Considering the State of the State

The General Assembly met in a joint session this week to hear the governor deliver his annual State of the State Address. With the theme “We’re not done yet,” the governor returned to many of the same priorities he’s championed throughout his administration: investment in infrastructure and developing Missouri’s workforce.

As vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I was pleased to hear the governor is committed to making continued improvements of Missouri’s roads and bridges a priority.  His Fiscal Year 2024 budget request includes $379 million for the on-going statewide transportation improvement program, as well as an additional $859 million to begin a multi-year effort to improve Interstate 70. Inspired by a deadly train derailment in northern Missouri, he requested $35 million for railroad crossing improvements. The information superhighway also gets a boost, with $247 million budgeted for expansion of broadband services.

Education spending figured prominently in the governor’s address. He called for increased funding for K-12 classrooms and more than $230 million to pay school transportation costs. His proposed budget includes millions for early childhood education and child care providers. New this year, he requested $50 million for school safety improvements and said he wants $250 million set aside in an education stabilization fund; essentially a rainy day fund for schools. Community colleges and four-year universities get a 7% boost in the governor’s budget, which also includes $275 million for campus capital improvements statewide. In the area of workforce development, the governor asked the Legislature to increase funding for career training programs and apprenticeships.

As has been true for many years, Social Services remains the largest driver of Missouri’s state budget. Spending for the Department of Social Services grows by more than $2 billion over the current fiscal year, a change that reflects voter-approved expanded Medicaid programs in Missouri. The governor’s budget also includes additional money for rural health care, behavioral health treatment programs, certified nurse assistants in state facilities and efforts to reduce maternal mortality.

There’s a lot to consider in the governor’s 2024 budget requests. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I’ll be involved in reviewing each of these proposals as we prepare the Senate’s version of the state operating budget. As always, I’ll keep a sharp eye on the numbers to ensure your hard-earned tax dollars are not wasted and the programs we do fund actually make sense for all Missourians.

It’s my honor to serve as your senator for the 16th District. If you have questions or need any assistance, please call my office at 573-751-5713 or log onto my webpage at https://www.senate.mo.gov/brown for more information.