i am asking legislators to approve an ambitious and historic education proposal which i call stevens success funding. under this plan we will reward improve students performing end incentivize and replicate. also reforms are needed deny education. for reasonable, arizona's family is working hard to save enough for their kids to seek a university degree. unpredictable tuition hikes. arizona students need affordability in their college education to ensure that these twin goals are met, messinger arizona border regions to develop a plan. the guarantee in-state tuition

levels for the four years it should take a student to graduate. [applause] students expected end arizonas taxpaying parents deserve it. [applause] keith a. seven greater positive economic impact. together they contribute more than $9 billion to our economy annually while safeguarding agree country. more prepared to help the military accomplishes diverse missions the nearly any other state. i remain committed to protecting and enhancing areas of his military bases. that is why would direct the

military affairs commission to develop a strategic plan for sustaining missions. we must be ready to protect arizona's military installations if the federal government moves to "or realign more bases. [applause] this year i am calling of the legislature to reduce support for the military installation fund. that money will be used specifically to mitigate property encroach when tempers their military ladies projects without throwing that financial burden on private property owners. protecting our military is good for arizona and good for america. [applause]

i have been returning to the for more than 30 years. uniting with my fellow public servants in pursuit of a shared mission to stand up for the people we are entrusted to serve . to keep our order clean and to leave this place better if freer and we found it. for little more than a century representatives of the people have come to this capital this beautiful desert land to a lesser this is safe from harm and to provide children the knowledge and character that

will make and keep them free. great men in gray women have what these chambers embraced these lands with their honorable public service. we should aspire year to rake it was the best of those. for the state was built by others before us and eventually will be left to others who will follow. it is ours to love only for a ton. they loved it wisely and leave it will ten years from now whether i run again in the --

[laughter] -- i will be working in my garden, and i will look back with pride. and if i can borrow a sentiment from reagan, i will be uplifted the when we weren't just marking time. we made a difference. we made this great state stronger. we waited for year. and we left her in good hands. they got bless us and that work, and they got forever bless and protect the great state of arizona in the united states of america. thank you. [applause]

[applause] >> one day after her "state of the state" address she's but to an audience impressed out.

the daily carrier noted it is not uncommon for the governor to travel to rural areas after making her a new address. now to missouri for democratic governor j. nixon's "state of the state" address degrees during his hour-long speech he talked about the state's economic progress, education, and the expansion of medicaid and and health care law. his address was just under an hour. [applause] >> ladies and gentleman, governor jay nixon.

>> thank you. they keep a lid said governor, speaker jones, president pro tem , judges of the missouri supreme court, state officials, members of the legislature, members of my cab, fell missourians. tonight we are replaced to be joined by misery's exceptional first lady to with georgann. [applause] in our son, well. tonight we're honored to be joined by people who put their

level to protect the lives of others, whether they fight our enemies abroad or protect communities at home, these ordinary men and women do extraordinary thick's. they are real heroes. on august 6 in the dark of the night deadly flash floods struck several communities without warning. rising by as much as 23 feet. inundating homes, washing no roads, and ultimately claiming lives. there were many acts of bravery that night as state and local emergency personnel fanned out to look for folks in need of help. to local fire fighters had been attempting to rescue a man and a young child when their boat capsized in the rushing water leaving all four of them clinging to a single guide wire.

another local first responder have been holding to women above water for 30 minutes, never giving up of the rescue attempt, but tiring. fortunately the corporal in the senate of our misery state highway patrol were on duty that night. overcoming darkness and debris, pouring rain to lead treacherous floodwaters, even test of rescue boat, troopers got all seven of these individuals safety.

>> three years ago when we worked together right here to merge the state highway and water patrols we knew this change would improve efficiency and reduce overhead. it as. but in the rushing waters that night it was clear that the benefits of this report went way beyond balance sheets. it saved lives. these two great leaders thanks you for your. [applause] these brave people remind us that the true strength of our state cannot be measured in bricks or bushels, but in the

talent and tenacity of our citizens. folks don't shy away from challenges. they work together to tackle them, getting up early, working hard, staying late and looking out for one another. thanks to the people of missouri , the state -- "state of the state" is strong and growing stronger with each passing day. [applause] with that in nearly 44,000 jobs, and when you look at the pace of private sector job growth, private sector job growth, missouri was in the top ten in the nation first been better than every single one of our neighboring states.

exports increased by more than a billion dollars of the past five years. that's 71 percent think see the misery farmers and ranchers that deliver each and every day. behind these impressive numbers a significant investments by companies though it doesn't if the. high-tech global prince along with small businesses like startups, cofactor genomics in st. louis. we all know that if you want to win you have to compete. that is why i want to thank this general assembly for helping make us in missouri and a finalist for the boeing triple seven acts.

we may have not won the biggest prize, but we competed at the highest level. it is important to remember we came together in another special session and had very high-stakes . other plants to close, jobs to go overseas, and folks that it would not be long before the last missouri made vehicle role of the light. instead of giving up we took action. together we pass the misery manufacturing jobs act, up to our investment in work-force training in saved misery's of industry. today the automotive come back

continues to make headlines. just like last week. on sunday gm unveiled the zero new gmc canyon. on monday ford unveiled the all new f-1 50. later that same day we welcome the new automotive supplier in over 150 jobs. on thursday floridian of the hiring of the 1,000 workers to build a fork transit and previously built exclusively overseas saw the pride they take in building the next generation of american made vehicles. they will tell you it means more than just a paycheck. the work we do your is very real .

bell, our economic progress is no accident. it is the result of a clear and unwavering focus on strict fiscal discipline and smart investments. [applause] we are the show me state, so we develop a strategic plan and followed it. instead of engaging in washington style that the spending we kept our fiscal discipline, balancing budgets, cutting waste, and keeping taxes low. [applause] this past year of three major rating agencies reaffirmed that perfect credit rating. tonight as i have every year i am proposing a balanced budget that calls the line on taxes and continues to downsize government cutting more than 81 positions from the state payroll. by the end of this fiscal year we will have reduced the state

work force by 4600 full-time employees. the we did that just make government smaller. we made it smarter. we reduced energy use the muscle of surplus property, and put more state services online. my budget continues to invest in technology to provide missourians with the efficient, effective, accountable government they deserve. now, keeping our fiscal house in order as of this protect our shared values. we made sure that as we moved our economy forward we did valley folks behind. a young child with autism, a student working her way through college. a family rebuilding after a natural disaster. a soldier returning from the front lines. four years ago we launched show me euros to help employers record in hire men and women in uniform. two years ago we strengthened it by making sure these veterans

also get the training they need. today show me heroes continues to change lives. i recently visited one of the 3400 misery companies that have taken the chevy euros pledged commend ibm and columbia we recognize the 5,000 veterans employed through this program. .. the 5,000th veteran employed through this program. (applause) our veterans bougfought for us i thank you for help being there for them. for every soldier serving our country overseas there's a family back here at home putting on a brave face each day for the kids. families who in soldiering on through the loneliness lend their loved ones strength. it is so important as they lend us all strength we honor their

sacrifice as well. tonight we are joined by heather styles and her daughters paige and payton. heather's husband of 11 years major matthew stooils is a helicopter pilot in his second deployment to afghanistan. while he serves our country at war heather is holding down the fort at their home in jefferson city. they represent thousands of military families all across our >> military families are counting down the days. please join me in thanking the family for their service and sacrificing. we wish them a speedy and safe return. [applause] [applause] [applause] >> together we have laid a solid foundation that got us through some tough economic times.

it has brought us to a defining moment for our sake. now there economy picking up steam, how do we build on that foundation? with washington paralyzed by politics, what can we do here in missouri to make a lasting difference to real people? and when it's always easier to do the small things and to clear victory, how do we tackle the big challenges? the things that matter most. schools and good jobs and healthy communities for kids to grow up in. missouri is a state where we have small-business owners and artists and outdoorsmen and farmers and there are many things every single one of us would agree upon. but here is one that we can.

our single greatest responsibility as elected officials and those parents and as citizens of our state is to make sure that every child in missouri has an opportunity to achieve his or her dreams. and we all know that that opportunity starts with education. [applause] [applause] [applause] for centuries public education has been a value that we cherish and a value that we are reaffirmed time and time again. in the 1700s we call 48 education system that would safeguard our young democracy from tyranny and oppression.

in the 1800s we establish a land grant university including the university of missouri and by 1900 every state in the nation had three public elementary schools. and when the greatest generation returned home from world war ii after saving a free world, a grateful nation honor them with something far more precious unpatriotic than a ticker tape parade. the g.i. bill. [applause] [applause] >> shepherded through congress, he gave millions of americans an opportunity that their parents he gave millions of americans an opportunity that their parents never had. the chance to earn a college degree without going into debt. so take a second to think of the impact that we have had. between 1940 and 1950, the

number of degrees awarded by u.s. colleges and universities more than doubled. over the next half-century the percentage of americans with a college degree quintupled and they became engineers of small-business owners and scientists supreme court justices. presidents and preschool teachers. they bought homes and they started companies creating the modern middle-class unlike anything the world has ever seen. we are joined by one of them tonight. doctor frank fontana served and follow the frontline all the way to berlin.

[applause] [applause] [applause] when he came home the g.i. bill provided him the opportunity to get a degree in optometry and he started his own practice later. he married the love of his life may have two sons that they put through school. the g.i. bill gave him the opportunity to pursue his dreams. to support his family. to become a great optometrist. i should know. he is mine and i can see him. [laughter] please join me in thanking frank for his service in reminding more importantly what the american dream is really about. thank you. [applause] [applause]

[applause] >> this nation's biggest generation made a commitment with education and they made the united states driver of the global economy and the undisputed leader of the free world. now it is our turn. it's our turn to carry on the legacy. now we must work to help every child starts school ready to learn and we must demand that every school is getting the job done and we must make sure that every student can afford to get a college degree. and so let's resolve to give our children and grandchildren more opportunity and better opportunity and build the opportunities they deserve. [applause] but to really succeed we have to start early.

the first few years have an impact that last a lifetime. the children start kindergarten ready to learn more likely to succeed in school and he did a good job after college. working together effort the last year we have expanded access giving more children the opportunity to go to high-quality preschool in their communities. but this year it is time that we do much more. kids grow up fast and there is no time to waste. we must work together to make sure that our kids start smart. and that is why my budget will nearly triple funding for the missouri preschool program just this year. [applause] [applause] [applause]

providing quality opportunities for thousands of kids all across missouri, but that is just the beginning. as many of you know we spent a lot of time in missouri schools talking with students and meeting with teachers and students and staff and sometimes i even seek out and shoot a few hoops. schools are the hearts of our @ommunities. schools are the hearts of our communities. where lifelong friendships are made in fundamental values are learned. in today's global economy, whether you wrote for the dragons or the bulldogs were the panthers are k-12 schools must also be rigorous high-tech institutions of innovations. [applause] more technologies and smaller

class sizes and well-prepared teachers. the tools at our kids need to succeed. [applause] accomplishing that goal will take an unwavering commitment by all of us. and something else, it is going to take months. that is why my budget increases funding this year by $278 million. [applause] [applause] [cheers] and so those of you at home, that will put us on a path to fully funding the foundation formula for next year. [applause]

[applause] >> you know every one of us has run for office. and when we knocked on doors folks asked if he believed in public education and we all said yes. when someone raised their hand at town hall meetings and asked what we do with teachers, we said that we would support them. and on the campaign trail all of us made a promise to invest in our students and schools. it is time to put our budget or a campaign brochures. [applause] [applause] [cheers] [applause] it is time to decide we are

going to talk about public education and whether we are going to fund it. this is the test and this is the year to get serious about funding our schools. [applause] and we all know our local schools work in a big way for kids in our communities. here are a few priorities that school districts have already outlined. every student to have a computer. fifty additional teachers to reduce class sizes and give kids the personal attention that they need. in santa fe, they are going to bring back summer school and establish the district's first early childhood education program and then they will implement project project lead the way. to help students understand and excel in science. in springfield, 4000 or three

and 4-year-olds will have the opportunity to attend high-quality preschool. >> i would like you to stand if you would, please. please join me in honoring them for the challenge of the take on everyday for supporting our kids. [applause] [cheers] [applause] [cheers] you know, and with this commitment we are going to demand accountability and measurable results. cover classes and higher test scores and higher graduation rates. our students need to be ready to

compete worldwide and that means that they have to raise their game and we have to raise ours as well. we have to believe in education so much that we commit to making it better. when we talk about education it is something that always bears repeating. there is no more honorable profession and being a teacher. [applause] [applause] you know, none of us would be in this room if it were not for the extraordinary people who taught us and believe dennis year ago. we are blessed to have so many talented teachers across our state. selfless public servants who stay late to make sure that our children don't fall behind and often dig into their own pockets

to make sure that they have the material that they need to teach our kids. each year there are some who believe the way to build up our schools is to tear down our teachers. try to cut their pay, reduce their retirement benefits, or threaten their job security. that's simply must stop. [applause] [cheers] [applause] [cheers] and now we can all support making smart reforms for education system and we should hold educators accountable for the important job that we have entrusted them to perform. but instead of attacking public school teachers we should make it our mission to recruit the best and brightest minds to take on the honorable work of teaching our kids. [applause]

and that is exactly what this significant investigation will allow our local districts to do. tonight we are pleased to be joined by mr. schultz. ever since he was in ninth grade, he knew that he wanted to be a teacher. he continues to inspire and motivate students each and every day. last october mr. schultz won the prestigious milken family foundation national educator award. we were all inspired by how we rally behind his students and his schools. just this month 1400 students walked into three brand-new schools working another milestone in a remarkable recovery. he is joined tonight by susan dey ncj hot. please join me in thanking mr. schultz and all of our teachers today.

[applause] [applause] now, he works hard to make sure that kids are prepared to take the next step and in pursuit of higher education that they need for the careers that they were. many of us have had the same conversation with her kids around the dinner table. you tell them that no matter what they are interested in, the more education they get the more financially secure that they will be in the numbers are stark. the unemployment rate among high school graduates is more than twice that and by the end of this decade two thirds of all jobs will require some kind of college credentials. we made great strides to ensure the quality and affordable college education is an option for every family and over the

past five years missouri's public universities have led the nation in holding down tuition increases. we are number one. [applause] [applause] but we are not done yet. we're going to make sure that students graduate from college with the skills to compete for good jobs and not just a load of debt. that is why i have called upon our for your institutions to once again freeze tuition. that is why. under my budget at our public universities should not have to pay a penny more for tuition. not a single penny. [applause] and no student should have to settle for less education just because their parents make less money. the we are doing something about that as well.

my budget but puts additional dollars so that students from low-income families with the financial aid that they need. keeping our best and brightest students in missouri adding 266 schools in 2009. giving thousands of students the opportunity to earn a scholarship. all across missouri students who work hard and play by the rules and give back to their communities are going to be able to attend community college tuition free. but affordability is only part of the equation. once again the corresponding will be awarded based on performance on how well the

institution meets specific goals and high-tech global economy, we need to make sure that the degree the students pursues matches the skills that businesses need. the jobs in highest demand will require some background in science and technology and engineering and math. absolutely. we are talking about mathematicians, machinist, coders. the best way to attract high-paying jobs is to make sure that our workers have the skills to fill them. and that is exactly what it will do. with the initial investment of $22 million, this initiative will help her university purchased state-of-the-art equipment and more importantly produce more graduates in these fast growing cells. investing in high-tech

educational pack a huge punch for our economy. [applause] now, education was started early, but it can never stop. we can't forget that learning needs to be a lifelong endeavor. we need to learn and work hard no matter what the age or education level to give more missouri workers the opportunity to sharpen their skills and get better jobs. my budget includes.

[applause] [applause] a growing economy affords us this unique opportunity to invest in our students future. it is our responsibility to do it. but there are those who feel that instead fully funding our schools, we should pull money out of our classrooms in order to experiment with our tax codes. so let's get something straight. i've held the line on taxes every year i've been governor. missouri is a low tax state, the sixth lowest six lowest in the nation and we like it that way. i have signed for tax cuts as your governor.

specific that have helped their businesses grow. for example, employers will save $70 million this year alone. because we cut the corporate franchise tax. but here's what i won't do. i will not support anybody that takes money out of our classrooms. [applause] [applause] and as we saw last summer in community after community in all corners of our state. parents and teachers and school board members spoke out with one

united voice. the people of missouri said that they expected their leaders to support the public schools because they know that education is the best economic tool that there it is. [applause] [applause] high-paying jobs and growing businesses and thriving communities. these are the goals that we share. select invest in the one thing that we know will help us achieve them. a workforce that can compete worldwide. this is the year to send a budget to my desk that puts it on track to fully fund the schools and build the missouri that our kids deserve. [applause] [applause] now, we have shown that we can work together to create better opportunities for all

missourians. just look at what we are doing together to serve those with mental illness. in 2010 we passed landmark legislation to require insurance companies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of the autism spectrum disorders. what a difference it has made for children. today because of this law 1.6 million have coverage for these proven treatments and more than 2500on have coverage for these proven treatments and more than 2500 were treated for autism spectrum disorders last year alone. thank you. [applause] and now our partnership continues to be a life-changing success for thousands of missourians with developmental disabilities. my budget expands this vital program to more in this community across our great

state. thousands of missourians with developmental disabilities were forced to wait months and often years to get the in-home medicaid services that they need. people like nate huffman who i met when we first launched the partnership for hope back in 2010. back when he was in school they had access and he had even gotten strong enough to walk around his high school track. but when he graduated those services ended. for eight years his condition and quality of life worsen while he was placed on a waiting list for in-home services. eight years. it was heartbreaking. but that was before the partnership for hope. nate is doing much better today. his physical therapy is going well and is able to communicate through new computer systems and

he told me that his goal was to be able to someday run up and then walk around the track again and thanks to the partnership for hope he is getting closer to reaching that goal each and every day. so because of missourians like me each year i have been in office we have made it a priority to chip away at the waiting room and now i am proud to report that this year the waiting list will no longer exist. [applause] [applause] [applause] our friends and neighbors will now get a life-changing services that they need when they need them. we took action here in missouri. we added new mental health

liaisons at each of our 29 community mental health centers so that our law enforcement officers can focus on being caught and not front-line caregivers. we launched seven targeted response teams to ease the burden on our doctors and nurses and we made a historic investment in mental health as well. so that the more teachers and clergy and first responders and ordinary citizens can identify the signs of mental illness and know what to do. together we are training more than 1000 missourians on these proven lifesaving techniques in with your help this session we will train thousands more. [applause] but there are times when it is simply not enough since 1851

this care has been provided at the fulton state mental hospital. the only psychiatric facility. and it is an adequate with patience and dangerous for the staff and it's an embarrassment to our state. now is the time to take action and that is why look forward to working with the two addresses urgent need to support the construction of a new mental hospital in the works. [applause] interest rates are low and our credit rating is high and

friends, let's roll up our sleeves and work together and for the safety of all of our communities, let's get it done this year. [applause] as we intensify our efforts to make sure that those with mental illness and developmental disabilities get the appropriate care, it is clear that we need more qualified professionals to provide that care. just look at the numbers. 104 of the 114 counties are designated as shortage areas. seventy-two counties even lack a licensed psychiatrist. these are good jobs. and that is why my budget includes a 20 million-dollar investment to help our community colleges and universities train 1200 more mental health

professionals. [applause] to make sure that all missourians have the opportunity to live up to their god-given protection. the priorities i have just laid out are by no means the only issues that require our attention this session. we need to reinstate strict campaign contribution limits and passed a comprehensive ethics reform. [applause]

we want a solid return on our investment. and we need to end discrimination against those in the workplace and none of them should be fired because of who they are or who they love. [applause] [applause] includes bipartisan support that failed to get on my desk. let's get that done this year. we also need to fix the law we need to have a robust discussion

about the long-term infrastructure needs and how to pay for it. we need to develop a comprehensive energy plan, one that balances the low-cost reliable energy to be responsible stewards of the environment. many to help the elderly people do prescriptions for medicare and medicaid. [applause] we can to suspend the essential help from missourians in need. the most significant improvement is for the health and well-being of our state. it is medicaid and it needs to get done this year. [applause] [applause]

[cheers] [applause] since new year's day the missouri taxpayers have spent $150 million and counting. that is $5.47 million per day. to improve and reform health care and other states. states like arkansas and arizona and new jersey and north dakota. it adds up $2 billion. $500 for every missouri taxpayer every year. each day we don't act, these states use missouri tax dollars

to implement innovative reforms. like rewards for making healthier lifestyle choices and penalties for doctor choices. each day that we don't act the medicaid system continues as it has for years without additional protections for taxpayers or new measures to promote personal responsibility. each day that we do not act, thousands of missouri women are not getting the preventative health care that they need to detect breast cancer or cervical cancer early while there is time to treat it. [applause] and each day we don't act nearly 300,000 working missourians go another day without the treatment that they desperately need for no other reason than they live in branson instead of bentonville.

in marysville instead of muscatine. [applause] and if you don't see these folks knocking on your doors are knocking on your phone lines, it is because they don't have time and they are working. [applause] they are working to pay the bills and make ends meet. we all know that there are problems with obamacare and washington's implementation of this has been abysmal. [applause] but rejecting medicaid won't take care of too many of those things.

[applause] >> it will not keep missouri from having to pay federal taxes. it won't exempt our businesses for new requirements under the law. by standing still we're just making sure that the things we don't like about obamacare are even worse. forcing those in missouri to bear the cost of the law and reason on of the benefits. [applause] think about that. the people who are suffering now is a result of our failure to act work night the night shift in our factories. they wait tables and scrub floors of a drive snowplows and they look after our kids. [applause]

and right now hundreds of thousands of these working individuals can't afford to get the basic health services they need to eat healthy productive lives. folks like anita sutherland from bandura. being uninsured has already taken a toll. the year ago she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and had to leave her full-time job. since then she has wrapped up over $100,000 in medical bills and is suffering from complications of her cancer treatment. today she is unable to afford the medical care that she leaves and she doesn't see a way out. she feels hopeless. she will be able to get the treatment that she needs and go back to working full-time.

[applause] she will have hope. working missourians are not looking for a handout. they just want to get a checkup without wiping out their bank account. [applause] [applause] and i challenge each one of you to think of any other bill that would make this kind of real and immediate difference in the kind of difference that medicaid would make in the lives of those that we need. we need to consider how history will judge those who have the power to help people like anita. i challenge each of you to explain why it makes more sense to pay for medicaid than other

states than it does to reform it in our state. the path before us is clear. we can make sure that we can assess affordable health care coverage we can improve and reform medicaid in missouri. we can help people. and as the book of isaiah says, if you satisfy the needs of the afflicted then your light shall rise in the darkness and your night will become like noonday. [applause] [applause] at this time lester the same medicaid debate was taking place in the state capital across the country. since that time we have seen governors and legislatures and democrats and republicans and other states come together to form the health care system. here in missouri we stood still.

and now we have fallen behind. mr. missouri is paying the cost. this year the missourians are suffering the consequences. so i look forward to working with all of you to bring affordable health coverage to working families in missouri and perform medicaid the missouri way. [applause] [applause] one year ago many of us gathered in st. louis to mourn the loss of an icon. missouri's adopted son. he was a member of the greatest generation who put his career on hold to serving in world war ii and he went on to become the greatest hitter in baseball

history. [applause] he was called baseball's perfect warrior because while he swung a wildcat, he also carried himself with a quiet dignity. always a gentleman, he was known to say that every day you put this jersey on, it is a privilege. every day you put this jersey on, it is a privilege. the same can be said for all of us in this room. everyday when he put that pen on your lapel, it is a privilege. and with that privilege comes responsibility. the people count on us to look out for their families as if they were our families. to focus on what matters. better jobs and better schools and better opportunities.

and you know that it is easy to get caught up in the political back-and-forth where the controversy of the hour for the latest tweet but we must be bigger than that. [applause] [applause] because the work that we do here is very real. it is real to those who didn't go to college but saved money every week so that someday that their children can. it is real to the farmer in trenton who nearly lost his crop during the drought of 2012 that has come charging back. it is real to the child with autism who is getting the treatment that he needs and you better believe that it is real to the family lost everything and could have moved away and started anew. but they chose to stay right

there and rebuild the town that they love. in their state government has been with them every step of the way because that is what we do. [applause] [applause] we are here to make a difference to those who work hard and those who need a hand. often times people that will never meet. because the legacy that we leave will not be measured by votes on election day or back slaps and hallways. it will be measured by the lasting impact that we have on the communities in which we serve. the opportunity that we have been given to make this kind of difference in the lives of those that we represent his is where is it is fleeting.

ten years from now when the trucks are still rolling off the line, folks may not remember the missouri manufacturing jobs act. twenty years from now when the mom pay for the cancer treatment that saved her life in 30 years from now when the student was the first to go to college takes the reins of the fortune 500 company, she probably will not credit the high-quality preschool that she attended, but we will. and we will know that we focused on the right thing. we will know that we made the right choices. they are called action and that is the responsibility that we hold in the short time that we have been given let's make it

count. working together, let's build the missouri that our kids deserve. thank you and god bless. [applause] [applause] >> governor nixon's call for more money to be spent on education in the state is the focus of this to help missouri schools he wants more reforms regarding future valuations and school choice. the request totals $493 million. >> job creation and education

and crime are topics during the state of the state address by governor sam brownback. he he became the 46th governor of kansas in 2011. [applause] thank you, mr. speaker. i am president, members of the legislature and the cabinet and the judiciary's. my wife, mary and my fellow kansans. welcome. as had been for tort and transport told us long ago in great promise, god is in heaven, the legislature is back and the crane is gone. it is finally gone. [applause] and it only took 12 years but

isn't this place marvelous? isn't this a beautiful facility? [applause] this is a beautiful place. the capital, by kansas is open for business. so friends, welcome back. welcome back to the fellowship of this assembly. welcome back to this special place in welcome back to the work of building a better kansas, because there is work to do. and we gathered here three years ago we faced two big challenges. the economy and the budget. in the state government was flat broke. i remember when they told me that we had the last fiscal year with $876.5 in the bank account.

that number is etched in my mind in the state cannot even pay its bills on time. everyone was suffering months of delays because state government had no cash. by january the state budget was illegally in the dataset and even more daunting we face a 500 million-dollar budget shortfall and that was after taxes have been raised. the decade of higher taxes and more spending and in january of 2011 fewer kansans were working in the private sector than in january of 2001 a decade earlier. all across kansas family budgets were hurting and no government

can be more prosperous than the people for long. and the government was out serving the people and unfortunately it was the other way around. so we have two big challenges. get people working again and restore the fiscal discipline. we took the action from the failed policies of the past. in consultation with some of the best minds in america we develop an action plan to streamline and it went from the second-highest tax burden to the second lowest. cutting our taxes so that we could grow. [applause] [cheers] [applause] and we start counting on government and we put our faith and the people of kansas and three years later we are in a much better position.

and a thousand more a month. and they are going to keep adding jobs and we are going to keep adding jobs. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. [applause] [cheers] [applause] we balanced the budget in a row

and this is a key number. personal income of kansas families is rising faster than government spending and that is what you want to have taken place. personal income rising. [applause] and simply put, the government is back in its proper place and kansas fourth-graders for progress, one of the 10 best states for reading proficiency. and it is for these reasons and more that i can report to you and it we are leading in american renaissance.

[applause] we are leading an american renaissance. [applause] [cheers] [applause] so that is good work. that is very good work. the state is more than its balance sheet. is the 2.9 million souls that call kansas home that cherish the way of life that honors family and values education and embraces positive change. by the end of this decade for the first time in our history the population will surpass 3 million people.

and i have seen the majesty of this state were the one of its people and they care about their fellow man and they like it here. if you ask them what kind of state one of the key pieces is education. we kansans loved our schools and they are great schools. [applause] [applause] >> kansas ranks fourth among all states committed to education, more than 50% of our state

budget committed to k-12. when we look at funding from all government sources, kansas schools received more than $12,500 per student. every classroom of 20 students i was more than a quarter million dollars put in there by the taxpayers. it also appears that see that that money is spent wisely and it is usually made by those students. so it's worth noting that school districts across kansas have made it a priority of all gay kindergarten. and it seems strange to me that it would count all the 12 and only half of the kindergarten. we just came forward with a bipartisan idea to achieve this goal.

this proposal is targeted for the next five years and it will benefit kansas school kids we can assure that every kansas child has access to all-day kindergarten and we should do it now. it. [applause] [applause] you can get up for that one. [applause] for districts that have already taken a this step, increasing student count will free up resources with more money and flexibility of learning.

all paid for out of a growing economfor out of a growing economy. that is just the beginning. in the past two years we have implemented programs to increase reading abilities of our children and it's a vital skill for success in school and in life. younger students were given extra training in the summer and more than half of them had significant improvement in their abilities. based on this success we have a roadmap initiative for more than 40 schools across the state that are working with nonprofit organizations and family engagements. and listen to this number. we have seen a 75% increase in technical education in the last

two years and that is amazing. [applause] with her students we will find a path to progress of progress for education and good jobs with good wages. making a foundation for the families and kansas economies. he reaches out to high school students at risk and those that are falling through the cracks. to help them build the skills to make the best of their lives. it's not a program or class but it's family. mike munoz works with students

here in topeka. proving that one man can make a difference in many lives. mike, would you please stand up. let's give you a round of applause for what you do. [applause] [applause] thanks mike. thank you for what you did. [applause] and kansas universities are critical and also very good and more are concluded in my proposal. one of these had already been bearing fruit.

in years of hard bipartisan work have paid off and there is now no doubt that that will be built and kansas will be the center of the global health industry for generations to come and that is going to happen. [applause]

all we have done and continue to do is done with the goal of a building a broad process forty for all kansas. that's our responsibility. now, if you'll induel a farm kid just a little bit, i hope our three millionth gets to grow up in rural kansas like i did. and the reasons for optimism. a rural opportunities program is

flourishing and a majority of our counties and there will be proposals to expand it even more. in fact, we now have a rural housing shortage in the state of kansas. this budget i'll propose an additional $2 million to address the shortage focused on moderate-income housing. in addition to housing rural communities need access to medical care. my budget will include money for the rural bridging program to bring doctors to rural kansas. cutting-edge opportunities in agricultural and animal health are being complimented by an energy renaissance where every sector from oil to wind and biofuels approach a historic production levels. but all of these industries, all of our lives, depend on our most precious natural resource. clean water. if the 3 millionth is to stay and build a life here. we must leave her a state of the

access our life blood. water. we're expanding the liquid capital of our state. fortunately, strong bipartisan majority of this legislature took steps to extend the life of the -- encourage best practices toward water usage statewide. as many of you came to the building tonight, you saw the words of our greatest kansas dwight horizon hour. iraq once said, the opportunist thinks of me and today. the statesman thinks of us and tomorrow. it's no coincidence that much of the water infrastructure we're spending through today was built in ike's time. we're relying on wise decisions made generations ago. those who come after us deserve the same statesmanship that we have been shown. throughout this year, people from across our state will

gather to develop a comprehensive water strategy. a strategy to secure our water future for the next 50 years. for legislature and citizens involve yourself in the process. without water, there is no future. [applause] next we owe our millionth a safe state. last september this legislature came together in a bipartisan fashion strengthening penalty for the most serious criements in a historically efficient special session. mr. speaker, madam president, leader hencely, leader davis, well done. that was a good session. [applause] well done. [applause]

[applause] special sessions can be difficult but you did a nice job with it. this cooperation can serve as a model going forward as we complete the work on hard 50 sentencing early in this session. if you go a little bit further you'll see another quote. this one from the kansas constitution. all public office of this state swear an oath. all political power is inherit in the people. all political power is inherit in the people. that's an american idea. no kings or queen, ours is a system of self-government of,

by, and for the people. for the first time a person's station in life wouldn't be a product of the station of their birth. in kansas, you can go as far as your talents, hard work, and the good lord took you. the freedom and sovereignty is part of what we owe our 3 millionth and all who come after her. one of the ironies, though of our age is that government has become omnipresent. the people have never felt more distant. too many decisions are made by unaccountable, opaque institutions. elected officials are sometimes complies it because it removes them from responsibility. let be clear. on the number one item in the state budget, education, institution.

to fund our schools. [applause] [applause] [applause] this is the people's business done by the people's house through this wonderfully untidy but open to all see business of appropriations. let us resolve that our schools remain open and are not closed by the courts or anymore -- anyone else. [applause] [cheering and applause]

responsibility, education, opportunity, safety, natural boundary, freedom, sovereignty, reconciliation, these are fine things to leave our three millionth kansas. as i conclude tonight. please allow me to add one more. we owe our example. we have with us tonight some wonderful examples i point you to the balcony and ask captain adam and captain casey wolf

wounded in combat to stand and be recognized. [applause] [applause] thank you, gentlemen. i have met veterans who have -- i have met active servicemembers who have done as many as 7 tours

of duty. it is amazing. they have done. in kansas we honor our veterans, we remember their service with gratitude and are humbled by their commitment to this great nation. honored by their commitment and sacrifice inspired by this place. let us dedicate ourselves anu to doing the peoples' business. let us do so with a return to the virtue and character that allowed god to bless our founders. our state's motto promises that the kansas path is a difficult one. we've been called to blaze the trail for america out of the wilderness on several occasions with a willingness to stand for what is good, oppose what is not, and acknowledge when we have been wrong. kansas marked the bloody trail out of slavery when the nation was divided and undecided on whether to do so. the chains of bondage of our brothers rubbed our skin and

hearts raw until we could stand no more and erupted in to bleeding kansas. the summer of mercy sprung forth in kansas as we could no longer tolerate the death of innocent children. last year i traveled with the survivors of the pottawatomie trail of death. to near mound city to remember, acknowledge, and apologize for the barbarous treatment of native americans moved to kansas. i was at the graveyard at haskell native children including infants are buried. children taken from their native families to be raised as caulk cautions under the theme "kill the indian; save the man." i was at the monroe school here in topeka the doctrine of separate but equal was once the law of the lander. as governor, i acknowledge and accept responsibility on behalf of the people of kansas.

and i ask forgiveness for these wrongs we have done. today the nation deathers while the path forward seems uncharted. america can't decide which way to go. yet pat path forward is clear. kansas is leading an american renaissance. a return to the virtue and character that built this state and a great nation in the first place. the path is not uncharted. we know the way. we must redrill the will that gave us life the first time. they will refresh and renew us again. today we're growing and moving forward but not for the sake of growth alone. we grow because it helps everyone to realize the god-given potential. we rebuild our families so 3 millionth and automatic of those like her can know the value of a family, none of which are perfect. yet we all inspire them to be better, virtuous, just, and rich use. we might be blessed and be a

blessing. our dependence is not on big government, but on a big god who loves us and lives within us. [applause] our future is bright. our renaissance is assured if we move from deatherring to action. if we listen to our own better angels and the still small voice that calls us on ward. listen to the voice of home and not the noise of decline. which way to choose. we know the way. god wrote it on our hearts.

do the right thing. seek the truth, defend the weak. live courageous lives. thank you for all you do and service to our state. may god bless you and continue to bless the wonderful people of kansas. [applause]