By KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt gave his first State of the State and presented his first budget proposal to lawmakers Wednesday night in Jefferson City.
He pledged to protect government health care for children and pregnant woman. But the governor is also proposing lawmakers remove thousands of low-income adults from Missouri's Medicaid program. His budget would also close the state-run Bellefontaine Habilitation Center in north St. Louis County, a move he predicts will save nearly $14 million.
The budget would also give state workers a 1% pay raise.
Blunt is also proposing richer schools be able to opt out of state funding entirely in exchange for fewer regulations.
To hear a report on the speech by KWMU's Matt Sepic,
click here --->
To hear Governor Blunt's entire speech, (about 44 minutes)
click here --->
To hear the Democrats' response to Blunt's speech, delivered by Attorney General Jay Nixon,
click here --->