BLUNT TO `BREAK MOLD' IN GUBERNATORIAL RACE

Declaring that it is time to "break the mold" and move beyond politics as usual to bring real change to state government, Missouri Secretary of State Roy Blunt declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor here Thursday.

"Our plan will be one of fundamentally rethinking the way we approach the problems of this state," said Blunt at an airport news conference attended by about 25 local supporters.

"The 1990s demand boldness, the 1990s demand new solutions, the 1990s demand that public officials take charge when given responsibility. This campaign will be about what our state can do to serve as a model of change," declared Blunt.

"As a country and as a state, we have to look beyond politics as usual; we have to look beyond more of the same; we have to look to our one inexhaustible resource, the people of Missouri."

In a speech that attempted to differentiate Blunt from all the other potential candidates for governor and Republican Gov. John Ashcroft, Blunt contended he was the best prepared person to initiate the kind of changes necessary to make state government work better in difficult times.

He promised that his campaign would focus on what he plans to do as governor and the common sense approach he plans to bring to the office.

"This campaign will not be about hiding behind the Hancock Amendment or court orders or federal mandates," Blunt said. "This campaign will be about what our state can do to serve as a model for change.

"The chief obligation of the job I seek is not to defend government, but to make government work better."

Blunt stressed that for too long elected officials have been afraid of proposing new solutions for fear of making mistakes they will be held accountable for. That kind of approach, he said, will not enable government to address the changing needs of its citizens.

Blunt said he considers the 1990s as "a generation of opportunity" that only comes around every 20 to 30 years when people "are really ready to support fundamental change.

"Our agenda has been, and will be, one of shaking up the system, of getting more from the government and producing better results."

Blunt, who will complete an announcement tour today - his 42nd birthday - is the second candidate to announce for governor. State Treasurer Wendell Bailey announced in December 1990 and Attorney General William Webster will formally announce soon for the GOP nomination.

On the Democratic side, St. Louis Mayor Vince Schoemehl and Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan will make formal announcements soon.

Ashcroft is prohibited by law from seeking a third term.

In outlining issues, Blunt said as governor he would restructure the state's public assistance program; work to reduce crime in the state; help bring about real ethics reform in government; improve educational opportunities both for youths and older citizens who need to be re-trained for new jobs; and work to assure that there is a job for every citizen who wants to work.

In discussing education, Blunt proposed that the state provide at least one-third of its revenue to funding elementary and secondary schools. He suggested the best way to meet this goal is by allocating all new revenue to education until the one-third provision is met.

Besides providing more money for education, the candidate said it is also important that there be many reforms to improve the quality of schools, give more input to teachers, reduce the dropout rate, get parents more involved, and provide a way for citizens to know how their schools are performing.

"I don't want to be the education governor," declared Blunt, "but I do want Missouri to be the education state."

Blunt said he would place a heavy emphasis on jobs and noted that his number one job as governor would be to lead efforts to attract jobs to the state. As governor, Blunt said he would create an office of Work Force Development and State Competitiveness within the office to assist in developing jobs.

Blunt also called for sweeping reforms in the state's welfare system and declared, "we have created a public assistance bureaucracy that encourages everything it ought to discourage and discourages everything it ought to encourage."

In calling for stronger action against crime, Blunt pointed out that St. Louis and Kansas City are "the third and sixth most dangerous places to live in the United States.

"We have created a prison system that serves as a revolving door for criminals." Blunt called for implementation of a policy that would prevent prisoners from being paroled unless they had completed requirements for a high school equivalency degree.

As secretary of state, Blunt said he had worked hard to improve campaign finance laws and ethics in the state and would continue that effort as governor to help restore public faith in government.

"Campaign finance reform is required now," declared Blunt. "The influence of special interests must be curbed ... we need a level playing field so the voice of the average Missourian is heard above the clamor of the PACs and special interests."

Blunt said he hoped the campaign this year would be one of discussion about substantiative issues. "What I want to do during this campaign is talk about what I want to do as governor of this state," he said.