Last Tuesday, Gov. Greitens delivered his first State of the State address. I was pleased to hear the governor focus on creating a legal, regulatory and labor environment that facilitates economic growth, encourages businesses already in Missouri to stay and expand, and makes Missouri more attractive for new businesses as well as those looking to relocate from other areas. I appreciate the governor's candor and enthusiasm, and look forward to him being an active partner in growing jobs and transforming Missouri's economy.
Yesterday, in the Senate blog post, I used the example of a three-legged stool to describe the Senate's focus of efforts. A three-legged stool does not wobble because three points of contact form a plane and provide stability in all three dimensions. In the coming weeks, the Senate will focus its efforts based upon the model of a three-legged stool: labor reform, tort reform and regulatory reform. With stability provided by reforms in these areas, businesses will grow, wages will increase, and Missourians who want quality, high-paying jobs will be able to find them.
To grow businesses in Missouri, we also need a professional state workforce that facilitates opportunity and emphasizes customer service. I have spoken to the governor personally, on numerous occasions, about the great work that state employees do, their level of compensation relative to other states, and the significance of state government to the economy of Central Missouri. Accordingly, I was very pleased to hear him speak about increasing state employee pay in order to keep the good talent we already have and to become more of a magnet for good talent currently elsewhere.
Since the governor's speech, I have been asked repeatedly if state employees should be concerned for their jobs because the governor also spoke of modernizing technology, increasing efficiency, and ultimately doing more with a smaller state government. My answer is an emphatic NO. Government is like any other organization in that there is always room for improvement. The vast majority of state employees do excellent work, but there are some that are not pulling their weight. Those who are doing their job, and doing it well, need not worry. There is no arbitrary target for the number of state employees, nor will there be a rash of lay-offs of good and productive employees to get to an arbitrary number. The governor's vision is long-term, emphasizing efficiency and technology to compensate for some of the natural attrition of state employees over time.
The governor's example of departments using computer systems running on COBOL is case in point. This system is terribly unfriendly on both the back and front ends, requiring staff that do nothing more than just tend to the finicky and temperamental program. They are not providing services to Missourians, they simply manage an inefficient and archaic system that desperately needs to be upgraded.
I am optimistic about the opportunities this legislative session provides, just as I am confident we will take advantage of these opportunities.
State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, represents Missouri's 6th District.