A mid-Missouri state lawmaker who’s also an attorney praises Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Russell, who delivered her State of the Judiciary address last week. Chief Justice Russell says that while she may be the “face” of the judiciary in Missouri, the hard work is done in courthouses across Missouri by the approximately 3,600 clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, jury supervisors, juvenile office staff and others, along with more than 400 judges and commissioners. State Rep. Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville), whose district includes Jefferson City, is an attorney and the Missouri House Judiciary Committee’s vice chairman. Representative Veit praises Chief Justice Russell’s speech and her plan to visit all 46 judicial circuits across Missouri. She’s been to 14 thus far. Representative Veit also supports Chief Justice Russell’s call for lawmakers to improve juror pay. Judge Russell notes Missouri’s statutory minimum hasn’t been increased since 1989 and is just $6 per day and 7 cents per mile for traveling from their homes to the courthouse and back. Chief Justice Russell says Missouri judges are embarrassed to tell jurors these rates. Representative Veit agrees. State employee pay is another priority for Representative Veit, who represents thousands of state employees. Missouri Governor Mike Parson says his administration has raised state employee pay by more than 20 percent since he took office in 2018. Missouri’s 47,000 state employees received an 8.7 percent pay raise last February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by Governor Parson. The governor is proposing another state employee pay increase in this year’s budget: 3.2 percent. While Representative Veit likes that, he says it needs to be more:
(LISTEN): State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City) appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Missouri’s governor is proposing a 3.2 percent pay raise for state employees. State employee pay is a top priority for State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), whose district includes Cole County. More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer. Senator Bernskoetter joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, and is optimistic about the pay plan. Senator Bernskoetter also expresses frustration with the Senate Freedom Caucus and recent filibusters. He tells listeners that pretend to be more conservative than the rest of the Senate GOP members. While Republicans have a 24-10 supermajority in the Missouri Senate, GOP infighting has been causing issues since last session:
(LISTEN): Economic growth and state employee pay were two key elements of Missouri governor’s address
Missouri’s governor says his administration will leave a record $1.5 billion on the bottom line for the next administration.
While GOP Governor Mike Parson outlined his budget and 2024 legislative priorities during Wednesday’s State of the State address, he also touted his administration’s successes over the last five-and-a-half years. Governor Parson tells lawmakers that state revenues have increased 40 percent since 2018, with significant growth coming from sales revenue.
“And one of the huge factors is the three separate tax cuts we approved, including the largest in our state’s history. We have decreased Missourians’ tax burdens by over 20 percent. Unleashing an economic powerhouse in the state of Missouri,” Governor Parson tells lawmakers.
Governor Parson says that when he took office in 2018, Missouri was ranked 42nd for GDP growth and last among Midwest neighbors. He says that Missouri now ranks 23rd in the nation and in the Midwest’s top five for GDP growth.
Meantime, Governor Parson says his administration has raised state employee pay by more than 20 percent since he took office in 2018. Missouri’s 47,000 state employees received an 8.7 percent pay raise last February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by GOP Governor Mike Parson. The governor is proposing another state employee pay increase in this year’s budget.
“And let me just say … the investment in our state employees have been worth every penny (audience applause). “And that’s why this year we are proposing an additional 3.2 percent cost of living increase for all of our state employees,” says Governor Parson.
State Rep. Adrian Plank (D-Columbia) was one of the first lawmakers to stand up and applaud that line. Representative Plank represents numerous state employees in his Boone County district.
Governor Parson is also calling on state lawmakers to again fully fund the K-12 education foundation formula with an additional $120-million over last year’s levels. The governor is proposing $52-billion budget also includes funding to increase teacher baseline pay to $40,000.
(LISTEN): Missouri’s governor says state government pay must be competitive with the marketplace
We’ll learn this month whether Missouri’s governor will propose a state employee pay raise in his budget.
Governor Mike Parson will unveil his budget blueprint during his January 24th State of the State Address. The governor tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that state employees have been on his mind since he became governor in 2018.
“I have put them through the ringer, I mean of things they’ve had to go through whether it was COVID, civil unrest, floods, droughts, you name it, tornadoes, in five-and-a-half years. And I realized how important each one of them were, especially the front-line employees. So I’m a big supporter,” Governor Parson tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, from the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast.
More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer. Governor Parson tells listeners that he wants state government to be competitive with the marketplace, emphasizing the importance of keeping good employees. He proposed and signed an 8.7 percent state employee pay raise last winter.
More than 600 people packed Jefferson City’s Capitol Plaza hotel Thursday morning for the 2024 Governor’s prayer breakfast. University of Missouri athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois served as the emcee for the breakfast, which was hosted by Missouri Governor Mike Parson.
“Great to have MU, the representation they’ve had. And what a great year they’ve had, all the way from academic to the nuclear reactor to sports I mean it’s just been huge for the university this year. And then to win the Cotton Bowl (in Arlington), so it’s kind of fun,” says Parson.
The Missouri Tigers defeated #7 Ohio State to win last Friday’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Governor Parson was at the game in Arlington, and he was also in Columbia for the October groundbreaking ceremony for the $20-million expansion of the MU Research Reactor (MURR), which produces a medical isotope that battles various cancers worldwide.
State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff (D-Columbia) has told 939 the Eagle that MURR is the nation’s top-ranked University research reactor.
(LISTEN): Mid-Missouri lawmaker to file bipartisan catalytic converter legislation
While Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers in Jefferson City this year, State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) is hopeful about the 2024 session. Representative Tyson Smith tells 939 the Eagle that people are tired of division.
“And it’s time for hope and it’s time for change. And I think, it doesn’t matter what party people are in: I believe we can work together and get things done that benefit everybody. We need to put down rancor and division and move forward and come together as a people,” Representative Tyson Smith says.
There are several issues where there is bipartisan support in both chambers. They include University of Missouri funding, transportation improvements, child care and state employee pay. Representative Smith plans to file a bipartisan bill this year aimed at preventing the stealing of vehicle catalytic converters. He says the issue impacts the entire state: rural, urban and suburban.
“It’s an epidemic in Missouri and around the country,” says Representative Tyson Smith.
He’s worked with State Rep. Don Mayhew (R-Crocker) for a few years on this issue. The Missouri House approved their bipartisan bill last year, but it died in the Senate due to a filibuster on unrelated issues.
Most of Missouri’s 196 state lawmakers will also be attending the Governor’s prayer breakfast tomorrow morning. It’s from 7:30 to 9:30 am at Jefferson City’s Capitol Plaza Hotel.