Many issues await governor's State of the State Address

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will detail his legislative and economic priorities for the coming year during the 2015 State of the State Address on Jan. 21.

It's been a tumultuous year for Missouri, with sometimes-violent protests breaking out among communities about the use of lethal force by police officers. The Legislature also harbored its fair share of disagreements as it clashed with the governor on tax reform, gun laws and budget priorities.

With all those issues to consider, Nixon will have no shortage of discussion points to cover in his next state of the state address. It's possible his top priorities could partly mirror the goals mentioned in his most recent address.

Among the top priorities listed by Nixon for 2014 were education and health care. Both are hot topics across the state that could earn another mention in the governor's 2015 address.

When Nixon announced his budget at the beginning of the year, it came with a $278 million increase in funding for schools and a promise to begin the process of fully funding the foundation formula by 2015. He also called for greater strides in making higher education more affordable, setting aside funds for the Access Missouri scholarship program that offers financial aid to students from low-income families.

These goals were hindered when Nixon froze $846 million of spending and vetoed an additional $276 million of items from the budget that took effect July 1. The move came after the Legislature approved a number of tax-break measures the governor said were capable of depleting hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local revenue. He vetoed the bills, but several lawmakers voiced their confidence in the Legislature's ability to override them in the September veto session.

While some overrides were successful, lawmakers sustained many of Nixon's vetoes of tax cuts. Soon after, Nixon freed $143 million of previously frozen education funding.

As Nixon toured the state advocating higher education funding, he also visited cities across Missouri, calling for Medicaid expansion.

Under the federal health-care law, states that expand adult Medicaid eligibility to 138 percent of the poverty level -- about $27,000 annually for a family of three -- initially can receive full federal funding for those added to the rolls. That federal aid then is gradually reduced to a 90 percent share, with states picking up the rest.

"Since New Year's Day, Missouri taxpayers have spent $115 million and counting -- $5.47 million a day -- to improve and reform health care in other states ..." Nixon said in his 2014 address. "This adds up to $2 billion, or $500 for every Missouri taxpayer, every year."

He also said nearly 300,000 Missourians go without medical treatment because the state has not approved Medicaid expansion.

Republicans remained opposed to the expansion, although some said they could be open to the idea with reforms that would increase accountability and reduce fraud. In a news release issued Wednesday by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry about its 2015 legislative agenda, it included Medicaid transformation among its top priorities.

The Affordable Care Act is driving up health-care costs across the state, the news release said, and expanding Medicaid could help "ease the blow."

The Missouri Chamber also advocated for education reforms, including fully funding the state's education system, providing better support for high-performing teachers and administrators and setting higher standards for students. The chamber also called for measures that "better align our education and workforce development system with the needs of business."

The governor's 2015 State of the State Address will be delivered at 7 p.m. Jan. 21. Nixon will present his recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2016 to the Missouri General Assembly that day as well.

The address will be streamed live at MO.gov.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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