JEFFERSON CITY — The Senate and House worked together this past week to approve a budget for the state of Missouri. Through our state Constitution, the people of Missouri wisely require a balanced budget every year, unlike Congress which has failed to even pass a budget in more than four years. This means that when times are good, we are able to provide more funding to vital services. In tough economic times, we have to make difficult decisions to make ends meet, just like our hard-working families out there. Over the past few years, our state faced an unprecedented decline in revenue and, unlike other states, we did not raise job-killing taxes. Instead, we rolled up our sleeves and carefully evaluated every state dollar spent. We are fortunate this year that state revenue projections have improved so far and with more stable funding, we are better able to fund core state services like K-12 education, colleges and universities, and our veterans’ homes.

This year’s budget includes a funding increase for education. The Senate and House were able to provide an additional $66 million for the K-12 foundation formula, on top of the approximately $3 billion already budgeted under the formula. Our state constitution requires that at least 25 percent of state revenue go to public education. In Missouri, we are dedicating more than 38 percent of state revenue to education. We were also able to invest more state dollars in higher education. Missouri’s public colleges and universities will receive an additional $25 million in the coming fiscal year. The Bright Flight Scholarship Program will receive an additional $2.4 million and the A+ Schools Program will get another $1 million in increased funding. All of this shows our state’s commitment to providing every Missouri child with a quality education. Investing in our children’s education is an investment in the future, and I am confident we can provide them with the tools necessary to compete in a 21st Century job market.

One issue near and dear to me is support for our state’s veterans. We were able to provide $73.2 million to fund Missouri veterans’ homes and $1.6 million for the Veterans Service Officers. Earlier in session, I handled legislation in the Missouri Senate — House Concurrent Resolution 5, sponsored by Rep. Don Phillips, R-Kimberling City — which designates Missouri as a Purple Heart State. I also have the privilege of serving on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Health Committee where we approved legislation creating a more stable funding stream for Missouri’s veterans’ homes.

This year’s budget was not without disappointments. Most of you are aware that the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) ignored state law and communicated the personal information of Missourians with conceal carry permits. In response, the Legislature cut the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) budget by one-third. The DMV will be fully funded for eight months and will receive the remaining funding if the department has stopped copying and retaining source documents when the General Assembly reconvenes in January. This was a necessary step, first and foremost, to protect the private information of our citizens, and secondly, to ensure that unelected bureaucrats are not ignoring the law or the Legislature — who are the elected voice of the people.

I was also disappointed by the lack of funding for tourism. There was a proposed $6 million increase for the Missouri Division of Tourism which uses the funding to advertise via the media for Missouri as a great place to visit. The budget that ultimately passed only included a $1 million increase. Tourism has experienced disproportionate cuts during recent budget cycles, and I was hopeful that with increased revenue we could better fund it this year. I thanked the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman on the Senate floor for the $1 million increase, but stressed that our investment in tourism advertising will bring more jobs, revenue, and economic prosperity to Missouri. Tourism is one the top industries in Missouri and one of the few state programs that generates more revenue than it costs. Every dollar spent on tourism advertising creates a $58 return for Missouri’s economy. Last year, 53 percent of all tourism revenues in Missouri came from other states. These are “new” dollars that were a net gain for our budget. As you can see, for a small investment, Missouri gets a lot more back. I will continue to advocate for adequate funding for tourism and hope, next year, we can find a way to better support this vital part of our economy.

We balanced our budget with projected revenues and without raising taxes - which I will never do. We even passed legislation to decrease income taxes for individuals and businesses. We do not need bigger government, just a smarter one. I want to keep more money in the hands of our citizens because I believe that you are smarter with your money than the government is.