Working on Next Year’s Budget
This week at the Capitol the Senate moved forward with legislation that will set the state budget for fiscal year 2017. Every year, this is one of the General Assembly’s largest and most important responsibilities as the budget plan defines how financial resources will be distributed among the state-funded programs, departments and services such as transportation, social services, education and agriculture.
I would like to use this column to highlight some of the key points that resulted from the Senate’s discussions. The $27.1 billion budget was passed in the form of House bills, which still require an additional round of debate and votes from both chambers before they are finalized and moved to the governor’s desk. Here are some of the biggest changes proposed for next year’s state budget.
Education
House Bills 2002 and 2003 handle 2017’s budget for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE). The new DESE plan calls for a 2.1 percent increase in total funding, with increases to state services like the K-12 Foundation Formula, school food services and rural school district transportation. Specifically, $70 million more would be allocated toward K-12 school throughout the state, which would receive around $11 billion total. In a huge positive step forward, rural school district transportation services would receive an additional $5 million in 2017, enhancing easy access to school districts in the areas of our state that need it most.
Under the proposed changes, colleges and universities in Missouri will receive a total of $1.3 billion in state funding, with schools who do not raise tuition receiving performance funding of up to 6 percent. Community colleges, scholarship programs and educational training funding would all receive increased support next year as well, which would improve our state’s education standards and provide a greater opportunity for success to our students and teachers.
Agriculture
The 2017 budget proposal would also positively affect our state’s number one industry, agriculture, by increasing total funding by a massive 25.1 percent. In addition to a 2 percent pay plan increase for agricultural workers, the 2017 budget calls for increased biodiesel subsidy payment funding, establishing biodiesel infrastructure grants, supporting the Missouri dairy industry and adding to state funding for the Missouri Beef Initiative. The Legislature has a responsibility to aid and sustain the future of Missouri farmers and ranch workers, and I’m proud to say that the 2017 budget proposal would do just that. $2.5 million for the Dairy Revitalization Act has been recommended for next year, which is an act I helped pass last year. This would have an especially positive impact on the 33rd District, where many residents make their living raising dairy livestock.
Corrections
The FY 2017 budget would also impact the state’s correctional facilities in a positive manner by increasing county jail reimbursements to $2 per day and increasing state prison employee pay by 2 percent plus an additional hazardous duty pay raise.
Mental Health and Social Services
Thousands of Missourians lack adequate access to the state’s health care resources, and the 2017 budget attempts to fix that problem. The proposed budget plan would take $10 million from Planned Parenthood and distribute it to federally qualified health clinics, rural health clinics, local public health clinics and private providers. This redistribution would make it easier for residents of rural areas to receive the quality health care they require, and would allow Missouri’s women to have access to 588 health care locations, rather than 13 Planned Parenthood sites.
The Department of Mental Health would receive around $2 billion under the new budget, and Medicaid would receive around $11 billion, which is more than our state’s K-12 funding.
Finally, I’m very pleased to note that Missouri libraries will be receiving an increase of $2 million to help maintain the wonderful resource they provide for our state’s citizens and the inspiration they foster in Missouri’s youth.
Again, there is still a long process left before the budget becomes finalized. The House and the Senate will iron out percentages and dollar amounts over the coming weeks until the plan is as efficient and equitable as possible for all of our citizens.
As always, I appreciate it when groups from around Missouri and from our community back home come to visit me at the Capitol. If you would like to arrange a time to come and visit me in Jefferson City, or if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my Capitol office at (573) 751-1882.