for up to $1,250. And we're offering another = $500 in=20 tax relief if you make that house more energy efficient.
This will help put thousands of Missouri families in new homes, = jumpstart the=20 housing market and give our skilled tradesmen more green jobs.
In this tough economy, we've also got to protect vulnerable = Missourians from=20 a voracious predator: payday loan companies.
Hard times are like fertilizer for payday lenders; they just pop up=20 overnight, like mushrooms.
For folks caught in a bad situation - maybe they lost their job, or = the car=20 broke down - payday loans may seem like the best option. But Missouri = families=20 shouldn't get fleeced.
According to the most recent data, the average payday loan in = Missouri was=20 $290 - at 430 percent interest.
And even at those exorbitant rates, you know how many loans were = reported?=20 Close to three million.
Missouri laws aren't tough enough to protect folks caught in this = downward=20 spiral of debt. We need to stand up for them, and pass meaningful payday = loan=20 reform this year.
By any measure, 2009 was a rough year.
In one way or another, the downturn hit everybody's pocketbook.
Missouri unemployment ran under the national average, but was still = too high.=20 A lot of friends and neighbors were out of work. Too many Missourians = lost their=20 homes, farms and businesses. Folks who hung onto their jobs saw their = wages and=20 benefits whittled away.
The impact of those economic blows knocked the wind out of state = government.=20 Revenue fell a staggering $778 million short of projections - the = biggest=20 one-year drop in Missouri history.
So state government did what every Missouri family had to do: tighten = our=20 belts, stretch every dollar and rein in spending.
We didn't bellyache about it; we just did it. We focused on our = priorities,=20 worked together, and made some real progress.
Unlike 29 other states, we balanced the budget without raising = taxes.
How did Missouri do it?
We made state government leaner. In one year, I will have reduced the = state=20 workforce by nearly 1,800 positions.
We used technology to make government more efficient and = effective.
We cut costs by renegotiating contracts.
I ordered state department heads to conserve energy, and we reduced = our=20 utility bill by six percent. I had to cut $600 million out of the state = budget,=20 but did so without losing sight of priorities like education and public=20 safety.
And in terms of efficiencies, we're not finished yet.
For years, state government has been creating boards and commissions = for this=20 centennial or that special interest. Some do good work, while others = don't do=20 much of anything. Nobody paid much attention to them, and they just kept = growing=20 and growing until they turned into bureaucratic kudzu.
In an effort to root out government waste and inefficiency, I have = already=20 eliminated 13 of these boards and 227 positions.
And I call on the legislature to haul out the brush hog, and get rid = of 18=20 more boards and 246 more positions.
Working together, we've been able to avoid the meltdowns we're now = seeing in=20 other states:
Massachusetts and Nevada jacked up their sales tax.
Arizona's on the verge of closing two-thirds of its state parks and = selling=20 its House and Senate buildings.
Nevada's Governor has proposed cutting K-12 funding by $700 = million.
That's not going to happen here in Missouri.
Our early action and sound management have helped Missouri keep its = spotless=20 Triple-A credit rating. That saves taxpayers millions in interest each = year. And=20 it signals investors that Missouri is where smart money goes to grow. = Moody's=20 Investors Services, one of the nation's premier financial ratings firms, = rated=20 Missouri one of the top states to lead the nation's recovery.
By balancing the budget without raising taxes, making hard choices, = and=20 managing debt, Missouri is in a strong position to accelerate out of = this=20 downturn.
We could never have accomplished that without steadfast = bipartisanship. I=20 want to thank all of you for standing together last year and putting = Missouri=20 first.
We must summon that same bipartisan spirit for the hard work that = lies=20 ahead.
This year, although we're in better shape than other states, we still = face=20 sobering fiscal challenges. Revenue projections for fiscal 2011 = are=20 austere; we'll have less revenue than we did in 2009. It will take the = patience=20 and good faith of every person in this General Assembly - all 163 = members of the=20 House and all 34 members of the Senate - working as a team, to manage = our=20 limited resources and move Missouri forward on the path to = prosperity.
While we are taking steps to get immediate economic returns, we also = need to=20 be making strategic investments to secure Missouri's long-term economic=20 growth:
Investments in our children's education;
In health care;
In communities that are safe and vibrant;
And in the beauty and bounty of our state.
In our rapidly changing world, the education of Missouri's children = is a=20 high-stakes enterprise. Missouri can't succeed unless our schools = succeed. And=20 wherever students excel, we have dedicated teachers to thank.
All across the state, our public schools are stronger for the = commendable=20 work teachers do. And I'm not just talking about the work that goes on = in=20 classrooms from the first bell on Monday morning to the last bell on = Friday=20 afternoon.
I'm talking about the extra hours teachers put in before class, = giving=20 students extra help with math or English. And the weekends teachers = devote to AP=20 prep and band competitions. For these exceptional people, teaching = isn't a=20 job - it's a calling.
Criticizing public education is easy - and cheap. Educating children = is hard=20 - and takes serious investment. It's not enough to tell our teachers how = much we=20 value them; we must show them. And that is why my budget this year = includes=20 continued funding for Career Ladder. Our teachers have earned it.
Last year, we provided record funding for K-12 classrooms, even in = the face=20 of severe economic challenges. Other states, like Kansas and = Georgia, are=20 restricting education funds already appropriated.
Let me be clear: Every penny appropriated by the legislature last = year will=20 go to our K-12 classrooms this year.
Our budget challenges next year are no less daunting. Until the = revenue=20 picture changes, most folks in government understand that getting the = job done=20 with fewer resources is a given.
But budgets are about protecting priorities. And as we discussed my = budget,=20 and where and how much to cut, I took one thing off the table: K-12 = classrooms.=20 Our children are precious; their education is too important. So = even in=20 these difficult times, I am recommending increased funding, at a record = level,=20 for our K-12 classrooms.
Our commitment to education must extend beyond high school. But for = too long,=20 steep tuition hikes have put college out of reach for many Missouri = families.=20 Tom and Sandy Ray, who live in St. Louis, had three kids in college at = the same=20 time. That's a big price tag for a working family, but Tom and Sandy = understood=20 the value of a college degree and were willing to make the = sacrifice.
When their family budget suffered a blow last year, they wondered how = they'd=20 manage to pay all three tuition bills. But last year, we froze tuition = at all=20 two- and four-year public colleges and universities in the state. For = thousands=20 of families like the Rays, that was a godsend.
Please welcome these two terrific Missouri parents, Tom and Sandy = Ray.
But we're not done. I call on you to join me - and lead the nation by = example=20 - in supporting another tuition freeze this year. That would mean = Missouri=20 students and their families won't have to pay a penny more in tuition = and fees=20 two years in a row.
I want to bring college within reach for even more Missouri students, = by=20 addressing a blatant inequity in Missouri's A+ scholarship program. That = program=20 pays two years of community college tuition for high school kids who = keep up=20 their grades, give back, and stay out of trouble.
Today, a third of the kids in Missouri's public high schools can't = even apply=20 for these scholarships. That's because their schools aren't "officially=20 designated" as A+ schools.
And that's just not fair.
A+ scholarships should be open to every hard-working public high = school=20 student in Missouri. And I count on your support to make that happen = this=20 year.
Our children are growing up in a high-speed, digital world; just = watch them=20 texting their friends. Without access to the fast lane on the = information=20 superhighway, we'll simply be a dusty detour.
This year, Missouri is competing to bring high-speed Internet to = every part=20 of our state, from the urban core to the last mile of gravel = road.
For a small business like Strawberry's Bar-B-Que in Holcomb, that = means=20 instant access to customers from Jamaica to Japan. A college student = could take=20 courses on her laptop in Fair Play. A cancer specialist in St. Louis can = read=20 medical records from a family doctor in St. James.
We will compete for every possible dollar to turn this broadband = project into=20 reality and help Missouri stay competitive.
There's an undeniable correlation between a state's competitiveness = and the=20 cost of health care.
Last year, Missouri was poised to make real progress on health care. = The=20 Missouri Senate voted overwhelmingly to support my plan to provide = health care=20 to 35,000 working Missourians at no additional cost to state taxpayers.=20 Unfortunately, that proposal failed on the last day of the session.
This year, there's been a lot of talk about health care, from the = halls of=20 Congress to town hall meetings across the country.
Congress is debating significant health care legislation. If that = federal=20 legislation passes, it's our job to show steady, bipartisan leadership = and=20 maximize the benefits for the people of Missouri.
There's another important health care issue that demands our = immediate=20 attention: autism. This spectrum of disorders is diagnosed in one in 110 = children. And the sooner it is diagnosed and treated, the better their = lives=20 will be.
Myles and Lora Hinkel have a 7-year-old son, Blake, who has autism. = Myles and=20 Lora have been outstanding advocates not just for their son, but for all = children with autism. Please welcome the Hinkels tonight.
Blake's father tells a moving story about hearing his son speak his = first=20 word at the age of three. Reaching that milestone took months of = intensive=20 therapy at the Thompson Center for Autism in Columbia. It was an = enormous=20 victory for Blake, summed up rather nicely in that first word:=20 "MINE".
When the Hinkels' insurance company refused to pay for Blake's = therapy, they=20 willingly took the hit.
Because they know there is a critical period of time to turn on the = light in=20 the developing brain of a child with autism. And if that critical time = passes,=20 the light goes out.
Children with autism shouldn't have to wait for their parents to come = up with=20 the cash, or for insurance companies to grow a conscience.
They need our help now.
For months, I have stood with Democratic and Republican legislators = on this=20 issue, and laid out the key elements of a bill that we all know will = make a real=20 difference in these children's lives.
This is the year we stand up to insurance companies.
This is the year we make them cover autism.
This is the year we turn on the light for thousands of children like = Blake=20 Hinkel.
There's another young man I'd like to tell you about. His name is = Travis, and=20 he's up in the balcony tonight with his family. When Travis was 8, both = his legs=20 were crushed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Travis and his = mom,=20 Karen, almost died from their injuries. They told me they feel lucky to = be=20 alive.
Travis is 11 now; he's had five operations on his legs so far, and = he'll need=20 three more. But he's making steady progress. Please welcome this brave = young man=20 and his family.
The man behind the wheel of the car that hit Travis and his family = had a=20 prior conviction for drunk driving. But there he was - drunk again - = coming at=20 them the wrong way on an exit ramp. Travis and his family paid a = terrible price=20 for that man's terrible crime.
And that's why I have proposed legislation to effectively prosecute = and=20 punish drunk drivers and - most important - yank their licenses, and get = them=20 off the road before they shatter more lives. I urge you to send that = bill to my=20 desk this year.
Any long-term strategy for improving Missouri's economy, and = enhancing our=20 quality of life, must take full advantage of our natural heritage: our = woodlands=20 and our streams, our caves and our canyons, our plains and our = prairies.
Hunting, fishing, hiking and camping are part of our Missouri way of = life.=20 When I was a kid, I did a lot of fishing with my dad. We'd get up early, = toss=20 our gear in the back of the station wagon and head down to Bennett = Spring or=20 Montauk. I'd be hip-deep in cold water before the mist had rolled off = the=20 river.
I spent many golden hours learning to read the river, learning to tie = flies=20 that could fool a trout. That kindled my love of the outdoors, which I = passed=20 along to my sons - and I hope they'll pass along to theirs.
We need to get more kids off the couch, away from their videogames = and back=20 outdoors, because there are some lessons that only Nature can teach.
Tonight, I am pleased to announce the creation of the Missouri State = Parks=20 Youth Corps. We'll put more than a thousand young people to work this = summer at=20 our 85 state parks and historic sites.
Our park system is a legacy passed on to us by Missourians of = extraordinary=20 vision and generosity. Missourians like Edmund Babler, Peter = Bennett and=20 Leo Drey; Annie Van Meter, and Ted and Pat Jones. Even in these lean = times, we=20 have a responsibility to be good stewards of these treasures, and = preserve them=20 for future generations.
My Parks Youth Corps will learn to be good stewards of the land from = the=20 ground up: picking up trash, cutting brush, and building trails.
They'll also be outdoor ambassadors in my effort to reverse a 10-year = decline=20 in the number of visitors to our beautiful, affordable state parks. More = visitors will also pump more money into our tourism industry.
For families who love the outdoors, there's just no better deal = around. Now=20 we've got to spread the word: If you like to kayak or fish, bird-watch = or=20 mountain bike, come to Missouri first.
Missouri's land has always been the foundation of our economy. Our = farmers=20 have fed the nation, and they can feed a hungry world. In a global = marketplace,=20 the demand for Missouri agricultural products is primed to expand=20 exponentially.
We've got to sell globally, and buy locally.
This year, we'll sell a record amount of corn and soybeans to Taiwan. = That's=20 good for our trade balance and good for our farmers.
Here at home, every Missouri family should be able to share the = bounty of the=20 land, including fresh, healthy produce. That's why my budget will help = promote=20 local farmers markets, and encourage more folks to start community = gardens in=20 their neighborhoods.
I've focused this evening on our shared obligations: creating jobs, = managing=20 the budget and holding down taxes. I've talked about working together to = make=20 our communities safer, stronger and healthier. I've talked about making=20 strategic, long-term investments in Missouri's future.
But we have one more piece of unfinished business: Ethics.
It's time we gave the people of Missouri a state government that's as = honest=20 and straight-shooting as they are.
Last year, we demolished the patronage system long-used for awarding = license=20 fee offices. We created a more efficient system with a transparent = bidding=20 process. And it will produce revenue we can put to good use.
Two years ago, the legislature passed a bill to pay for college for = the=20 families of veterans killed or seriously disabled in combat. Just one = problem:=20 no funding.
Last year, the legislature passed a bill to pay a survivors' benefit = to the=20 families of firefighters, police officers, state troopers and sheriff's = deputies=20 killed in the line of duty. Same problem: no funding.
With the $800,000 our new fee office system will produce, we can = finally do=20 right by these heroes and their families, and fund both of these = programs this=20 year.
Good government really does pay dividends.
And we can do more. We can pass meaningful ethics reform this = year.
There are a number of good reform proposals out there. But to my = mind,=20 meaningful ethics reform must do four basic things:
Stop the sneaky, back-door donations from committee-to-committee.
Ban one officeholder from working as a political consultant for = another=20 officeholder.
Shut the revolving door between the legislature and lobbyists, for = good.
And most importantly, set strict limits on campaign contributions. = Missouri=20 voters overwhelmingly mandated them. As Attorney General, I fought for = them. The=20 U.S. Supreme Court upheld them.
It's the right thing to do.
In the last year, I've logged thousands of miles traveling our great = state.=20 I've had coffee with small business owners on Main Street, and chewed = the fat=20 with cattlemen. I've visited with combat veterans and college kids,=20 schoolteachers and scientists.
I've met hard-working families struggling to pay their bills, and = laid-off=20 factory workers with no health insurance.
A lot of folks are worried about their jobs. About how they're going = to pay=20 the mortgage and medical bills. They're anxious about retirement, and = what, if=20 anything, will be left for their kids and grandkids.
But not once - not one single time - did I hear anyone say: "Poor = me."
Not once did anyone tell me, "Governor, I give up."
Times may be tough.
But Missourians are tougher.
Remember the lesson of the ice storm: Our greatest strength lies in = one=20 another.
If we can hang tough a little longer, work together and stay on the = path,=20 we're going to keep climbing... and climbing... and climbing ...until we = see the=20 bright horizon.
Because Missouri's future is bright.
Even now, there are glimmers of recovery. Some parts of our economy - = like=20 health care and technology - are starting to hire again.
Home sales and industrial production are beginning to tick upward. = Consumers=20 are cautiously starting to spend.
These first warm rays of recovery are a sign that our discipline and = hard=20 work of the past year are paying off for the people of Missouri.
And at the end of the day, whether we vote red, blue or purple, most = of us=20 want the same things.
A state that's competitive and prosperous.
A state where hard-working people can find a decent job, buy a house = and=20 raise a family.
A state brimming with opportunity, so our children can sink roots and = raise=20 families of their own.
A state where health care is abundant and affordable.
A state where every child gets a first-rate education.
A state whose natural beauty beckons us to hike and bike, hunt and = fish.
And a state where neighbors help neighbors.
Do we have hard work ahead of us? Yes, we do.
Will we make progress this year? Yes, we will.
Can we move faster if we work together? Absolutely.
Tonight, let's swear an oath, to the people of the state we love and = to each=20 other - that nothing will stand in the way of rebuilding our economy and = reimagining our future.
Let's make 2010 the year we put politics second, and put Missouri = first.
Thank you.
And God bless Missouri.