JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon gave his first state of the state address during a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly.
Click on the video to the side of the screen to watch his entire address.Nixon will be in the Kansas City area Wednesday, just one day after his address, for his economic tour.
Nixon was elected in November as Missouri’s 55th governor. He was sworn in Jan. 12 on the steps of the Missouri State Capitol.
In his speech he addressed many Missouri families who are facing significantly increasing struggles during the current economic recession.
"First. We believe in the value of a hard day's work. But too many Missourians are unemployed - or fear they may soon become unemployed. We must help small businesses grow," Nixon stated. "And we must invest in technology, science, and innovation to create the next-generation jobs we need to compete in the 21st-Century. We must create new jobs and we must do it now."
Unemployment in Missouri reached 7.3 percent last year, and the number of Missourians living in poverty increased to 742,000 people in 2007, a 12 percent increase over the 2006 level of 659,000. The number of Missourians accessing food stamps has doubled since 2000, and was up to 899,322 in June of 2008.
Nixon focused on how his policy and budget proposals will impact the State of Missouri and the families who live in the state. He also said he is open to ideas from others.
"If one of you has a better way to fix our health care system, I'm ready to listen. If someone else has a cost-effective way for the state to create new jobs, let's hear it," Nixon claimed. "Many of the best ideas come from outside the halls of government. And the challenges we face are too steep to worry about who gets credit for the solution."
The Economic Recovery Package currently being considered by the U.S. Congress includes several key components to help stimulate the economy and protect state services from severe cuts resulting from budget shortfalls, according to a press release.
“At this time of increased need it is extremely essential for our state to invest in services that not only help our families, but also stimulate economic growth as well,” said Amy Blouin, Executive Director of the Missouri Budget Project.
Click on the related link to the right to read Nixon's entire speech.
Watch NBC Action News at 10 for complete coverage and check back here on NBCActionNews.com to watch his entire speech.
