Senate cutbacks deserve our praise
Rarely am I impressed with state government. That attitude stems from years of monitoring the activities in Jefferson City and watching in amazement at the foolish moves undertaken year after year. But on Thursday the Missouri Senate took two impressive actions and those changes should not go unnoticed.
First the Missouri Senate reduced its annual budget by $1.2 million in the wake of other cutbacks in state government that have been the hallmark of the Holden administration. But then the Senate approved a number of reorganization efforts that shows someone in Jefferson City is finally listening.
In an effort to reduce the size of state government and streamline some bloated budgets, the Senate will reduce the number of out-of-state trips by senators to three a year. Only domestic travel will be permitted. Some senators in the past have used the Senate budget to see the world. That blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars will be halted.
The Senate also agreed to halt a longtime practice of distributing postage stamps to Senate offices and approved a measure that would tighten the policy on furniture senators can purchase for their offices. They also established a policy on what happens to that furniture when the senators leave office.
The reorganization would prohibit senators from seeking political contributions from their staff and would improve on record keeping for employees of the Senate.
Granted, none of these changes are earth-shattering. But even if they are largely symbolic they show a Senate ready and willing to tackle the growth of state government. And to their everlasting credit, they are starting to address problems in their own back yard.
If ever state government is to be commended, the Senate's actions are that point.