On Tuesday, Jan. 21, my fellow lawmakers and I heard the governor’s annual State of the State address. As I listened, I made notes on several issues the governor discussed.

The governor announced his proposed budget calls for an increase of $278 million for kindergarten through 12th grade funding in Fiscal Year 2015; he also proposed tripling the funding of the Missouri Preschool Program. While education funding is of the utmost importance, I hope the governor and others are keeping in mind that we are using taxpayers money, some of which we are already obligated to spend on other programs and areas within the budget. I fear creating successful freshmen programs, or programs that cannot fully begin helping our students because funding has to be shifted elsewhere. Are the funds going to be available to support these programs and ideas? In the past 12 years education funding has increased by $777 million, at some point will portions be withheld as the government has in recent years when the legislative body has increased school funding.

While on the subjects of school and education, the governor called for an end to threats of cutting teachers pay, reducing their retirement benefits and threatening their job security. While having and retaining quality educators is vital to schools and their students education, this is the first I have ever heard the governor; or lawmakers from either side of the aisle mention the need for state intervention on these matters.

One of the most anticipated points of his address was concerning Medicaid transformation. Before we can begin to transform Medicaid, we need to fix the current and broken system. Misuse and fraud plague a system that is meant to help those with the most need. Changes must be made before we can expand.

I hope the governor will work with legislators over the next several months to make good things happen for the state of Missouri, as there are many issues that need to be addressed before the end of this legislative session on May 16, 2014.