Gov. Parson pledges to combat violent crime, blasts Medicaid expansion in annual message

Jan. 16--JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri Gov. Mike Parson affirmed the need to combat violent crime in his annual address before state lawmakers Wednesday, but only after stressing his Second Amendment bona fides, including his lifelong membership in the National Rifle Association.

The speech, which focused mainly on the state's economy, laid out his legislative agenda to lawmakers, but also reflected how he most likely will appeal to voters as he seeks a full-term as governor in November.

There has been little appetite in the Republican-controlled Missouri General Assembly for any restrictions on firearms, despite rising numbers of gun deaths in Missouri's major cities.

Parson has engaged the mayors of those cities in the last year in an effort to develop solutions. He invited them as guests to his State of the State address.

"I have never wavered in my support for the Second Amendment," Parson said during his State of the State address. "But, we all have to understand the very real issue of violent crime affecting our neighborhoods and the potential consequence of doing nothing."

At a November press conference in his Jefferson City office, Parson stood with the mayors of Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Columbia and outlined three objectives, one to introduce a state law preventing domestic abusers, criminals and minors from possessing handguns. The measure would reflect current federal law, but allow county prosecutors to crack down on offenders or place them in diversion programs.

Following the press conference, however, other Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize. Parson appeared to pull back in media interviews, saying the mayors agreed to not talk about "gun control" with him.

"There are responsible gun reforms, one of which related to the fact that those who have been convicted of domestic violence should not be able to possess them. I think that is 'commonsensical,'" Mayor Quinton Lucas said before the speech. "The governor has represented that before. So I think we'll continue to look to see if there's a path for that either this year or next year."

In his speech, Parson pledged $1 million for witness protection and relocation, one of the needs expressed by mayors and law enforcement. He promised more resources for mental health and to "strengthen" laws to target violent criminals.

"We won't always agree, and there will always be issues we feel passionately about," Parson said. "But, I am confident that by working together, the potential for our region as and the entire state of Missouri is even greater."

A new Buck O'Neil Bridge

The "long-term" solution, Parson said, will be developing the state's workforce. Last year, the legislature passed programs proposed by Parson that provided scholarships to adults seeking a college education and businesses that sent their workers back for re-training in high-demand skills.

"While reducing violent crime is our immediate goal, I strongly believe that at the end of the day, it is about better education and skills to get a quality job," Parson said.

While last year's emphasis was on working adults, this year Parson's agenda will focus on preparing high school students, especially through increased access to vocational training, according to his chief of staff Aaron Willard.

Once again, the state will fully fund the K-12 school formula, and university and colleges will not see a cut in their core funding. Parson did not proposed any major cuts to the budget, a nod to the state's steady job growth and low unemployment.

Parson has also continued in his quest to repair the state's crumbling bridges, leveraging a $300 million bonding plan he proposed and the legislature passed last year.

"One of the benefits of the plan we laid out last year was not only the immediate impact, but also the additional resources it would free up for other critical projects," Parson said.

He promised the state would rebuild the Buck O'Neil Bridge, which carries thousands of Kansas City commuters a day. While the bridge has undergone repairs, it is considered to be at the end of its lifespan.

Patrick McKenna, Missouri Department of Transportation director, said construction on the new bridge won't begin "for a minimum two construction seasons."

Parson proposed creating a new $100 million emergency fund for economic recession or other contingencies. The fund would be supported by revenue from online sales taxes, if passed by the legislature.

A report released by the state auditor in October said Missouri had insufficient funds saved to weather an economic downturn, and should one come, will only be able to survive through drastic cuts to services or pumping up taxes.

Ending on a personal note

Not that the state was expecting a recession in the coming year, Dan Haug, the state's budget director, said.

After years of being the state with the lowest paid workers, state employees will receive an additional 2 percent raise starting Jan. 1 of next year, if the governor's budget proposal is approved. That comes on top of a 3 percent hike state employees enjoyed at the beginning of this year.

Parson recommended a $1.4 million increase in funding for the public defender system, leaving it with a total budget of $53 million. That's short of the $61 million public defenders have said they need to function properly. The system is overloaded with cases, and high turnover and low pay for its public defenders.

Unlike in Kansas, lawmakers most likely will not entertain Medicaid expansion, after Parson blasted efforts to place the issue on the 2020 ballot. The ballot initiative, well-funded and backed by the state's major hospitals, has secured half of the signatures it needs, so far.

"So make no mistake about it, the vague proposal they are not explaining or purposely withholding is a massive tax increase that Missourians cannot afford," Parson said in his speech.

Parson's push for "improved efficiency" within Medicaid has been "criticized" or "outright" misrepresented by the press, he said.

His administration has came under heavy criticism after it was revealed that there were 100,000 fewer children on Medicaid than in years past, while the state's uninsured rate for children is growing. Medicaid Director Todd Richardson attributed the decline in covered children partly to an improved economy but also to problems that occurred when switching to an automated eligibility determination system.

Following his speech, State Auditor Nicole Galloway, his likely 2020 opponent for governor, released a video highlighting the plight of two single mothers who found their children had been purged from the Medicaid rolls.

"Governor Parson has resisted calls to investigate, has offered excuses, and now refuses to take accountability for the purge of eligible kids from their health insurance. This is unacceptable," Galloway said in a statement. "Governor Parson must act and restore coverage for every eligible child in Missouri."

Parson ended his speech by saying he was going "a little off script."

"I might as well because there's no telling what you will hear from someone else who will falsely claim to know what's in my heart," Parson said.

He revealed that First Lady Teresa Parson was a single mother of two when he first met her 35 years ago while depositing a check at the bank.

Holding back tears, he lauded her fierce loyalty to her children, her true grit and compassion. He said she had the "true strength" that "many men try to fake."

"She is the one who has allowed me to be a father, a grandfather and the best person I know how to be," Parson said.

The Star's Jason Hancock and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

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