Volume 23, Edition 1  •  January 11 , 2008

State of the State Reminder

A reminder to Missouri Republicans that Gov. Matt Blunt will deliver the annual State of the State address on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 7 p.m., to discuss Missouri’s accomplishments over the past year, his legislative goals and the Fiscal Year 2009 budget he will submit to the Legislature. The following television stations have confirmed they will carry the address live this year: In Mid-Missouri citizens can view the address on KOMU or KRCG, in the Joplin area on KGCS-TV and in the Kansas City area on KCPT and KSHB.com. Radio stations carrying the address live include KRCU in Cape Girardeau, KSEF in Farmington, KRLL in Mid-Missouri, KSGF and KSMU in Southwest Missouri, KWMU in St. Louis and Missourinet statewide. For updated information on which media organizations will be carrying the address, please visit http://gov.missouri.gov/2008MediaBroadcasts.htm.

Governor Pledges More Money for Health Care

Governor Blunt says his budget recommendation for next year will include nearly a quarter of one billion dollars in core funding increases with a focus on continuing quality health care services for Missourians enrolled in Mo HealthNet. The funding increase will support ongoing access to care for the nearly 830,000 Missourians served by Mo HealthNet and represents just a portion of the governor’s Mo HealthNet plan to improve health care in Missouri. “Not only have we saved the taxpayer supported health care safety net from bankruptcy, but we have also created a new, innovative health care system to deliver 21st century health care to Missourians,” Governor Blunt said. “My call to increase funding supports our commitment to focus on health, prevention, and wellness, rather than only treating sickness or injury after it has occurred.” In addition to several proactive investments the governor will announce in the coming days that are targeted to improve care, Governor Blunt’s funding recommendations for Mo HealthNet will include $247.8 million in core increases for important programs and services. When taken together, all the governor’s recommendations to support health care in Fiscal Year 2009 will total $7.2 billion. The governor also recently announced Mo HealthNet physician services rate increases and his plans to expand women’s health services. He is expected to call for additional investments in Mo HealthNet to further enhance services. Mo HealthNet is greatly improving the taxpayer funded health care program for low income Missourians. Innovative solutions like a health care home, expanded access to care for foster children and increased use of technology are improving health care for participants. Governor Blunt recognizes health care is amongst the top concerns for Missourians and he has worked to transform health care in Missouri. In addition to important and beneficial changes to Mo HealthNet, the governor’s Insure Missouri program will use existing resources to expand access to coverage to more than 200,000 Missourians who are yet to be covered. Governor Blunt implemented these valuable changes without increasing taxes on Missourians. In addition proactive and responsible budgeting allowed the governor to cut taxes on health care expenses for Missouri families.

Children Also to Receive Health Care Boost

Governor Blunt says he is recommending funding for the new provisions of Mo HealthNet for Kids that extend coverage to an additional 3,700 children who would otherwise be unable to get health coverage due to pre-existing conditions or exceeding their annual maximum coverage limits. The governor is recommending $4.8 million to fund this new, expanded Mo HealthNet for Kids coverage. The new program is part of legislation the governor signed that extends health care coverage to children that cannot otherwise be insured because of pre-existing conditions or are so ill they have exceeded their annual maximum coverage limit. The old health care program for children in Missouri did not allow children who were refused coverage for a pre-existing condition under their parent’s employer-sponsored health insurance to enroll. The governor’s plan and funding recommendation will ensure the estimated 3,700 impacted children will now have access to care. "As a parent and as governor, I know there is nothing more important than the health, education and well-being of our children," the governor said. "I am recommending funding to expand health coverage for thousands of Missouri children to ensure they have the support and resources to reach their full potential." Mo HealthNet for Kids provides health care coverage for children in families who earn up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, and Missouri is one of only a handful of states with eligibility that extends that high. Children in families earning up to 150 percent of federal poverty or $30,975 for a family of four have no cost sharing or premiums. Families with higher incomes who do not have access to affordable health insurance may also qualify with reasonable cost sharing at three, four or five percent of family income. More than 485,000 children currently receive their health care coverage through Mo HealthNet for Kids.

Governor Announces Tax Cut Plan for Missouri Veterans

Governor Blunt is calling for the fourth major tax cut since he took office, visiting with veterans around the state this week to announce his tax cut plan to benefit tens of thousands of Missouri’s military heroes. The governor is urging the Legislature to honor the sacrifices made by Missouri’s military veterans by eliminating all state taxes on their military retirement. The retirement benefits they have earned represent more than ordinary work, they represent a special sacrifice and commitment to our country. "Our state and nation has been blessed with Missourians whose patriotic spirit led them to wear the uniforms of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to defend our freedom and security, and ending the tax on their military retirement is another way we can honor their service and sacrifice," Governor Blunt said. Last year the governor signed Speaker Rod Jetton’s legislation ending the cut on Social Security for all Missouri seniors. The legislation also provides tax relief for teachers, firefighters, police officers, military personnel, federal employees and railroad workers. The governor also eased the tax burden on Missouri families by signing tax cuts to allow Missourians to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. Legislation the governor signed last year cuts taxes by allowing Missourians to deduct costs for health insurance premiums from their adjusted gross income. The measure will help lower the cost of health insurance for Missouri families. Governor Blunt also enacted a tax cut to protect manufacturing jobs in Missouri. The tax cut signed by the governor authorizes a state sales tax exemption for the cost of all energy sources, machinery, equipment and other materials used in the manufacturing, processing, compounding or production of a product and research and development related to manufacturing.

Autism Funding Gets Boost from Governor

Governor Blunt plans to again significantly increase funding for Missouri families who are struggling with the challenges of autism. The governor’s budget recommendations will include $12.4 million in increased funding to support autism diagnosis and treatment. The governor is recommending $12.4 million in new money, a significant increase that more than doubles funding from last year, to provide Missouri families with children who have autism the resources they need for early diagnosis and appropriate therapy. Autism Spectrum Disorder affects more lives than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. The governor’s autism initiatives are helping eliminate wait lists for autism diagnosis and treatment. Last year Governor Blunt successfully led the effort to more than double the funding for autism treatment and diagnosis. The budget the governor signed last year included his recommendation of $3.9 million in additional state funding for Missouri families facing autism. This year the governor’s budget will include $14.7 million for autism diagnosis and treatment plus an additional $5 million for the Thompson Center for Autism. “I have worked to ensure that Missouri families struggling with autism have the resources they need for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to help ensure a higher quality of life and enhanced opportunities for their children,” Governor Blunt said. “This is a significant funding increase for autism diagnosis and treatment for Missouri children and families who are struggling with autism.”

Governor Visits Storm-Ravaged Southwest Missouri

Governor Blunt this week visited Republic and Strafford where communities were hit hard from the tornados that whipped through Missouri last night. Severe storms and tornadoes blew through Missouri late Monday evening which resulted in two deaths and more than 30 people injured. Initial assessments of damages in counties found more than 195 homes, businesses or other structures suffered storm damage. Approximately 4000 Missourians in the southwest area were without power for a period of time. "My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives or were injured in last night’s storms," Governor Blunt said earlier in the week. "Through the destruction that I have witnessed first hand today, I am most proud of the resolve Missourians have shown and how it has brought families and neighborhoods together. I have told Missourians impacted by the storm as well as state and local emergency responders that the state stands ready to help with the cleanup which will be a tremendous strain on these communities." Meanwhile, the governor also announced that three joint federal, state and local damage assessment teams have begun canvassing twelve Missouri counties and collecting tornado damage information. The assessment teams gathered information from local government costs related to their emergency protective actions. The joint damage assessment teams are made up of local officials, Federal Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Management Agency, and the Small Business Administration representatives. The teams will look at information collected by the local governments and will canvas areas with local officials. The teams will canvas Barry, Christian, Greene, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, McDonald, Phelps, Pulaski, Taney and Webster Counties. The teams may look at additional counties based on ongoing damage information collected from local jurisdictions.

Money Pledged for Smoking Cessation

Governor Blunt is recommending an unprecedented $11.6 million to help Missourians quit smoking and prevent young people from getting hooked on tobacco. The governor is seeking a 50 fold increase to create the state’s first comprehensive smoking cessation initiative as part of his plan to improve Missourians’ health, enhance health care services for low-income Missourians and support ongoing access to care for the nearly 830,000 Missourians served by Mo HealthNet. The governor’s budget recommendation for tobacco cessation will work towards decreases in tobacco-related deaths and disabilities. In addition it will save taxpayers money by helping to decrease health care costs. The governor’s comprehensive plan includes: $8,642,000 to create a new smoking cessation initiative within Mo HealthNet; $2 million for tobacco prevention programs for young people and $1 million for the Missouri Tobacco Quitline. “Many Missourians want to improve their health and quality of life by quitting smoking and our plan will provide comprehensive assistance to help them achieve this goal,” Governor Blunt said. “This unprecedented investment will significantly enhance our tobacco cessation and prevention efforts by helping more Missourians make healthier lifestyle choices.” Governor Blunt is the first governor ever to use funds from the tobacco settlement to support tobacco cessation efforts. Last year the governor secured $200,000 to help Missourians improve their health and has recommended funding to reduce tobacco use in Missouri every year he has been in office.

Taum Sauk Settlement Praised by Governor

Governor Blunt issued the following statement regarding the $180 million Taum Sauk settlement agreement signed by the Reynolds County judge finalizing the legal agreement his administration helped negotiate between the state and Ameren: “The settlement we negotiated which has now been finalized compensates the people of Reynolds County and the State of Missouri for the loss of natural resources and recreation associated with the Ameren Taum Sauk disaster. I am pleased that in addition to providing direct assistance to the citizens of Reynolds County, we have an agreement that includes rebuilding Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and completing the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Kansas City, two priorities I identified and fought to secure throughout this process. The expansion of the Katy Trail in particular shows that something positive can come from tragedy. As part of the settlement, my office and the Department of Natural Resources negotiated a settlement that provides the license needed to expand the Katy Trail alongside the old Rock Island Railroad corridor from Windsor to Pleasant Hill. Extending the Katy Trail across the state has been one of my longtime priorities for Missouri and this agreement will connect the trail from St. Louis to Kansas City.”

Nixon Sought Ways to Boost Taxes, Oppose Tax Relief

In another attempt to mislead Missourians, Jay Nixon is attempting to hide from his 20-year-long record of making it easier to raise taxes on hardworking Missourians and his opposition to a plan to return tens of millions of dollars in overpaid taxes to Missouri seniors. And as recently as last year, Nixon refused to endorse Republican efforts to cut taxes on Social Security benefits received by elderly Missourians. Despite a stop in the St. Louis region this week seeking to rewrite his poor legislative record on tax relief, Nixon cannot escape from the fact that he supported legislation that would reduce from two-thirds to four-sevenths the majority of votes required to approve tax increases. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on November 2, 1986 that Nixon “would support reduction of the vote necessary to pass bond issues and tax levies if the votes were limited to once a year.” Nixon also discussed property tax relief for elderly Missourians even though the Post-Dispatch reported in April, 1989, that Nixon opposed reimbursing retirees $192 million for years of excessive tax payments made to the state: “But he (Nixon) says the state should not try to reimburse federal retirees for taxes they paid to Missouri in the past several years - unless ordered to do so by a court.” The Associated Press reported on April 21, 2007, that Nixon refused to endorse a Social Security tax cut for Missouri seniors ultimately signed into law by Governor Blunt. It is both ridiculous and misleading for Jay Nixon to claim that he supports Missouri taxpayers because the record clearly shows that for more than 20 years he has supported Democrat efforts to make it easier for taxes to be raised on hard-working Missourians and has opposed a plan to refund overpaid taxes to elderly Missourians. This is another sad example of Jay Nixon trying to score political points by rewriting his own political history.

Nixon Campaign Finance Record Filled with Hypocrisy

From his acceptance of unlimited political contributions he claimed to oppose to skirting federal campaign finance laws he said he supported, Jay Nixon’s record on campaign finance issues is filled with hypocrisy and contradictions. It is amazing that Nixon would have the nerve to talk to the people of Missouri with a straight face about campaign finance reform in light of his record of hypocritical and contradictory statements he has made to Missourians over the years. This marks yet another attempt by Nixon to hide from his record and try and portray himself as being in tune with Missouri values when he has proven time and again that he is not. For example, even though Nixon publicly opposed a state law lifting state campaign finance limits in 2006, he accepted $1.3 million in over-the-limit donations from January to July of 2007 including a $20,000 donation from a company registered to his adviser Chuck Hatfield, who was in court challenging the same state campaign finance law Nixon was supposed to be defending. Nixon tanked the defense of the law so he could continue to extort contributions from the targets of his investigations as he did in the Ameren case. But Nixon’s disgraceful record on campaign finance reform goes back even further. In a June 1997 editorial, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took Nixon to task for his “changed values” following his decision to hold a fundraiser in which attendees were asked to give a minimum of $5,000 -- $3,000 more than the legal limit for gifts to federal candidates. The overage, of course, was going to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee so it could be earmarked for Nixon’s campaign. “Apparently, Mr. Nixon’s advocacy of reform doesn’t require that his actions be consistent with his belief,” the Post-Dispatch wrote. The Nixon debacle even piqued the interest of then CNN-pundit Robert Novak, who opined just two days later: “Hypocrisy anybody?” To read the full article click here: http://www.mogop.org/media/pdeditorial970619.htm

‘Publicity Shark’ Nixon Silent about Quad Settlement

Described by the media as both a “publicity shark” fond of “grandstanding antics,” Jay Nixon remains uncharacteristically silent about his settlement with a quadriplegic state attorney he fired because of her disability. Even though the Springfield News-Leader editorial page referred to Nixon as a “publicity shark” in October 2000 and the Kansas City Star attacked Nixon for his “grandstanding antics” a month later, Nixon has shied away from questions surrounding a settlement filed more than a month ago in U.S. District Court between Nixon and veteran state attorney Marla Grothoff, who was fired by Nixon because she is a quadriplegic. The settlement is both a disgrace and an embarrassment for publicity shark Nixon, who claimed in a grandstanding March 1, 2001, news release: “State government should be a leader, not a shirker, on issues of discrimination and should not be allowed to treat its employees as second-class citizens.” But Nixon’s behavior in the Grothoff case runs completely contrary to that media-driven statement. Media hound Nixon has a responsibility to the taxpayers of Missouri to explain the details of this settlement since it is Missouri taxpayers who are paying for his discriminatory behavior against a quadriplegic. Nixon has spent more than a month avoiding discussing his reprehensible actions, and that is clearly unacceptable for someone who is seeking higher office. To view the notice of a tentative settlement, go to: http://www.mogop.org/media/grothoff_complaint.pdf.

St. Joe Paper Praises Governor’s Health Care Approach

While the large liberal newspapers in Missouri seek to find fault with Governor Blunt’s bold reforms to our state’s health care system, more fair-minded members of the Fourth Estate including the St. Joseph News-Press see things a little differently. In an editorial titled “Correcting the dosage, Governor proposes fine tuning for state's health care prescription, the newspaper succinctly puts the issue into perspective: “This governor attracted plenty of negative press shortly after taking office when he signed legislation eliminating or reducing Medicaid services to hundreds of thousands of people. He contends the move was needed to slow the rapid growth of a program on a path to crippling the state budget. We agreed then and still do today.” To read the entire editorial, visit: http://www.sjnp.net/news/2008/jan/03/correcting-dosage/

MissouriPulse.com Post of the Week

Location, Location, Location

“But Nixon also has a longstanding reputation as a political loner who often is at odds with fellow Democrats.” –P-D, 11/11/2005

Unfortunately, this morning’s news coverage of Jay Nixon’s policy reversal on property taxes (see prior post) did not elaborate on a simple yet relevant issue—location. Nixon unveiled his property tax plan in St. Louis County where taxpayers are blaming intransigent local Democrats, particularly Nixon ally County Executive Charlie Dooley, for their skyrocketing property tax bills. In essence, Nixon stood in Dooley’s backyard and threw him under the bus for forcing the state to intervene on behalf of local taxpayers without being asked a single question about it.

Because nobody bothered to cover this angle of the story, it is not yet known whether Dooley and his advisor/MDP chairman John Temporiti approved of Nixon stopping in the county to pitch his disingenuous property tax jingle and rub salt in a gaping political wound for local Democrats. Nixon, who has never been mistaken for a team player by fellow Democrats, has a long history of stepping all over the toes of Claire McCaskill, the Carnahans and, in a more general sense, black Democrats. That said, if Dooley and Temporiti did voice concerns to Nixon, they likely fell on deaf ears.

___

P.S. For the record, Republicans recognized the need for state-level action on property taxes months before Nixon, the consummate political windsock, decided it was high time he tried to soften his 21-year record (link: P-D, 11/2/1986) in support of greasing the skids for higher property taxes.

The Cornerstone - Lincoln Days Just Around the Corner

Missouri Republicans from across Missouri will soon be converging on Springfield February 8-10 for our annual Lincoln Days, which provides us with a chance to come together as we prepare for the historic 2008 elections. Lincoln Days provides Republicans with a chance to mix, mingle and discuss the important issues that will lead us to victory. It also is a chance for Republicans to share their ideas with our local, state and federal leaders. For more on this year’s Lincoln Days event, please go to www.molincolndays.com for details or www.molincolndays.com/register-now to register.

Thoughts and Prayers

The Missouri Republican Party encourages Republicans across the state to keep these individuals in your thoughts and prayers:

Paul Busiek, husband of Mavis Busiek. Paul’s health concerns continue.

Mike Keathley, Commissioner of Administration, who has cancer.

The family of Mary Kinder, mother of Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who recently passed away.

Rosemary Kochner, 13th District State Committeewoman, who has continued health concerns.

State Rep. Scott Lipke and family, 157th House District, whose infant daughter is recovering from surgery to correct a faulty heart.

Mary Mallien, 14th District State Committeewoman, who has continued health concerns.

Bob Schwartz, 3rd District State Committeeman, who has cancer.

Dawn Sprick, daughter of 21st District State Committeeman Gary Harris, who has cancer.

Key Dates in 2008

January 30
Last day for county chairmen to appoint poll challengers for Missouri Presidential Primary.

February 5
Missouri Presidential Primary. Special Elections in 16th House District in St. Charles, 158th in Cape Girardeau and 65th District in St. Louis.

February 8-10
Republican State Lincoln Days, Springfield.

February 26
First day of candidate filing for 2008 state primaries.

March 15
Local county/city caucuses.

March 25
Candidate filing for state primaries ends.

April 19
Congressional district caucuses.

May 30-June 1
Missouri Republican State Convention, Branson.

July 9
Last day to register to vote for August 5 Missouri State Primary.

August 5
Missouri State Primary.

September 1-4
Republican National Convention, St. Paul, Minnesota.

October 8
Last day to register to vote in the November 4 General Election.

November 4
General Election.
Sign up for the GOP Voice Join the MRP Get Involved
{{ openrate() }}Click here to unsubscribe or change preferences