Complaints about the lack of parking near the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City date back decades, and those complaints continue today. Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” to preview Missouri’s 2024 legislative session, which begins tomorrow at high noon in Jefferson City. Mayor Fitzwater tells listeners that parking remains a challenge and that he’s committed to looking at that. State employee pay remains one of Mayor Fitzwater’s top priorities. More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer. Mayor Fitzwater praises Governor Mike Parson for proposing and signing last February’s bipartisan 8.7 percent pay raise for state employees:
Jefferson City’s Truman Building is backdrop for today’s state employee pay raise bill-signing
Jefferson City’s approximately 14,000 state employees will soon see an increase in their pay.
Governor Mike Parson (R) will sign the bipartisan 8.7 percent pay raise for state employees into law today at 2 at Jefferson City’s Truman building. State employees are invited to attend the ceremony on the second floor atrium. Thousands of state employees work in that building.
Governor Parson says there are currently more than 7,000 open positions across state government, adding that the wage increase is the minimum that lawmakers must do.
The governor will also hold a ceremonial bill-signing tomorrow at 11:45 at the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center (FRDC).
Governor Parson called for lawmakers to approve the plan during his January State of the State address. The governor has told 939 the Eagle that he’s “not asking for the moon,” adding that it’s critical to retain good state employees in areas like corrections, mental health and in the Children’s Division, which is part of the state Department of Social Services (DSS).
Missouri’s governor: state government must compete with the marketplace for employees
Missouri’s governor predicts state employees will be pleased with his proposed budget, which he’ll unveil during this month’s State of the State address.
Governor Mike Parson spoke on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.”
“Ever since I’ve been here (as governor), we realized we’ve got to do a better job with our state employees, taking care of them one and we’ve got to compete,” Parson says.
State employees received a 5.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) last February, under a $4.6 billion supplemental budget bill signed by Governor Parson. More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer.
“You know there’s a market we have to go up against everyday like everybody else and you have to be competitive in that. And we know we’re down a lot of employees, so we’re trying to do a lot of things outside the box to really bring state employees into the fold and show them that the state of Missouri is a good place to work and you can make a decent living out of it,” says Parson.
The governor will deliver his State of the State address on January 18 in Jefferson City, to a joint session of the Missouri Legislature.
You can hear our full “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” interview with Governor Parson here. He joined us live from Jefferson City’s Capitol Plaza Hotel.
(AUDIO) Missouri’s governor discusses prayer breakfast, Gygr-Gas and state employee pay on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Governor Mike Parson (R) says faith is what guides Missourians each day. He says the Governor’s Prayer breakfast in Jefferson City is an important way to begin the legislative session, focusing on ways to help one another. The governor joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle and KWOS’ “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, from Capitol Plaza hotel. Governor Parson says state employees will be pleased with his proposed state budget, which will be unveiled in two weeks. He also says December’s Gygr-Gas situation in Boonville and across rural Missouri was an emergency that needed the executive order:
(AUDIO) State Rep. Sara Walsh discusses tax relief and state employee pay on “Wake Up Columbia”
The GOP-controlled Missouri House voted 103-44 on Thursday to give final approval to legislation providing a one-time economic recovery tax credit for Missourians who paid personal income tax in the state in 2021. Under the bill, anyone filing an individual Missouri personal income tax return would receive a rebate up to $500, while married couples …