Crafting the State’s $27.8 Billion Budget
In years of robust budget years, most priorities either are fully funded or at least receive a line-item. When the fiscal year projections are not as promising, it makes the process a lot tougher. As legislators, the only thing we are constitutionally required to do is pass a balanced budget. Every year we work to craft a budget that finds the best way to fund public schools, better manage the ever-rising costs of Medicaid in Missouri, and still take care of those individuals who are the most vulnerable in the state. Even in tough fiscal years like this one, we will work diligently to make sure we are fulfilling our duty to our citizens.
This week, the Senate approved the $27.8 billion operating budget for the Show-Me State. While the Senate and House differed on certain line-items, for the first time in a decade, the Missouri General Assembly will fully fund the state’s education Foundation Formula. The Senate also agreed to fully fund the scholarship program Bright Flight as well as increased funding to the Show-Me ECHO program to $3 million.
Other budget highlights include increasing Early Childhood Special Education funding by about $12 million and $2 million of general revenue will be used for the Virtual Schools Program. The Senate’s budget would also fund MOSERS, the Missouri State Employee Retirement System, by nearly $46 million to keep the pension fund solvent. The Senate also restored a 1.5 percent provider rate cut to health and senior services.
While we tried to meet the needs of all of the departments, the bottom line is we had to find savings somewhere. Luckily, we have a very capable Appropriations Committee and staff who was willing to spend long hours finding savings where they could and also found ways to make government more efficient.
The work is not over yet. The Senate will still need to conference with the House on most of the budget bills before they are sent to the governor for his signature. The next fiscal year begins on July 1. The General Assembly has until 6 p.m. on May 5, 2017 to get the final budget to the governor’s desk. I have confidence in the committee and staff’s capabilities, and I know we will have the final budget to the governor’s desk by the end of next week.
Contact Me
I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions, and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2459. You may write me at Wayne Wallingford, Missouri Senate, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or email at wayne.wallingford@senate.mo.gov or www.senate.mo.gov/wallingford.
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