Matt Blunt's Report Card - Missouri Democrats Respond to Session

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 19:48:08 GMT Subject: Matt Blunt's Report Card Today, the four-year reign of Matt Blunt and his Republican-controlled legislature will come to an end. The General Assembly will adjourn this evening, and campaign season will begin in earnest. As we close the books on the 2008 legislative session, we should take a moment to review just how far backwards Gov. Blunt has taken us. There's no doubt: Matt Blunt and the GOP legislature's record of failure clearly shows how badly our state needs change. Jobs and Economy -- F During these tough economic times, Missouri's hardworking families are struggling to make ends meet. In March alone, Missouri lost more than 10,000 jobs, making our unemployment rate the seventh-highest in the nation. If employment in our state had grown at the national average, 40,320 more Missourians would have jobs today. Instead, our good-paying jobs are being shipped overseas and Missouri's economy is falling further behind. And, as the cost of gas, food, health care and college tuition continue to skyrocket, wages for our workers remain stagnant. Health Care -- F Because of Gov. Blunt's 2005 health care cuts, Missouri's uninsured population has increased by more than three times the rate of the national average. Today, more than 750,000 Missourians are living without health insurance, including more than 127,000 children. As a result of these devastating cuts, Missourians with health insurance have seen their premiums skyrocket by 36 percent in the past few years. Meanwhile, Gov. Blunt has turned down more than $1 billion in federal health care dollars -- money already available to help pay for medical services for Missourians but now going to other states instead. Education -- F According to public education experts, Missouri is a "worst case state" in public education performance. We rank 47th in teacher salaries; 36th in math proficiency; and 29th in K-12 spending. But thankfully, when Gov. Blunt rolled out a voucher scheme, a bi-partisan group of legislators stood up to crush his proposal. Missouri ranks "dead last" in higher education funding increases since Gov. Blunt took office, and we now spend only 1.2 percent of our state revenue on our public colleges and universities. Tuition at our state schools has soared by 30 percent in the past few years, making Missouri state colleges and universities more expensive than public institutions in any other Big 12 state. Too many of our middle-class families are getting squeezed out of the dream of a four-year degree, but the Blunt administration has done nothing to tackle the issue of college affordability. Actually, they siphoned $350 million from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, the state agency designed to provide low-interest loans to middle-class families, and now, that agency is going broke. Fiscal Responsibility -- F Although Gov. Blunt is touting a budget surplus, it turns out Missouri will be $500 million in the red by 2010. Missouri's general revenue decreased by 9.8 percent last month -- one of the sharpest declines in state history. It's clear that after four long years of failed priorities and poor leadership, Missouri needs change. We need a Governor and legislative leaders who will offer new, fresh ideas to move Missouri forward. Democrats across Missouri are united to change the direction of our state. And now is the time for everyone to get involved. Please sign up today to volunteer with the Missouri Democratic Party. With your help, Jay Nixon will be our next governor and Democrats once again will control the state legislature. Together, we will bring about the change Missouri so desperately needs. Sincerely, Maida Coleman Senate Minority Leader Paul LeVota House Minority Leader -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com