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Republicans Give a Harsh Critique of the Governor's Address

Governor Mel Carnahan's State of the State Address, draws sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers.

Missy Shelton has more from Jefferson City.

Carnahan gave his eighth and final State of the State and Budget address.

For a man entering a heated race for a U-S Senate seat, he failed to offer plans on some major issues.

With broken promises from the Department of Transportation to fix roads, Republicans have seized on the opportunity to offer plans such as doing away with the highway commission and creating a secretary of transportation.

Carnahan's state of the state address only had eight sentences addressing transportation, an issue he's devoted some time to discussing in past addresses.

When asked if this year he had a recommendation for dealing with transportation, the governor had this to say.

Actuality:mcarn1
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: [95K WAV file - Gov. Mel Carnahan told lawmakers he had not proposed a solution to Missouri's highway problems because there was no consensus.]

Before talking about transportation, the governor talked about urban education but didn't outline any new plans, as Republicans have done in recent weeks.

During his speech, Carnahan echoed the comments made last week by some Democratic lawmakers...The best thing for state government to do is let laws that are already in place go to work.

In response to Carnahan's speech, top Republicans criticize Carnahan for a lack of leadership on transportation and urban education.

Carnahan did ask the legislature to create the crime of exposing children to methamphetamine, to lower the legal blood alcohol level from point 1-0 to point 0-8, and to require all handguns be sold with a child safety lock.

Republicans had little to say about these recommendations. The Republicans didn't join democrats in applauding when Carnahan mentioned the gun safety locks.

House minority leader Delbert Scott says that recommendation is just fluff.

Shortly after Carnahan gave his State of the State, Congressman Jim Talent who is the likely Republican candidate for governor gave what he called the Republican State of the State.

SOC