Part 2

Governor Blunt kept his commitment to make government more efficient, more transparent, improve customer service and be faithful stewards of taxpayers dollars.

Achieving More For People’s Hard-Earned Dollars Government Efficiency

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att Blunt was taught to respect work. This means respecting the value of a dollar earned by creating something of value. By its very nature, government spends “someone else’s money,” which it collects through taxes and fees, not from voluntary decisions to buy or sell, as in the private economy. Government always has a tendency toward waste, inefficiency and thoughtless use of money. A primary job of public servants is to lead and direct government toward higher efficiency, delivering more value for the taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars.

The Missouri State Government Review Commission One of Governor Blunt’s first acts was to establish the Missouri State Government Review Commission. Thirty years had passed without a comprehensive review of the operations and effectiveness of state government and agencies. Countless Missourians knew from their observations, common sense and experience with agencies that taxpayer resources often were not put to their best use, and that the state had missed many opportunities to modernize, embrace new technology and raise the efficiency of services provided to the people. As Governor Blunt put it in his first State of the State address “we are operating a typewriter government in an Internet age.” It was time to change. The State Government Review Commission included Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, business and community leaders and good-government advocates. This reform-minded group thoroughly reviewed state government with the goals of streamlining and modernizing agencies and departments. After 10 months of hearings, research and interviews, the panel made numerous recommendations to Governor Blunt. He implemented a



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number of them immediately, and also took steps to enact those requiring legislation. One of the most notable changes was the Governor’s executive order that redesigned the Department of Insurance into a regulatory department focused fully on effective financial oversight and regulation. The order also removed divisions such as professional registration, banking and credit unions from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, creating the second benefit of entirely focusing the Department of Economic Development on its main job, which is encouraging job creation and economic growth.

Accomplishing More With Less In the 12 years prior to Governor Blunt’s service, the number of state employees increased by more than 14,000, to more than 60,000. Matt Blunt was the first governor in years to reduce the number of state employees to fewer than 60,000. He kept his commitment to not exceed this level of state employment, creating a meaningful limit on government growth.

Number of State Employees

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Rewarding Excellence in the State Work Force It was a management challenge to insist that state government live within the people’s means. Many state workers and managers more than met the challenge, operating with higher efficiency, fewer employees and lower funding than they requested. In the Blunt administration, efficient and businesslike operations made it possible to balance the budget, draw the line against any job-killing new taxes, build real surpluses, and fund pay increases for state workers.

Eliminating Wasted Office Space At Governor Blunt’s direction, the state significantly reduced unnecessary office space, creating significant savings for taxpayers. Lease data for 2005-2008 showed that Governor Blunt’s administration eliminated 586,249 square feet of entirely unnecessary office space, saving taxpayers $7,611,879 in reduced rent costs.

Finding Savings in the Executive Branch Missouri government has sixteen departments. Formerly, each provided its own administrative support – an open door to wasteful duplication. Governor Blunt identified several areas where it was more efficient to operate centrally, and eliminate redundant activities in multiple agencies. Governor Blunt consolidated Information Technology (IT) services, fleet management, utility payments, facilities maintenance and printing operations. In 2007, he announced plans for a phased-in consolidation of mail services. An example of the dividend for taxpayers from good management is mail service, where reorganization reduced staffing and other budget costs by more than one-third. Tens of millions of dollars have been saved through IT consolidation.

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State Government Energy Savings Imagine a household, business or farm with no idea of how much electricity or other energy it used. Such things are difficult to find in daily life; the real world will not let this go on. Yet, when he took office, Governor Blunt discovered that the state did not know how much electricity and natural gas it consumed. Agencies simply paid the monthly bills and moved on. The Blunt administration acted quickly and forcefully to impose management controls that measure energy consumption, making it possible to easily find solutions to make better use of energy and save taxpayer dollars. Governor Blunt’s administration implemented several in-house programs and use of performance contracts producing energy savings of over $15.5 million annually. These performance contracts guarantee energy savings and energy conservation measures, implemented in 14 million square feet of state-owned buildings.

Savings through Management Governor Blunt’s initiative to better manage business-related vehicle travel for state employees produced huge savings for taxpayers. Missouri workers historically travel about 190 million miles each year on official business. The more miles traveled in state owned and rental vehicles, the lower the overall cost. In the last fiscal year of Governor Blunt’s administration, it cost $.475 for each mile reimbursed to state employees driving their own vehicle, $.35 for each mile traveled in a rental vehicle and $.28 per each mile traveled in a state-owned sedan. Following a directive by Governor Blunt state employees were required to choose the most efficient, least expensive travel option first when traveling for official state business. An online tool allowed employees to

State of Missouri State Employee Mileage Reimbursement Data FY02 - FY08

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calculate potential travel costs and identify the most cost effective travel option for in-state single trips. In addition, employees who chose to use their personal vehicle, even when a lower cost state vehicle was available, were only reimbursed at the reduced fleet rate of 28 cents per mile. Expenditures for personally owned vehicle reimbursement in Missouri dropped for three straight years under Governor Blunt’s leadership despite the fact that rising fuel prices increased the rate at which state employees could be reimbursed. Governor Blunt’s directive saved Missouri taxpayers about $15 million in mileage reimbursement costs.

Ethics Reform Governor Blunt believed that Missourians deserved a state government they could trust. In 2006, he enacted ethics reforms and code of conduct policies that were the strictest of any Missouri governor. Governor Blunt banned gifts from lobbyists to the governor’s office. Under the ban enacted by Governor Blunt, he and his employees were required to reimburse lobbyists for meals, tickets, trips or any other item of value. No previous Missouri governor had implemented a lobbyist gift ban and Governor Blunt urged the General Assembly to apply his ban on lobbyists’ gifts to the entire executive branch as part of an ethics reform package. Governor Blunt’s strict code of conduct policy also set out clear guidelines prohibiting his employees from engaging in business with state government or in outside employment if that employment conflicted with the performance of the employee’s duties in the office. The Blunt conduct code also addressed that state equipment could only be used for state business, the observance of conflict of interest provisions in state law, prohibiting employees from using their public positions in a manner designed to create personal gain and prohibiting employees from directly or indirectly attempting to influence agency decisions in matters relating to prospective employers with whom employment has been accepted or is being negotiated.



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Governor Blunt also signed significant campaign finance reform legislation that provided greater transparency in the campaign fundraising process. This reform dramatically enhanced the disclosure requirements for political candidates providing greater transparency for Missourians. Now candidates must report political contributions of $5,000 or more to the Missouri Ethics Commission within 48 hours after receiving the donation. The reform also helped limit the amount of money funneled to politicians through political committees. Under the old system, some politicians were using political committees to funnel large, inappropriate donations to their campaigns from contributors with whom they had a conflict of interest. The reform Governor Blunt signed makes it easier for the public and the media to uncover the potential abuse of a public office and identify conflicts of interest. These actions and many others significantly improved openness and transparency for Missourians and were consistent with Governor Blunt’s campaign promise to provide more trust and accountability in state government.

“I also want to ensure that Missourians have a government they can trust. In 2006, I banned gifts from lobbyists to any employee of the governor’s office. I urge you to apply this ban on lobbyists’ gifts to the entire executive branch.” -Governor Matt Blunt, 2008 State of the State Address

Greater Efficiency for E-Mail Retention and Retrieval Before Governor Blunt, state government only had a disaster recovery system that captured a once-a-day snapshot of e-mails on backup tapes. To improve efficiency, and create a more open and transparent state government, Governor Blunt ordered the creation of a permanent e-mail retention and retrieval system to make it easier and more affordable to respond to open records requests for state government e-mails, especially requests for massive amounts of information. At Governor Blunt’s direction, the state’s information technology officials created a first-of-its-kind system for Missouri state government which retains e-mails instantly as they are sent and received. The new system allows users to retrieve information by searching for the sender and receiver of e-mails as well as information in the subject line and body of an e-mail making it more efficient to respond to requests for information. With this new system, together with the Missouri Accountability Portal and other transparency initiatives,

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Governor Blunt made state government more open and transparent than any other official in state government and his administration provided more information to Missouri taxpayers than ever before in our state’s history.

Governor Blunt’s administration modernized state government and embraced new technology to save money for taxpayers and improve efficiency and services



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In July 2007, Governor Blunt launched the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP) to provide Missourians with free, on-line information about how the state spends money.

Creating a More Open and Transparent State Government Missouri Accountability Portal

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overnor Blunt believes that state government must be open and accountable to the people who pay the bills, the taxpayers of Missouri. With his transparency initiatives, the people had the greatest access to information in Missouri’s history. Under his leadership Missouri government was more open to citizens to review than ever before in state history. In July 2007, Governor Blunt signed an executive order launching the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP). This historic act provides Missourians with free, immediate, online information about how the state spends their money.

Interested in State Spending? The Missouri Accountability Portal takes advantage of emerging technologies to make it easier than ever to gather information about state spending. With MAP, the public can log on to http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov and find state government spending by typing in simple search commands. MAP was one of the nation’s first comprehensive and searchable databases of financial records that is based on real-time data. It was built with existing state resources. It updates information at the close of each business day. In its first year the site received nine million hits.

Putting the State Checkbook Online Missourians should know where and how their officials spend money. Public agencies now keep up-to-date checkbooks and bank account balances online – all in real time. Before the Blunt reforms, taxpayers could not access the state’s checkbook online to see how state government was spending their tax money. Now Missourians can search the MAP Internet site to access spending by budget category, vendor, or contract as well as tax credits. They also can search all Missouri state employee salaries online. MAP makes it easy for Missourians to look first hand at where their money goes on a day to day basis. Just as a well-organized checkbook would do, the site includes both monthly and year-to-date expenditures. This innovative Internet portal quite literally maps Missourians’ tax dollars.

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Empowering Missourians as Watchdogs One of Governor Blunt’s goals in creating the site was to ensure that state government is accountable to Missourians for each dollar it spends. He hoped Missourians would use the site to help him in his mission to root out wasteful spending.

The governor’s office heard from MAP visitors who became fiscal watchdogs questioning some state government expenses. In his administration, this triggered a review and response to the person seeking the information. These inquiries were exactly the response to the MAP site that Governor Blunt had desired. Even though some in state government expressed concern about the level of detailed information available on the MAP site, Governor Blunt said that is exactly the point: openness, transparency, information and facts. Governor Blunt believes transparency and openness prevent wasteful spending. He welcomed scrutiny that helped him better safeguard the taxpayer’s money.

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National Recognition for Missouri Accountability Portal Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), a leading taxpayer watchdog group, lauded Governor Blunt for creating the Missouri Accountability Portal. The watchdog group said Governor Blunt is one of the first governors to make such comprehensive spending information available on a single, user-friendly Internet site. The technical team that developed Governor Blunt’s initiative and enacted his vision for the MAP portal earned national recognition with an American Business Award. The Information Technology Services Division Team won the Best MIS and IT Team Category for the development of MapYourTaxes.mo.gov at the 2008 American Business Awards. The American Business Awards are the only national, all–encompassing awards program honoring great performances in business.

“Governor Blunt is one of the first governors to enable taxpayers to become fiscal watchdogs, and I commend him for taking this step towards greater fiscal transparency. Governor Blunt understands that since taxpayers are picking up the tab for government expenditures, they deserve to be able to scrutinize these expenditures.” -Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.



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“We are all fortunate to live in modern America. We must live in the present, and we must always be looking forward, learning forward, and working for an America that is more diverse, striving for an America that is more equal, fighting for an America that lives up to the ideals of our Declaration.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Opportunities for Everyone Empowering Missourians

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ecognizing that Missouri is a diverse state with a diverse people, Governor Matt Blunt worked to provide all Missourians the tools they need to reach their full potential.

He realigned state programs to ensure Missouri promoted business opportunities where it had previously fallen behind. Governor Blunt stepped across perceived boundaries, accomplishing important ‘firsts’ for the state that had been too long in coming.

Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity According to the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency there are 29,696 minority firms in Missouri, which generate $4.2 billion in economic activity and employ more than 39,000 workers. In January 2007, Governor Blunt created the Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity and implemented programs to increase Minority Business Enterprise and Women’s Business Enterprise participation in state contracts. The governor’s action corrected a flawed initiative, created under previous administrations, that was suspended as a result of a legal challenge and subsequent injunction. The governor established Governor Blunt appoints Katie Smith as the first woman to serve as Director of the participation programs that not only Missouri Department of Agriculture. withstood constitutional scrutiny but that also more adequately addressed the compelling needs and obstacles of minority and women-owned businesses to address and eliminate disparity. Following Governor Blunt’s creation of this office, new certifications increased by 67 percent, certification time was cut roughly in half, duplicate processes for applicants were eliminated, and the recertification process time was dramatically reduced from 23.2 days to 3.8 days. Additionally, a new Internet site featuring online applications and online reports made it easier than ever before for Missourians to learn about the office and apply for certification. The Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity cultivated new relationships and partnerships among statewide leaders including the Insight Center, Asian American Justice Center, and the Missouri Procurement Technical Center as well as with local, state and federal civic leaders and organizations.



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Appointing Missourians Who Reflect State’s Unique Makeup Governor Blunt’s appointments reflected Missouri’s unique and diverse population and mark significant firsts for our state. Governor Blunt appointed many women and minorities to serve in state government including positions at the highest level. Many women served in Governor Blunt’s cabinet including Trish Vincent who served in a cabinetlevel position before she was appointed as the chief of staff, the highest position in the governor’s office. Governor Blunt’s diverse cabinet also included two African American appointees to lead two critical departments: the Missouri Department of Labor and the Missouri Department of Revenue. Governor Blunt appointed Katie Smith as the first woman to ever serve as director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture since its inception in 1933. Another first was Governor Blunt’s appointment of Don R. Johnson, a Democrat, as the first African American to serve on the Missouri Conservation Commission. This group of leaders represents just a small sample of the many women and minorities the governor appointed or hired to serve in state government. Governor Blunt named Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike to serve on state boards, councils, commissions, task forces and as members of the judiciary, including hundreds of women and minorities. As governor, Matt Blunt appointed to important positions more than 250 minorities, a number which only includes Missourians who specifically identified themselves as minorities.

Hispanic Business, Trade and Culture Commission Governor Blunt created the Hispanic Business, Trade and Culture Commission, to better address the needs of the growing Hispanic business community in Missouri. The governor’s vision for the commission was to ensure Missouri is best positioned to respond to issues impacting Hispanic businesses. The commission serves as an advisory board to the Department of Economic Development’s Office of International Trade and Investment regarding trade and investment issues important to the Hispanic business community in Missouri. The new group also serves as a clearing house on matters concerning the economic needs of Hispanic businesses, monitors legislative issues relevant to the Hispanic business community and recommends proposed legislation to the Department of Economic Development.

George Washington Carver State Office Building In 2006, Governor Blunt signed an executive order renaming the Missouri Boulevard State Office Building the George Washington Carver State Office Building to honor the father of modern plant science and one of our state’s great achievers. The building houses the state’s Department of Agriculture offices. Dr. George Washington Carver overcame tremendous adversity early in his life to become one of America’s truly great pioneering scientists. Dr. Carver was born a slave near Diamond Grove, Missouri in the early 1860s. At a young age he understood the value of an education and developed a keen interest in agriculture. Dr. Carver stressed soil conservation through diversification of crops and crop rotation as a key to reviving soil that had become unproductive due to constant planting of cotton. He advocated the use of planting legumes to replace minerals depleted in the soil by cotton-growing. Dr. Carver went on to develop paint, dyes and medicinal treatments from peanuts, sweet potatoes and soybeans. 69

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The building was officially dedicated in September 2006. At the ceremony, Governor Blunt was joined by Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, a civil rights pioneer who served as executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992. In 2007, Governor Blunt signed legislation formally entering the executive order and new name into state statute. The governor’s action recognized Dr. Carver as a Missouri native and as a great scientist, humanitarian and educator.

Governor Blunt: Educator of the Year For his unwavering support of all Missourians and commitment to providing everyone the tools they need to succeed, in 2007 Governor Blunt became the first non-minority to receive the Educator of the Year Award at the “Yes I Can” Awards Banquet. He was recognized with the coveted award for his commitment to public education. The “Yes, I Can” Awards Banquet was founded by the late Howard B. Woods, publisher of then, The St. Louis Metro Sentinel Newspapers. Mr. Woods was the first African American director of the United States Information Services during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.



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“While some elitists mock the traditions and values of Missouri agriculture as out of fashion and outmoded, those of us who have spent time visiting our state’s farms and talking one-on-one with our farmers understand that agriculture has been and remains the bedrock of both our economy and our cultural heritage.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Supporting the Bedrock of Missouri’s Economy Agriculture

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griculture is the bedrock of Missouri’s economy. Governor Blunt made it a bedrock of his service to advance the interests of the men and women who produce, process and distribute the food and fiber from Missouri farms.

Protecting Property Owners from Eminent Domain In 2005, Governor Blunt opposed the terrible decision by the U. S. Supreme Court to sacrifice the property rights of landowners to eminent domain possession taken in the interest of private economic interests. Governor Blunt signed legislation he proposed to protect property owners from the Court’s decision in Kelo v. New London. The Missouri law prohibits the use of eminent domain solely to increase tax revenue for government. First, under this tough eminent domain law, farmland can no longer be classified as blighted for eminent domain purposes. Second, private property can only be claimed using eminent domain after determining blight or true public use. Third, it requires “just compensation” for condemned property to be determined by factors beyond just fair market value. Fourth, it recognizes additional payment may be due depending on the “heritage value” of a property, length of ownership or an owner’s primary residence. Fifth, it requires condemning authorities to pay relocation costs to anyone who is displaced. The new law enacted by Governor Blunt also created a new “Property Rights Czar” to stand up for Missouri property owners who are bullied or threatened. Now farmers, homeowners, small business people and all Missourians have a property rights advocate they can call upon to help them acquire the information they need to protect their private property.



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Fuel from the Fields In 2005 when Governor Blunt took office, Missouri was only beginning to emerge in the national market for renewable fuels. He acted to ensure that promises made were kept on greater production of ethanol and biodiesel from Missouri crops. Prior to Governor Blunt taking office, incentive payments had been deferred, and state pledges made to ethanol producers had been broken. In his first year, Governor Blunt recommended and secured full funding for both the Missouri Qualified Biodiesel Producer Incentive Fund and Missouri Qualified Fuel Ethanol Producer Incentive Fund, including $2.8 million for back payments due to farmers for production in prior years. Governor Blunt also signed legislation to allow the Missouri Qualified Biodiesel Producer Incentive Fund to receive state general revenue.

Biodiesel Produced

Missouri’s New Renewable Fuel Standard In 2006, Governor Blunt signed Missouri’s Renewable Fuel Standard Act. This law required that most gasoline sold in Missouri contain at least ten percent ethanol, beginning January 1, 2008. This idea was first announced in 2004 when Matt Blunt was a candidate for governor. All vehicles can run on E-10 without modification, and the market in Missouri and elsewhere continues to expand for vehicles able to run on an E-85 blend. This standard will provide a boost for Missouri’s farmers, rural communities and the environment, all at lower cost to consumers and with the national benefit of less dependence on foreign energy supplies. The new law contains a provision to ensure that consumers benefit by automatically waiving the ethanolblended fuel requirement if it is more expensive than petroleum-based gasoline at retail. Aviation fuel and premium grade fuels are also exempted. With the governor’s signature, Missouri became only the fourth state to adopt an E-10 standard.

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Ethanol Produced

A February 2007 University of Missouri study estimated recurring annual economic benefits from the four ethanol plants then in operation, which produced an estimated 160 million gallons of ethanol. The benefits from this nascent level of production were substantial and they included 161 full time equivalent jobs, a $20 million increase in employment income, increasing the value added to the economy by $36 million, and creating a net increase in total output of $285 million for the state economy. When operating expenditures are coupled with the multiplier effect that creates indirect and induced economic effects, the total annual gain of these four plants is estimated to be 3,022 jobs with $121 million in new annual income; a $215 million increase in value-added income; and a net increase in total state economic output of $522 million. In addition to the value added by processing the corn, the need for 56 million bushels of corn raises the at-the-farm value of the state corn crop by $45 million. Tax revenues also are increased at the federal, state and local levels of government, by a total of $43 million each year. By 2008, Missouri was producing 275 million gallons of ethanol every year.

Promoting Our Beef: the Missouri Branded Beef Initiative Promoting the success of Missouri agriculture must mean expanding the market for Missouri food and fiber. Continuing efforts to brand Missouri products and associate that brand with quality made tremendous strides during the Blunt administration. In 2006, Governor Blunt created the Missouri Branded Beef Initiative to pursue the marketing goal of causing consumers around the world to associate high quality with Missouri beef. The governor kicked off the initiative at the 2006 State Fair, as a special opportunity to promote the exceptional quality of Missouri beef.



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As an integral part of this work, Missouri established the nation’s first statewide voluntary Quality Systems Assessment program. Cattle ranchers were able to voluntarily enter the program and meet standards that attest to the high quality of their operations and products. Since the beginning of the Branded Beef Initiative, the Missouri Department of Agriculture has met with packers who are interested in processing the Missouri brand, and has hired a brand manager to assist in marketing.

Cutting Red Tape for Farmers In 2007, Governor Blunt announced the establishment in the Missouri Department of Agriculture of an Agriculture Resources Coordinator, to help farmers navigate the regulatory framework associated with livestock production. That position has served as a liaison between the Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources to assist farms who want to be in full compliance with various state laws and rules. It also serves as a key contact between agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources to ensure that livestock producers have the tools they require for success, including proper location of facilities and access to new technology. The position was created from existing budget resources, under the governor’s directive that agencies accomplish more without added funding.

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Large Animal Veterinary Student Loans In 2007, Governor Blunt signed legislation creating the Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program, and provided $120,000 in initial funding to ensure that family farmers in underserved areas have access to large animal veterinary care. The student loan program provides incentives for students pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine, so the students will locate their practices in locations where the new generation of family farmers needs greater access to veterinary services.

“Agriculture is the bedrock of Missouri’s economy.” -Governor Matt Blunt



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“Whether it’s fuel from our corn and soybean fields or alternative power sources, with more diversity and choices in our energy supply we can become more energy independent, create jobs and improve our environment.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Doing More with Less – Energy Efficiency, Independence Energy

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ising energy costs were a pressing issue during Governor Blunt’s administration. He acted to reduce or contain prices for citizens and lower the energy costs of state government. Governor Blunt was committed to developing alternative energy and helping build American independence of foreign energy supplies. The Blunt administration pioneered energy efficiency as a model for the state, while pursuing legislative changes for vital steps forward for Missouri’s energy future.

Renewable Energy, Made in the U.S.A. During Governor Blunt’s administration, gasoline prices were soaring across the nation, but Missouri families enjoyed some of the lowest gas prices in the United States. Missouri’s emphasis on renewable fuels, including the ten percent ethanol standard that Governor Blunt signed in 2006, helped fuel retailers keep down prices at the pump.



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To move more rapidly toward greater use of renewable fuels, particularly crop-based energy supplies, Governor Blunt signed into law tax credits for fueling stations to install pumps that can dispense E85 fuel. E85 is a fuel blended with 85 percent ethanol, and as little as 15 percent traditional gasoline. E85 burns cleaner than gasoline and is a renewable, domestic, environmentally friendly fuel that builds Missouri’s economy and America’s energy independence. The tax credits established by Governor Blunt will make E85 fuel more readily available across Missouri, so more drivers can consider flex-fuel vehicles without sacrificing convenience.

Renewable Fuel Producer Incentive Funding

Renewable Energy Consumed in Missouri

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Lower Heating Bills for the Vulnerable The Missouri Utilicare program was established in 1980 to help Missourians with winter utility costs. These important funds were cut during the state’s inability to manage its budget after 2001. Governor Blunt believed that no Missourian should have to make the difficult decision between home heating and other necessities of life. Governor Blunt ended the cuts by successfully seeking full funding for the program three years in a row. He provided nearly $19 million over three years to help thousands of vulnerable Missourians pay their home heating bills. Governor Blunt’s action made a real difference in the lives and quality of life for many Missourians and their families.

Utilicare



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Trash? No, It’s Energy! In 2007, Governor Blunt announced an innovative partnership to use byproducts from the Jefferson City Landfill to help heat a state prison. Under the governor’s plan, methane gas from the landfill is converted to electricity; the heat created by this conversion then heats water for the state prison. The project uses resources that would otherwise have been wasted, while at the same time producing benefits for the environment, taxpayers and local communities.

State Government Efficiency So that government will practice what it preaches, and seeks to require of citizens and businesses, Governor Blunt’s administration led state government to pioneering energy-saving policies which saved taxpayers $16 million annually: Performance contracts – The Blunt administration initiated a proactive effort to identify opportunities to reduce energy use and improve energy performance in state buildings. The result is improved energy efficiency and more than $10 million in savings that will continue to grow. Transported natural gas – By purchasing natural gas in bulk through a third party supplier rather than multiple local utilities, the Blunt administration recognized $2 million in savings including the cost of gas, charges for local utilities infrastructure and transportation on the major pipelines.

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Steam trap maintenance – Governor Blunt called for improved maintenance and repairs on heating equipment, such as steam traps which reduced waste, saved energy and cut costs for taxpayers by $2 million. Laundry/lighting system changes – A new laundry system in the Department of Corrections established during the Blunt administration uses a highly reactive form of oxygen, many times more efficient than a disinfectant in water and faster in destroying viruses and bacteria. The new system has shorter wash cycles, shorter drying time and uses cold water. The Blunt administration also began using lower wattage bulbs and ballasts that have longer life but still retain proper lighting levels, saves energy and maintenance costs. The savings for taxpayers: $2 million. Governor Blunt also enacted long-missing management steps to measure state government’s energy consumption, which improves the accuracy of the agency budget and spotlights possible solutions for better use of energy and savings to taxpayers.

“Every effort to conserve energy and make environmentally-friendly choices has a positive impact on our future.” -Governor Matt Blunt



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“I believe we have an obligation to protect our environment. The natural resources and healthy environment that we enjoy today are not ours alone. We hold them in trust for future generations.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Creating a Greener Missouri Environment

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od has blessed Missouri with abundant natural resources and great scenic beauty. Governor Blunt believes we have a moral duty to protect our environment, and to act as stewards for future generations.

As governor, Matt Blunt believed that a high level of environmental quality and economic growth go hand in hand. He did not accept the claim that environmental improvement is in conflict with a vibrant economy. He believed both could be achieved. He also rejected the notion environmental preservation means that natural resources cannot be used or enjoyed. Governor Blunt believed that responsible use is the key to good policy. The Blunt administration made state government cleaner and greener, and helped protect and enhance Missouri’s Governor Blunt and his son William Branch air, land and water. Governor Blunt encouraged Missourians to make choices that make our state a cleaner place to live and work, through new environmentally friendly incentives.

Clean Water Initiative Governor Blunt created the Clean Water Initiative to help Missouri communities with funding for a safer, cleaner and healthier water supply and to protect rivers and lakes. The governor’s initiative provided $50 million in bonds to aid Missouri communities with their water improvement needs, through the Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program.

Historic Bistate Water Agreement Governor Blunt knew that water quality is critical for jobs, economic growth, environmental quality, and a good and healthy life for our citizens. A threat to Missouri’s water quality is a threat to both the environment and economy, especially in regions such as the Ozarks. In November 2008, Governor Blunt and Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe signed an historic bistate water agreement to charter a more proactive approach to protecting and preserving the waters that flow between the two states. The landmark agreement creates a framework for the states to identify priority projects, cooperate in monitoring and modeling efforts, and develop common goals.



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In signing the agreement, Governor Blunt pointed out that states without cooperative agreements often resort to the federal government or the courts to resolve disputes. He said the environment and the taxpayers suffer when states spend time and money fighting, instead of dealing with issues directly and finding common ground. The Blunt-Beebe agreement was designed to help Missouri and Arkansas achieve higher water quality while avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

“Show-Me Green” Sales Tax Holiday Governor Blunt proposed and signed legislation to encourage Missourians to consider environmentally responsible products and reward their choice by making them sales tax-free for one week every year. The Blunt plan created the “Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday” beginning April 19 and ending April 25. All sales of Energy Star Certified new appliances will be exempt from state sales tax. The exemption applies to the first $1,500 of an appliance’s purchase price. There are numerous benefits to Energy Star certified appliances. They use less energy than other appliances are more efficient, and are better for the environment. Energy Star certified appliances also reduce the daily costs of using household appliances. With Governor Blunt’s signature, Missouri became only the fourth state to enact an environmentally-friendly sales tax holiday, joining Connecticut, Florida and Virginia.

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Greener State Government As the price of energy rose, Governor Blunt demanded greater energy efficiency to protect our environment, as well as the financial bottom line for the taxpayers and state government. The Blunt administration’s energy efficiency initiative in state government reduced energy use and saved money for taxpayers. Governor Blunt’s proactive solutions and initiatives included a range of projects from centralizing and monitoring statewide energy consumption to using trash from a landfill to heat a state prison. These innovative programs are expected to save taxpayers nearly $16 million in energy costs every year.

Renewable Fuels Governor Blunt saw the benefit in renewable fuels for farmers and American energy independence, but also believed that one of the greatest benefits of renewable fuels is what they mean for our environment. Governor Blunt fulfilled a promise he made to Missourians when he signed legislation in 2006 requiring all gasoline offered for sale in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol (E10). Ethanol is a cleaner burning alternative to petroleum-based gasoline and more efficient to produce. It contains more oxygen, providing better combustion and fewer emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and carcinogens.

Greener Power In 2007, the Governor signed into law a new state policy for energy efficiency. Governor Blunt’s Green Power Initiative decreases pollution from energy production by encouraging greater use of renewable energy such as wind, hydroelectricity, solar power, hydrogen and biomass. The legislation set baseline targets for utilities to meet: a four percent renewable energy target by 2012, eight percent by 2015 and 11 percent by 2020. This legislation also allowed the use of Department of Natural Resources-approved bio-reactors to produce and capture methane as a renewable energy resource. For consumers to be more active in energy efficiency, the bill required utility companies to make net metering available to consumers who have their own alternative energy generation units. Net metering allows customers



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with their own power generation to offset their electricity bills with what they generate on their own. This will give Missouri consumers a financial incentive to invest in independent alternative energy sources such as solar and wind, by crediting them for electricity they generate. The legislation also requires the Office of Administration to ensure that at least 70 percent of new vehicles purchased by the state fleet are flex-fuel. It allows municipal landfills to accept yard waste for bio-reactors, which produce methane gas for use in energy production. The State of Missouri’s fleet now has over 2,425 flex fuel E85 passenger vehicles and 92 percent of new vehicle purchases not exempt from the rule can run on alternative fuels.

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Greener Schools

overnor Blunt signed legislation directing the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish annual guidelines for green cleaning programs and environmentally sensitive cleaning product specifications for Missouri schools. Missouri is the third state after New York and Illinois to require schools to use “green” cleaning products.

Missouri schools received more funding and became greener under Governor Blunt’s leadership



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“From Bunker Hill to Baghdad, Missouri veterans have served for freedom and country rather than personal glory, and for that, they deserve our esteem, respect, and gratitude.” -Governor Matt Blunt, 2008 State of the State Address

Recognizing a Debt that Cannot Be Paid Missouri’s Veterans

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o group of Missourians is more deserving of our gratitude, respect and praise than those who have worn the nation’s service uniform. Many of Missouri’s 540,000 veterans have devoted their most productive years in service to our nation to preserve our freedom and democracy. As governor, Matt Blunt recognized the extraordinary sacrifices made by these exceptional men and women. He was a champion for Missouri’s active duty military personnel, veterans and military retirees.

Honoring Vietnam Veterans Governor Blunt believes it a responsibility of a free people to demonstrate our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of brave men and women who stand guard over America’s freedom. Missouri offered recognition and state service medallions to veterans of World War II and Korea, but had no state honors for those who served in the Vietnam War. To honor the sacrifices of Missouri’s Vietnam veterans, Governor Blunt created the Vietnam War Medallion Program in 2006. 

Helping Military Families The Missouri Military Family Relief Fund was established by legislation Governor Blunt signed into law in 2005. This new law creates state tax deduction for gifts to the state fund that provides help to families of service members in need of special assistance with hardship expenses. Governor Blunt allocated $200,000 to this fund to supplement private gifts and donations for Missouri’s military families.

The Edward Lee Myers Act Army Specialist Edward Lee Myers of St. Joseph gave his life in service to the United States. His funeral service was marred by shameful and offensive political protests. The governor and legislature joined to enact a ban on protests that seek to exploit the grief of families, by attracting attention to opportunistic disruptions of the most solemn rites. Governor Blunt believes that Missouri supports, honors and respects not only those who serve,



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but their family and friends, too. He rejected the use of anyone’s memorial service as a political platform, least of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us.

Veterans’ Service Officers The Veterans’ Service Officer Program provides assistance to help veterans access benefits they have earned. Governor Blunt secured funding for seven new officers to assist veterans. 

Veterans’ Homes  The Missouri Veterans Commission operates seven homes that provide long-term care to approximately 1,350 veterans.  In Governor Blunt’s administration, funding for Missouri veterans homes was increased by more than $14.7 million. Occupancy rose to exceed 97 percent of capacity, ensuring the highest quality of care for more of Missouri’s veterans.

Missouri Veterans’ Home Funding

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Stolen Valor Act In 2007, Governor Blunt signed the Stolen Valor Act, to punish those who impersonate our military heroes for personal gain. The Stolen Valor Act makes it illegal for a person to deliberately misrepresent themselves as a veteran or medal recipient.

Commanding, Leading and Supporting the Missouri National Guard Governor Blunt visited Guardsmen and women with official visits to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Mexican border. These visits enabled him to thank our citizen soldiers, receive updates on their missions, and witness firsthand their protection of our freedom, safety and security. Governor Blunt said: “It is inspiring to witness the roles these fine young men and women are filling, the selflessness of their sacrifices and their dedication to service.” Missouri’s National Guard was called to action many times under Governor Blunt, at home and abroad. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Missouri National Guard, Governor Blunt was committed to ensuring the Guard has the support, honor and resources needed to do its work, and to serve all Missourians with proper recognition.

Improved National Guard Readiness Improving the readiness of the Missouri Army National Guard and Air National Guard was a priority for Governor Blunt. During his administration the Air Guard and Army Guard have increased their end strength by more than 1,100 Soldiers and Airmen. For the first time in more than 14 years, the Missouri National Guard’s end-strength is poised to rise above 12,200 Soldiers and Airmen. This readiness is more than just numbers on the books, under Governor Blunt’s leadership, the Missouri National Guard ranks among the top five states in drill weekend and annual training attendance, ensuring that when called upon they will have the skills to effectively and efficiently accomplish their mission.



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New Veterans Cemetery Care for Missouri’s Veterans extends throughout their lives, and culminates with a final resting place that honors their sacrifices on behalf of our freedom. Governor Blunt secured appropriations for a 5th Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Fort Leonard Wood scheduled to open in December 2009.

Veterans Advisory Council Fulfilling a campaign promise to increase the involvement of veterans in state government, Governor Blunt in 2005 established by executive order the first Veterans’ Advisory Council. The council is comprised of 12 members who serve three-year terms by gubernatorial appointment. Governor Blunt appointed a great champion of veterans, by calling upon Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder to serve as chairman.

“It was the hands of our Veterans and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that have built America into what it is today, the greatest nation in the world, a nation that rests on a foundation of hard work, decency, and love of country and liberty.” -Governor Matt Blunt

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Matt Blunt’s Military Service

att Blunt graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in History. He went on to serve as an Engineering Officer aboard the USS JACK WILLIAMS (FFG24) and as the Navigator and Administrative Officer on the USS PETERSON (DD-969). Lieutenant Commander Blunt was mobilized to Commander Naval Activities in the United Kingdom in October of 2001 in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Governor Blunt served six months in Operation Enduring Freedom and is the only statewide official in Missouri history called to active military duty in wartime. While in the Navy, he received four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals as well as numerous other awards.

Matt and Melanie Governor Blunt met his future wife, Melanie Rose Anderson, when he was a Lieutenant (junior grade) in the Navy. They were married on March 15, 1997, while he was serving as the Navigator and Administrative Officer aboard the USS Peterson (DD 969).

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“Sons and daughters want to know that their parents and loved ones will be taken care of, that their health care will be of the highest quality, and that their leaders will honor the promises and commitments made to a great generation of Americans.” -Governor Matt Blunt, 2007 State of the State Address

Honoring Our Mothers and Fathers Seniors

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Governor Blunt: Siding With Our Seniors

hen state government stands with Missouri seniors, it upholds one of our most basic shared values, to honor our fathers and mothers. Seniors have worked throughout their lives to care for their families, meet their obligations to others, and pass on values that make America the greatest country in history. Many have served in the military, offering all they have in defense of American freedom. They have paid their taxes, and given to churches, charities and good causes in their communities. Governor Blunt believes we owe them the honor of actions to help provide a high quality of life in their retirement. With tax relief, more funding for key programs, and policy changes, Governor Blunt has made a positive difference for seniors across Missouri.

Ending the State Tax on Social Security When Governor Blunt took office, Missouri was one of only 15 states that taxed the Social Security benefits earned over a working lifetime which had exactly the same effect as a cut in Social Security benefits. Governor Blunt ended this terribly unfair double taxation. In 2007, with an inherited state budget crisis resolved, he called on the Missouri General Assembly to end the state’s unfair taxation of Social Security. The legislature complied, and Governor Blunt signed this tax cut into law for seniors.



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Property Tax Relief for Seniors In 2008, Governor Blunt pushed for significant reforms in local property taxes. Often local property taxes imposed special burdens on seniors. For Missourians on fixed incomes, rising local property taxes were pushing many out of their homes, by automatic tax hikes from automatically higher property assessments. Property tax rates are set by local elected boards, not the state. To fix the problem, Governor Blunt acted to halt excessive tax-raising by signing into law mandatory rollbacks in levy rates when reassessments occur, and expanding the income guidelines and benefits for property tax assistance under the “circuit breaker” law.

Helping Seniors Stay at Home Governor Blunt has emphasized the benefits of in-home care for Missouri seniors and others. High-quality in-home care allows seniors to remain in their homes and neighborhoods, retaining their independence and self-sufficiency, in a safe and supportive environment. To ensure that in-home care is accessible, Governor Blunt secured an increase in pay of $3 per hour total, for home health care providers. Governor Blunt also increased funding by $2.9 million for home-delivered meals for Missouri seniors, and those with disabilities.

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Funding Increases for In-Home Care Services

$77.4 Million in In-Home Care Services Rate Increases



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“Helping my husband serve the wonderful people of Missouri is rewarding and enriching beyond words. The opportunities for service that are offered to the First Lady are so numerous because of Missouri’s devotion to good causes is present every day, in every part of our state.” -First Lady Melanie Blunt

First Lady Melanie Blunt

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Caring for Missouri, Serving with Distinction

irst Lady Melanie Blunt’s commitment to Missouri was prominently visible by her travels across the state, talking with Missourians, sharing their hopes, concerns, and aspirations, and seeking to advance many good causes. Over four years, Mrs. Blunt was deeply involved in Breast Cancer Awareness as well as in other causes, and was a strong voice for the arts, and made it a priority to increase the people’s access to the Governor’s Mansion. She was dedicated to making sure that she left the Governor’s Mansion – what she calls the “People’s Mansion” – in better condition than she found it. Melanie has shared personal milestones and blessings with the people of Missouri during her four years as First Lady. Just three months after the Governor took the oath of office, the Blunts welcomed their son and first child, William Branch Blunt. Born March 9, 2005, Branch remains his parents’ first love, greatest challenge and greatest blessing. In addition to her priority of nurturing and raising her son at the Mansion, Melanie was honored to serve the people of Missouri at her husband’s side as the youngest First Lady in the nation.

Women and Children’s Wellness Recognizing the First Lady is in a unique position to focus on the needs of the state, Melanie Blunt adopted the cause of women and children’s health to help make a difference by raising awareness and relating the concerns of others. As First Lady, she centered much of her effort through personal action and compassionate advocacy, on investing in Missouri families and supporting organizations and causes that have a positive impact on Missouri women and children.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Nearly 4,000 Missouri women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Having lost her mother to this disease as a teenager, Mrs. Blunt is a strong champion of breast cancer awareness and prevention. She participated in and led teams in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® in both St. Louis and Kansas City. She served as spokesperson and honorary chair for the Susan G. Komen Mid-Missouri Affiliate and worked as an active advocate in the fight to overcome breast cancer. Mrs. Blunt hosted receptions in honor and appreciation of all the men and women who volunteer for this important cause. Hundreds of Missourians gathered at the Governor’s Mansion each year as Governor Blunt officially designated October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Mrs. Blunt also brought attention to the cause with an annual event that set the Gateway Arch and The Missouri Children’s Fountain at the Governor’s Mansion aglow in pink lights. In addition, her work with the Missouri Women’s Council helped generate tens of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research, awareness, and exams.

“Go Red for Women” Recognizing that heart disease is the number one killer of Missouri women and men, Mrs. Blunt worked to promote the individual responsibility and power that all Missourians have to reduce our risk of heart disease by simply making healthy choices a way of life. As part of her role as Missouri’s Honorary Chair for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign, Mrs. Blunt worked to empower Missouri women to be active participants in the health of their hearts. The First Lady spoke with Missouri men and women about the importance of heart health at the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” Luncheon and hosted events at the Governor’s Mansion to highlight and recognize this important cause.

Keeping Missouri’s Children Safe and Families Strong Mrs. Blunt is committed to protecting the welfare of Missouri’s children. She is a strong proponent of the important goals to protect our children from child abuse and to keep families together. She served as honorary chair of the Junior League of Springfield’s Crisis Nursery and was involved with the project since its inception. The crisis nursery offers residential care for children from birth to age 12, and provides families in crisis with support, education and training. Crisis nurseries across Missouri provide a safe environment that protects children from abuse and neglect when their families face a crisis. Additionally, Mrs. Blunt’s tireless commitment to women and children’s wellness was evident through her involvement and support of many statewide projects. To ensure the safety of Missouri children from Internet

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predators, she was a member of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. Mrs. Blunt was also a member of the Regional Board of Directors for Boys and Girls Town of Missouri. She was the State Ambassador for Scholastic Read for 2006 and 2007, and participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Women’s Build. The First Lady joined the Governor to ensure immunization cards were issued to every Missouri newborn. She supported Missouri’s new AMBER Alert Portal System, Child Passenger Safety Week, and the Missouri Child Resource and Referral Network. She also served as a member of the Jefferson City Parents As Teachers Advisory Council.

The First Lady Awards In her encounters and conversations with Missouri women from all walks of life and in all corners of the state, Mrs. Blunt recognized that many of the state’s greatest heroes often go unrecognized. As First Lady, Mrs. Blunt took the opportunity to fill this gap and to honor the women whose contributions made a significant and lasting impact on the people of Missouri. She launched The First Lady Awards, the first statewide awards that honored Missouri women who were, indeed, making history. A committee appointed by the Missouri Women’s Council evaluated more than 300 nominations from across the state. From those nominees, five women were selected for special recognition in the areas of Business and Innovation, Culture and Humanities, Education, Health and Wellness, and Volunteerism. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry supported the inaugural First Lady Awards, providing the foundation to begin a tradition of recognition and appreciation. The First Lady recognized all nominees in a March 2008 ceremony at the Missouri Governor’s Mansion to celebrate Women’s History Month. The event showcased unique stories of the women selected to represent each of the five categories with highlights about how each of them made a significant and lasting contribution to impact our state and enhance the lives of all Missourians.



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Arts Mrs. Blunt recognized the important and immeasurable impact arts have on our culture and families. Her passion for the arts in all forms led her across the state to champion arts, arts funding and arts education. Mrs. Blunt served as the honorary chair of the Missouri Citizen’s of the Arts and acted as ambassador for the non-profit arts advocacy organization.  She and Governor Blunt traveled across the state visiting a variety of arts venues, presentations, receptions, exhibits and performances.

Restoration of the Governor’s Mansion The Missouri Governor’s Mansion is an historic treasure that hosts more than 60,000 visitors – many of them school children – each year. The home, which was built in 1871, was in dire need of repair when Governor and Mrs. Blunt took residence. Cherishing the Mansion as one of the oldest homes in the country that was built for and continuously occupied by a governor, Governor and Mrs. Blunt were committed to leaving the Governor’s Mansion in better shape than it was when they arrived. Mrs. Blunt took on the special cause of supporting much-needed repairs and improvements to the “People’s Mansion,” which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Mrs. Blunt sought statewide support for critically needed repairs and restoration. To fund the structural repairs, which included restoring the slate mansard roof, she successfully convinced the General Assembly to provide $3 million for this work. She personally oversaw project details to ensure that the restoration work remained true to the home’s historic design. Recapturing the original geometric pattern in the slate mansard roof was a priority, and an example of Mrs. Blunt’s effort to preserve the historic integrity of the house while completing long-overdue repairs and restoration. In the mid-1970s, an 1871 photograph of the Missouri Governor’s Mansion resurfaced. It was a photograph of the house in December of 1871 and showed the original roof details. The photograph was used as a guide for recreating the original geometric design in the new slate roof, which was completed in a soft subtle palette of colors that was typically used in the 1870s.

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In addition to the slate mansard roof, the Blunt’s restoration initiative covered key areas that included: F F F F F

Restoring and repainting all windows, repairing trim, cornices, and columns, and repairing exterior masonry. Partial replacement of the malfunctioning 23-year-old heating and cooling system that was well-beyond its life capacity. Replacing the first floor kitchen, which was needed for health, safety and efficiency. Repairing flooring, plaster, and other interior areas and repainting. Replacing frayed carpets and window treatments.

In addition to her tremendous support for completing the Mansion’s structural needs, Mrs. Blunt worked with Missouri Mansion Preservation Inc. (MMPI), the not-for-profit organization that helps support the Governor’s Mansion restoration and educational programs, to fund interior restoration needs. As part of her efforts, Mrs. Blunt hosted A Luncheon with the First Ladies, the first-ever event to bring Missouri’s First Ladies together for a common cause, which was the centerpiece of MMPI’s efforts to restore and preserve the historic Missouri Governor’s Mansion. The luncheon raised more than half a million dollars in private funds for MMPI’s capital campaign for the Mansion’s interior restoration. Mrs. Blunt also reached out to Missourians for help in gathering additional research on the original interior finishes of the Mansion. Her goal was to uncover every available detail about the “People’s Mansion” that could be used in its preservation for future generations. Among those who worked with Mrs. Blunt to ensure historical accuracy were the State Historic Preservation Office and David Arbogast, an Architectural Conservator. Mr. Arbogast’s expertise and his microscopic analysis of the Mansion paint samples uncovered many of the home’s original paint colors, which will be incorporated in future restoration work on the interior. Mrs. Blunt also took advantage of eBay to help raise funds to preserve and restore the Mansion by placing several pieces of slate from the Mansion’s old roof on the Internet auction. The sale generated national attention and helped move MMPI closer to its fundraising goal. In addition, Mrs. Blunt added pieces of slate to the Friends of the Mansion collection and offered them to several major historical institutions throughout the state as a way to preserve and archive the Mansion’s rich history. In keeping with the longstanding tradition of Missouri governors, Governor Matt Blunt, First Lady Melanie Blunt and their son, William Branch, had special Gracie hand-painted wallpaper installed in the second-floor dining room as their official gift to the Missouri Governor’s Mansion. Each panel of the wallpaper was tailored in subject, color scheme, and scale for the dining room, and Missouri symbols, such as the dogwood blossom and the blue bird, were incorporated in the scenes. The panels are reminiscent of the work of artisans from the 19th Century. The Blunt Family raised the funds to purchase the Gracie panels through MMPI at no expense to taxpayers. The Missouri Governor’s Mansion has been home to 33 Missouri First Families. With Mrs. Blunt’s strong support and advocacy for the restoration of this important Missouri landmark, it will be a warm and welcoming home to many more First Families, as well as to the tens of thousands of visitors who tour the Mansion each year.

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Growing Up in the Governor’s Mansion William Branch Blunt

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issouri’s First Family expanded early in the Blunt administration with the arrival of William Branch Blunt.  Just eight weeks after the Inauguration, Governor Matt Blunt and First Lady Melanie Blunt announced the birth of William Branch on March 9, 2005.  He was born at 7:08 p.m. at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield and delivered by Dr. Christina Litherland, Mrs. Blunt’s physician throughout her pregnancy.  William Branch weighed 5 pounds and 13 ounces and was 19 ½-inches long. Governor Blunt’s Great-Grandfather, Reverend Paul Ray, was an avid genealogist who traced one part of his family to 16th Century England.  One of the Governor’s earliest English ancestors was William Branch.   Governor Blunt, a student of Thomas Jefferson, had often seen the name, William Branch Giles, a Virginia statesman and staunch ally of President Thomas Jefferson.  He too was a descendant of William Branch.   The Blunt’s liked the name and quickly settled upon it for their son. William Branch celebrated his first three birthdays at the Governor’s Mansion, where he enjoyed many adventures as its youngest resident and participated in celebrations at Easter, Halloween and Christmas with his parents.  Whether it was the soft cry of a baby or the pitterpatter of small feet running across the floor, there is nothing that brings the Mansion to life more than a child living there.  It captures moments that cannot be described.  The Blunt’s have many wonderful memories of watching Branch grow up in this historic home and introducing him to Missourians at the Governor’s Mansion, as well as in their travels across the state.  They are pleased to share some of these memories with you.



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“A strong transportation infrastructure is critical to Missouri jobs and economic growth. It is vital for us to make key investments in our roads and bridges to stay competitive in our global economy.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Achieving Safer, Sounder Roads and Bridges Transportation Infrastructure

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Delivering the Goods: Safe and Modern Transportation

overnor Blunt provided strong and determined leadership to provide Missourians with safe and modern transportation. Modern highways, bridges, airports, and ports save lives and open the door even wider for new Missouri jobs and economic growth. He set our course on making vital new investments in transportation infrastructure, so that Missourians “arrive alive,” and Missouri will be better positioned to compete and win in the global economy.

Strong and Competent Leadership Dramatic improvements to Missouri’s transportation infrastructure began with Governor Blunt’s appointments to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. He selected highly qualified commissioners who shared his vision. The Commission’s strong working relationship with a first-rate director created the progress that is visible across Missouri.

Saving Lives Missouri led the nation in reducing highway fatalities in 2006. This excellent achievement was followed in 2007 by a second year of lifesaving gains in transportation safety. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the nation for people between the ages of 4 and 34. In 2005, 1,200 Missourians were killed in traffic crashes, and more than 66,000 were injured, often with lasting and disabling results. The economic cost of highway accidents is terrible – more than $3 billion every year in lost earnings, property damage, public safety costs and other areas, but the intangible loss of beloved family and to communities is even greater. Governor Blunt committed himself to preventing crashes, saving precious lives and reducing injuries.



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Under the Governor’s leadership, the Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation made safety an even higher priority. The result was the dramatic reductions in death and injury while traveling. The Blunt era increase in construction on Missouri’s highways meant that more highway workers were doing their jobs near traffic, increasing the risk of accidents involving workers. In 2006, Governor Blunt signed into law a safety bill with strict new penalties for work-zone negligence and failure to observe work-zone speed limits and traffic control.

Missouri Traffic Fatalities

Better Roads, Smoother, Safer and Sooner In his 2006 State of the State address, Governor Blunt challenged the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to finish its Smooth Roads Initiative at least one year ahead of schedule. MoDOT met Governor Blunt’s challenge, by completing the long-needed repair and resurfacing of Percent of Major Highways in Good Condition more than 2,200 miles of roadway.

Rebuilding Highway 64/40 in St. Louis One of the largest highway repair projects in Missouri history began during the Blunt administration. The reconstruction of Interstate 64 in St. Louis City and County as a truly modern key artery for the metro region included temporary closure of five miles of interstate road, in order to get the job done far more quickly, and at lower cost. This closure displaced 150,000 vehicles per day, requiring MoDOT to take all possible actions to minimize inconvenience to commuters and other drivers. Governor Blunt worked with MoDOT to ensure full state cooperation with local governments, businesses and others affected by the 64/40 work. Through maximum shared effort, the driving public is able to see the reward for its patience much more quickly.

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Safe and Sound Bridges Governor Blunt and MoDOT’s leadership identified an innovative process in 2006 for quickly replacing or rehabilitating 802 of Missouri’s lowest-rated bridges. Every county has at least one such priority bridge project. The Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program was born. Under this plan, MoDOT will pay for the program using a portion of its federal bridge replacement funds over 25 years. The decision by the Governor and his MoDOT leadership proved very timely. On August 2, 2007, America was horrified when Minnesota’s fifth-busiest bridge collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. Following the bridge collapse, Governor Blunt directed MoDOT to inspect all bridges on an urgent basis. He also held a special legislative session and signed into law actions to help expedite the Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program.

Stopping Diversion of Our Highway Money When a candidate, Governor Blunt found agreement across Missouri that highways, roads and bridges were being short-changed. After the state’s commitments were broken on a major funding initiative in the 1990s, Missourians ran out of patience in paying higher gasoline taxes for road improvements that never happened. With the Governor’s support and advocacy, voters in 2004 resoundingly enacted Constitutional Amendment 3, with a vote of 79 percent in favor of halting the diversion of revenue from highway and transportation improvements. This action by initiative petition demanded that gasoline taxes and vehicle sales tax and fees be used for transportation, as intended by the voters, and the state government essentially end the long habit of using part of these funds for other purposes. Governor Blunt saw to the quick implementation of Amendment 3, which enabled MoDOT to speed up existing projects and take on more work, including the Safe and Sound Bridges, and Smoother, Safer, Sooner.

Dramatic Turnaround In 2008, the Reason Foundation issued their 17th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems. In a dramatic turnaround, Missouri’s national rank moved up 15 spots to 13th in 2006 after ranking 28th in 2004.



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“Keeping Missourians safe and ensuring that law enforcement officials have the support they need are two of the most important responsibilities of state government.” -Governor Matt Blunt

Keeping Missourians Safe Crime and Safety

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overnor Blunt believes that every Missourian deserves to feel safe in their home, school, community and workplace. As governor, Matt Blunt was committed to reducing crime by providing more for our law enforcement to keep our communities safe and by enacting tough new laws to take criminals off the streets, especially those who prey upon our children.

Protecting Our Children: Jessica’s Law Governor Blunt believes that protecting children is amongst the most important responsibilities of any government. Laws he passed against sex offenders are some of the strongest in the nation. In 2005, America and Missouri reflected with deep sadness on the tragic death of Jessica Lunsford, a nineyear-old girl who was raped and brutally murdered by a convicted sex offender in Florida. In Missouri, a federal court threw out a conviction because a police officer working undercover had apprehended a man who thought he had arranged illegal activities with a young girl. Governor Blunt acted immediately to strengthen the laws that protect Missouri’s children. In 2006, Governor Blunt signed comprehensive legislation to strengthen state sex offender laws. Missouri’s version of “Jessica’s Law” is among the toughest in the nation. At the heart of the legislation enacted by Governor Blunt is a mandatory minimum sentence for those who commit the most egregious of felonies – forcible rape or forcible sodomy – of a child younger than 12. Those convicted of these terrible crimes will serve a term of life in prison, with a minimum of 30 years without eligibility for probation or parole. In addition to the mandatory



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minimum of life for the most barbaric offenses, persistent sexual offenders will be supervised for life by the Department of Corrections. Under this new law, suspended imposition or enforcement of sentence is not an option for the crimes of forcible rape and forcible sodomy. This provision is particularly important. The State Highway Patrol knew of more than 200 criminals who received a suspended imposition of sentence for forcible rape or forcible sodomy. Some of these crimes were committed against children; some were committed with weapons. Many of those culprits served little or no time in prison. Missouri’s Jessica’s Law also strengthened and improved the sex offender registry. The new law made the registry a better tool for parents and other caretakers to protect their children. The legislation also required offenders to report every six months and provide an updated photo each year. To mitigate court decisions that impeded convictions, the new law also specified that the crime of sexual misconduct with a child can be committed over the Internet and created the crime of attempting to entice a child. It does not allow offenders to use a defense that the victim was an undercover police officer acting as a child. These changes, signed into law by Governor Blunt, provided comprehensive changes in Missouri law to keep children and communities safe. In addition, Governor Blunt signed legislation in 2005 establishing a global position tracking program for sex offenders. With this initiative, the Department of Corrections began piloting global position tracking technology to track and monitor sex offenders and other high risk offenders in eight cities and 12 corrections districts across Missouri. 

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Preventing Drunk Driving Drunk driving in Missouri claimed 243 lives in 2007 alone. Governor Blunt believes that part of stopping drunk driving is teaching responsible behavior to the young, and curbing underage drinking. Legislation he signed in 2005 addressed possession and consumption of alcohol by minors by increasing penalties for adults who sponsor underage drinking partners, and requires schools to develop punishments for students. Governor Blunt also signed legislation enacting increased sentences for multiple offenders, both to deter drunk driving and protect Missourians from those who continually defy the law, endangering others and themselves. Governor Blunt signed legislation that increased the penalties for involuntary manslaughter for those convicted of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) offense three or more times. This also eliminated a 10-year statute of limitations that prohibited use of a past alcohol-related offense to enhance a current DWI to a felony. These efforts have increased the time that convicted DWI offenders serve behind bars. In 2008, Governor Blunt joined with Mother’s Against Drunk Driving to strengthen Missouri’s law requiring ignition interlocks for drunk drivers who commit two or more drunk driving offenses. Ignition interlocks are devices that disable a vehicle’s ignition if the driver is drunk or drinking. The legislation shifts responsibility for ignition interlock devices to the Department of Revenue, and away from courts that were not enforcing compliance. These devices save lives and keep repeat drunk drivers off Missouri roads and highways.

Protecting Missourians on the Water Governor Blunt also signed legislation to lower the legal intoxication limit for boaters from 0.10 to 0.08 percent ensuring consistency with the legal limits for operating a vehicle. Irresponsible boaters put everyone else on the water at great risk, just as drunk drivers threaten lives on Missouri’s roads and highways. Governor Blunt believed there was no reason for a legal limit that is higher on the water.



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Mobilizing Missourians to Bring Children Home with AMBER Alert In the abduction of a child, the first 24 hours are critical. The AMBER alert system has proven to be a vital and important tool in the recovery of missing and abducted children by using the media, e-mail and other electronic devices to mobilize ordinary citizens to be on the lookout. In May of 2006, Governor Blunt linked Missouri to the AMBER Alert Web Portal. The AMBER Alert Web Portal employs next-generation technology to engage and empower every organization, broadcaster and citizen with the real-time information needed to save an abducted child. The AMBER Alert Web Portal enables law enforcement to sign-in and enter all of the necessary data regarding a missing child. For the first time, law enforcement officials can communicate live, directly with citizens, through a simple opt-in, sign-up process allowing the public to receive the real-time, locally-relevant AMBER Alerts via different communication devices such as pagers, cell phones, and e-mails.

Fighting Meth in Missouri When Governor Blunt came into office, Missouri had led the nation in methamphetamine incidents for several years in a row. In 2004, for example, Missouri was first in the nation with 2,788 incidents, with Iowa second, at fewer than half that number, 1,300. To put this in even wider perspective, Missouri accounted for 17.4 percent of the nation’s meth incidents in 2003 and 2004. Meth incidents are essentially busts of meth making 119

Leadership, Vision, Change

operations. Because of Missouri’s central location, drug trafficking and the production of meth in Missouri’s rural area are a constant battle for Missouri law enforcement. The first step was to pass legislation to block meth-makers from the ingredients they need to make meth. In 2005, Governor Blunt spearheaded new legislation to limit the quantity of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products, the key ingredients needed to make meth; raised products with pseudoephedrine, and combined products with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, to the level of Schedule V controlled substances; and required pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products to be kept behind a pharmacy counter and sold only by a pharmacist or a pharmaceutical technician. With restrictions on purchasing meth pre-cursor ingredients, the legislation also created a tracking system for the purchase of ephedrine and pseudophedrine. The new law requires photo identification to purchase restricted products and requires pharmacies to maintain purchase logs that are available for inspection by law enforcement. To build on that work and use technology to help law enforcement track and stop meth production, in 2008 Governor Blunt signed legislation to implement electronic tracking that alerts a pharmacist immediately when an over-limit purchase is being made and alerts law enforcement in real time of the purchases.

Preventing Violence Too many women and children have endured shocking and heartbreaking violence in the home. Changes that Governor Blunt signed into law in 2007 increased penalties and offered additional protection for women who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The first change related to what law enforcement officials commonly call a “rape kit.” Under previous law, victims of sexual assault or rape were often forced to pay for their own forensic examinations. This added significant insult to brutal injury. Governor Blunt said no victim of sexual assault should be forced to pay for a medical exam to prove their injuries. Governor Blunt changed this requirement, recommending and securing $2.8 million in the state budget to pay for the rape kits. Before the Blunt administration, prosecutors or police investigators could require a polygraph from a victim before proceeding with a prosecution or investigation. This practice was demeaning. Governor Blunt believed crime victims should not feel like they are on trial for the crimes that others committed against them. He signed legislation forbidding a government official from placing this condition on a victim. Domestic assault in the first degree is among the most serious crimes. It is the attempted murder or serious injury of the victim. As violence persists, it becomes increasingly likely that the abuser will cause permanent



The Blunt Years, 2005-2009

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