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| B+ | Missouri |
• Population (rank): 5,842,713 (18)
• Average per capita income (rank): $22,916 (33)
• Total state spending (rank): $24,355,850,000 (20)
• Spending per capita (rank): $4,169 (46)
• Governor: Matt Blunt (R)
• First elected: 11/2004
• Senate: 34 members: 14 D, 20 R
• Term limits: 8 years (lifetime)
• House: 163 members: 71 D, 92 R
• Term limits: 8 years (lifetime)
Most states have seen their infrastructure and transportation problems get worse over the past few years; Missouri is one of the few that has managed to improve.
Throughout the 1990s and on into the current decade, the state was burdened by a 15-year plan laced with promises it could not keep. It failed to complete projects on schedule and ran up costs $5 billion over budget. Indeed, the Department of Transportation was the object of considerable public derision.
Today, the state's transportation-planning processes are a model for the nation. More than 80 percent of the vehicle miles traveled on major highways are in good condition — up from 52 percent just five years ago. Change has been accomplished through a combination of unorthodox methods, such as offering bonuses to construction engineers who minimize change orders and giving engineers flexibility instead of holding them to rigid design standards. The DOT has saved money by deviating from a variety of obsolete rules. Pouring the standard 14 inches of pavement defied all logic in the rocky Ozarks, for example. "Less pavement does not necessarily mean less durability if you're building on top of rock," says Pete Rahn, the MoDOT director.
The department's public image has made a speedy recovery. "There's a general perception that the department is responsive," says Mark Tranel, director of the Public Policy Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank. "Maintenance isn't sexy, but it's clear they're doing it because it's what the public wants."
Management of the state's public buildings also has improved, aided by a merger of the Division of Facilities Management with the Division of Design and Construction. In the past, the state has had a fair amount of funding for maintenance of buildings, but had little understanding of its real needs because of unreliable information from state agencies. "You weren't getting a real picture of the condition of the buildings," says David Mosby, director of the combined office. Now, a sophisticated software program tracks up-to-date information about the condition of all state facilities — and alerts managers when preventive-maintenance tasks need to be performed.
Missouri's work in results-based governance and the use of information has been solid for some time, and over the past few years, the state has reinforced its status as a leader by improving its strategic-planning and performance-measurement efforts. Agencies are asked to incorporate the governor's priorities into their strategic plans and report on progress once each quarter. The state has revised its budget-request forms for agencies to require three different levels of measures: broad outcomes, outputs and a middle measure capturing program effectiveness, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The level of legislative interest in performance measurement is increasing. The House Appropriations Committee now distributes a guide for legislators about how to use the information. Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Legislative Budget Office, which was created in 2006 and serves as a sort of in-house think tank, has prodded legislators to ask more questions about performance — and to make better use of the numbers in front of them. This is critical at a time when legislative term limits have eroded some of the technical expertise underlying the budget process.
Missouri has a track record of extremely conservative fiscal management and currently is in strong structural balance. Still, costly tax-cut packages passed in 2007 — including one phasing out taxes on Social Security benefits — are creating some uncertainty about the long-term fiscal outlook.
The state's workforce, sadly, is the victim of archaic civil service laws, although it is competently managed within the confines of those statutes. Workforce-planning efforts are in early stages in Missouri, and the state needs to modernize its hiring practices. Until 18 months ago, all applicants for office support assistant jobs were given a test that was written in 1982 and included questions about mimeographs and microfiche.
For additional data and analysis, go to pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp.