The governor and the legislature have decided it’s time to clean up, paint up, and fix up state facilities. But only a few.

Missouri’s economy seems to be picking up a little faster than expected when the governor and the legislature agreed on the amount of money available for state programs and services in the fiscal year starting July first. So they’ve agreed to spend more than 120-million additional dollars on repairs and replacement of some state facilities.

Fifty million dollars are earmarked to fix some of the state capitol’s major problems. Twenty million dollars would go for major sewer repairs at state parks. Savannah Senator Brad Lager, who thinks it’s about time, says this is the first time in his 11-year legislative career that money has been set aside for capital improvements.

                                   AUDIO: Lager :24

The plan also calls for thirteeen million dollars for planning a new state mental hospital in Fulton and $38-million dollars for a new state transportation department building.

But the short list of projects is only a drop in the bucket. Estimates put ongoing repairs, renovations, and replacements at about one-billion dollars more. And that could be the focus of debate on a bond issue next year.