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St. Louis Community Info, Sunday, December 16, 2007  Governor Calls for Massive Increase in Needs-Based Scholarships ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 16, 2007 - The governor is calling for significant funding increases for higher education programs that will build on the increases he has already secured to help build a world class higher education system for Missouri students. In a statement, Gov. Matt Blunt state, "Education is the most important, critical, and significant investment we can make in our future. To ensure future prosperity, Missouri students must have access to the knowledge and skills they need to compete in a global economy. My higher education budget will provide $100 million, for scholarships, quadrupling the state's investment in college scholarships to make vital investments in Missouri students, again provides a substantial increase in direct funding for colleges, and lays a foundation to build health programs and improve access to care in our state." $100 million for Scholarships Gov. Blunt will recommend a total of $100 million in needs-based scholarships for Missouri students. This significant $27.5 million increase in funding for scholarships when combined with the governor's past increases means that needs-based scholarships will have quadrupled since he took office. This 400 percent increase in college scholarships through the Access Missouri Scholarship program levels the playing field for scholarship applicants and ensures that Missouri's neediest students receive aid. The program has one simple formula based on a family's ability to pay for college. It provides assistance to all of our colleges and universities. Last year the governor more than doubled funding for needs-based education for the Access Missouri program. Across the state last year, 16,400 students received needs-based scholarships. This year the governor's support for additional funding has more than doubled that number. More than 36,000 students have already received aid. $40 Million Increase for Colleges and Universities Gov. Blunt will recommend an additional $40 million in direct funding for Missouri colleges and universities in next year's budget, a 4.4 percent increase from last year. The recommendation builds on the governor's continued support for education and will bring total increases in direct funding to nearly $103 million, or just over 12 percent. $13.4 Million Investment in Health Programs to Improve Access to Care On top of these increases, Gov. Blunt's budget recommendation will include $13.4 million to support expanding health programs throughout the state. The investment will help expand education opportunities for Missouri students pursuing careers in health related fields and will ultimately expand Missourians' access to care. The additional $13.4 million will create new opportunities for an additional 171 students at four-year institutions and 146 students at two-year institutions. Missouri students will benefit from increased access to the health related professions, and all Missourians will benefit through a greater supply of health professionals. Plan to Protect Missourians from Cyber Crimes May Receive Additional Funding ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 9, 2007 - Gov. Matt Blunt has announced he will recommend a quarter million dollar increase in funding specifically designated to help protect Missourians from cyber crime. The funds will support the Multi-jurisdictional Internet Cyber Crimes Task Forces and Cyber Crime Grant Program the governor created to aide law enforcement in the fight against online criminals. "In order to safeguard Missouri families we must recognize that the convenience of modern technology creates a new battle zone for criminal activity," Gov. Blunt said. "We must take action to ensure law enforcement have the tools they need to protect Missourians from cyber crimes and the capabilities to track and prosecute Internet criminals and specifically target online sexual predators. I recommend we dedicate $1.5 million next year to further law enforcement's efforts in the fight against cyber crime." Blunt's Multi-jurisdictional Internet Cyber Crimes Task Forces and Cyber Crime Grant Program, created in 2006 with the passage of Jessica's Law, distributes funding to support detectives' salaries, training and computer forensic personnel who focus on preventing and controlling Internet cyber crime ultimately improving public safety. The program assists law enforcement in investigating dangerous Internet crimes, especially sex crimes exploiting children. Since its creation state funding for the program has grown from $250,000 to $1.25 million. The governor will recommend $1.5 million for the program in fiscal year 2009, a $250,000 increase over the current budget. "I appreciate the governor's continued commitment to protecting children from these very sick individuals. These dollars will further strengthen the firewall between our children and the online predators that are after them," said Sen. John Loudon. "The right thing at the right time, I don't know who coined the phrase, but it embodies what Governor Blunt did when he supported the creation of the Missouri Internet Cyber Crimes Grant Program. The ICCG has funded the creation of regional Task Forces that investigate child exploitation and child pornography on the Internet and has already resulted in the arrest of sexual predators, child pornographers, the identification of child victims and the rescue of an exploited child. Those investigators that are involved in this work wish to thank Governor Blunt for his vision and leadership in the cyber crimes fight," said Captain Paul Carrill, Officer In-Charge of Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force. Gov. Blunt has taken the lead to protect Missourians from Internet threats. He recently announced the Governor's Internet Harassment Task Force and charged the group with carefully reviewing state law and making recommendations for changes to better protect Missourians from Internet harassment. The group, headed by Director of Public Safety Mark James and created in the wake of Megan Meier's senseless death, will ensure that state law has the protections and penalties needed to safeguard Missourians from Internet harassment. Legislation Gov. Blunt signed strengthened laws protecting children from predators who use the Internet to access victims, specifying that laws apply even when a sexual predator is communicating with law enforcement posing as a child. The governor also approved $150,000 for the INOBTR (text shorthand for "I Know Better") campaign to help fight against online predators. The funds support a public awareness campaign and education initiative designed to help Missouri parents and students learn about the latest issues facing kids online, become active in the fight to stop Internet predators, and protect children online. In addition, Gov. Matt Blunt and Sen. Tom Dempsey have announced a legislative initiative to require sex offenders to register their email addresses and electronic identities with law enforcement. Tough new provisions the governor supports would beef up the sex offender registry to include email addresses and electronic identities. Laclede Gas Supports Funding of State's Utilicare Program ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 9, 2007 - Laclede Gas Company said that it strongly supports Missouri Governor Matt Blunt's decision to seek $6.4 million in state funding for Utilicare, the state's program to help low-income, disabled and elderly Missourians pay their winter heating bills, and to appropriate $5.2 million in existing funds to crisis energy assistance. "I am pleased that Governor Blunt has proposed to fully fund the Utilicare program for the third year in a row, and redirect existing funds to provide crisis energy assistance to the state's most vulnerable customers," said Douglas H. Yaeger, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Laclede Gas. "We believe that such funding is extremely helpful and will provide a valuable complement to our own existing programs for aiding customers who need assistance with their utility bills, including our low-income energy assistance and low-income weatherization programs. We want to thank our customers as well for their continuing and generous contributions to the Dollar-Help program that also provides invaluable help to our most needy customers." Eligible customers can sign up for Utilicare and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assistance through local community action agencies. LIHEAP is a federal program with allocations made to states to assist with utility costs, while Utilicare is authorized by state statute. Archived St. Louis Community News:  Fatherhood Initiative Program Receives Boost in St. Louis CommunityCatalog of All State Grants Is Now Available Online
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