A Blunt Proposal
Gov. Matt Blunt's first State of the State address garnered mixed reaction from state lawyers.
Published Jan. 28, 2005
Under Gov. Matt Blunt's proposed higher education budget, the UM system would receive a $600,000 increase from last year's appropriation, which was just less than $401 million.
The increase will go toward MU's Telehealth Resource Center at the MU School of Medicine. The center provides health care to rural communities through the use of digital technology.
Other than the increase, which comes from the Healthy Families Trust Fund, MU will likely receive the same funding as in 2004.
Nikki Krawitz, UM system vice president for finance and administration, said the governor's budget presented MU with a challenge.
"It will be a challenge for us," Krawitz said, "but we understand the state's challenge with its budget. What it means is that we're going to have to look for other ways to reduce expenses because we've been committed to a 3.5 percent educational fees increase."
Krawitz said system campuses look at administrative expenditures when cutting costs before looking to academic programs, which constitute the biggest part of the universities' budget.
"We'll have to look at all the different options that we have," Krawitz said. "The campuses are always doing that. We have an ongoing process to look for ways that we can reduce costs at the universities."
The UM campuses might have to offer larger sections with more students or offer fewer classes in order to cut costs, Krawitz said.
Minority leader wanted more equality talk
In his first State of the State address Wednesday night, Blunt addressed many issues the state faces, but civil rights and increased diversity were nowhere to be found.
Senate Minority Floor Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, was disturbed by the omission.
"Gov. Blunt said a lot of things that sounded real good," she said, "However, it's what he did not speak to that troubles me, such as women, minorities and a lack of specifics on the education program."
According to the 2003 Missouri racial profiling report, Missouri was the first state to undertake self-analysis on racial profiling during traffic stops and offers its officers additional training.
Coleman said Blunt erred in not mentioning women's rights or affirmative action.
"I believe that Gov. Blunt comes from a party that has a different view on diversity and inclusiveness," she said. "I haven't seen a significant number of minorities in the governor's transition, nor administration to date."
Litigation reform plan causes discord
In one of his proposed changes to state legislation, Blunt called for "comprehensive litigation reform" pertaining to the amount of money doctors can be sued for in cases of medical malpractice. Blunt also said the number of frivolous lawsuits against doctors needed to be reduced.
In an effort to combat the problem, Blunt called for "comparative fault" in lawsuits. Under the system, plaintiffs can sue a party only for the percent of total damages equal to the percentage of fault the defendant is judged to have held.
Blunt also called for cuts in workers' compensation benefits.
The proposed plans angered state Democrats, who spoke out against Blunt's plan in a post-address news conference.
"I will not support overreaching changes that hurt our workers," state Attorney General Jay Nixon said. "It is flat wrong to say that a secretary with carpal tunnel or a waiter with a bad back does not have a work-related injury because it happened over a period of time."
