Although it’s relatively early in the legislative session, work has already begun on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget in the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which I sit. In December, the governor and House and Senate appropriations’ chairmen and staff agreed on a general Consensus Revenue Estimate. This number is based on future revenue collections, which have been pegged to increase over last year’s by 3.6 percent, giving us a total general revenue operating budget of $8.673 billion.

Two events occurred that mark the start of this session’s budget process. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony from various state departments on their financial needs for the upcoming fiscal year. We will take those into consideration as we craft the Senate’s version of the budget.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Jan. 21, the governor gave his annual State of the State address, during which he outlined his vision of the state’s legislative agenda, reflected in his recommended Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

This year, the governor called for harnessing new and existing technologies to bolster our economy, supporting agriculture, which is one of our state’s main exports, and the importance of education. These are many of the same goals the legislature has promised to tackle. Regardless of your political leanings, we all want to see a vibrant, successful state. The differences arise in how we utilize limited resources to reach those goals. 

I was grateful to see the governor once again push for strong support of our educational system, both K-12 and postsecondary, including public universities, community colleges and technical schools. I have been, and always be, a staunch advocate of education.

Education is, at its core, about people. It’s about equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in life. So when we discuss investing in education, we’re really talking about investing in the citizens of this state, which I’ve always felt is our greatest resource. From training our current workforce, to ensuring future generations have the tools they need to seize employment opportunities we have yet to imagine, it’s critical we continue to strengthen our existing educational infrastructure and find ways to expand access to more citizens.

As the governor noted, this year’s budget reflects positive news. The job creation measures the legislature has enacted are starting to take root; we’re now seeing the fruits of those labors. Unemployment is down to 5.4 percent, and revenue collections are up. Businesses are growing, and more people getting back to work. Our state is recovering.

However, it’s important we continue to spend taxpayer resources wisely while maintaining our duty to deliver valuable public services in a fiscally responsible manner. Our state is recovering, but it’s important we keep the lessons of past short-falls in mind and proceed in a way that will bring out state prosperity without jeopardizing what we’ve gained.

The Senate Appropriations Committee will continue meeting in the following weeks to create the upper chamber’s version of the state spending plan. In the coming months, members from the House and Senate will work together to approve the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. The General Assembly has until May 8. I will keep you updated as I work with my colleagues on this important task.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or (573) 751-2272, or by fax at (573) 526-7381.