Blunt's bold agenda

New governors with the best of intentions usually manage to generate partisan friction or set off a furor or two as they announce bold plans for state government. But Missouri's new governor, Matt Blunt, has hit the ground running and so far has encountered widespread support only minor criticism of his initiatives.

So far, after being sworn in less than a month ago, Blunt has proposed:

* Key personnel changes in state agencies aimed at better efficiency and more economy.

* The first full reorganization of state government in 30 years.

* Eliminating big pensions for some state appointees who serve only a few weeks or months.

* Tougher controls on ingredients used to make the deadly drug methamphetamine.

* More funding for biodiesel and ethanol production.

* Overhauling the state's costly -- by comparison to neighboring states -- workers' compensation system.

* Putting clamps on civil litigation.

* Controlling the costs of the state's Medicaid program.

* Finding new ways to fund education.

That's an impressive list in keeping with Blunt's campaign promises to make state government more efficient -- which translates into less costly to taxpayers.

Blunt also has never made any bones about his aim of making state government more supportive of business development and growth. He intends to accomplish this goal by making sure state agencies are responsive to the needs of businesses who want to invest in Missouri and create more jobs.

The goals set out by Blunt are going to be regarded as too tough or over the top by some. But the fact is the days of large increases in state revenue are over. Blunt's proposed budget increase for the next fiscal year is, by comparison with the growth of state government in the 1990s, barely a blip on the financial radar.

So far, just about everything Blunt has proposed makes good sense for Missouri and for its taxpayers. It will be interesting to see whether Missourians and their elected representatives in Jefferson City choose to get behind these long overdue reforms.