Just when you think you have heard it all, something new makes your jaw drop. In this case, it comes from the state’s top official.

News broke earlier this week about the state buying a new nine-passenger plane for the governor and other state officials to use. The price tag for this new plane was $5.6 million. At the same time, we are waiting for the supplemental budget request and have heard there may be an additional request for a $3 million adjustment in state payroll for the Highway Patrol.

The Legislature works very hard to ensure every tax dollar is spent in the best way possible. Just this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee started public hearings for the next fiscal year, which will start on July 1, 2013. Now, we hear of this purchase.

This is just one recent example of government spending beyond its needs. The new nine-seat plane in question is a King Air 250 that was purchased in December. This managed to remain a secret until just this week. The acting director of the Office of Administration, which is a division of the governor’s office, says the money comes from the Highway Patrol. To me, it does not matter what agency is footing the bill, since all of them draw their funding from Missouri taxpayers. THAT’S where the money is coming from for this plane.

The chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee says he plans to investigate this fully. Since it is apparently a done deal, there may not be a way to make sure the nearly $6 million spent for this plane will be made up somewhere else in the budget. It has been no secret that this governor has shifted money from any department he can, in order to pay for items and staff members, all outside the budget and appropriations process. This cannot continue, especially in the economy we are currently facing.

We have thousands of people out of work, crumbling schools, roads in need of repair and a stagnant economy, topped with an administration that refuses to see the seriousness of the situation. There are 34 Missouri senators and 163 representatives, and I would be willing to bet that all of us are upset about this purchase. The question is, can we stop it from happening again, and can we reverse what has already occurred?

Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to keep spending low and focused on the state’s priorities. This is not Washington, D.C. We do not solve our financial crises by printing more money.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Thank you.