JEFFERSON CITY — Perhaps the most important job we do as legislators is to pass a balanced budget every year that Missouri taxpayers can afford. Unlike the federal government, we have to live within our means in Missouri and make tough decisions about how to spend a limited amount of money while ensuring we leave as much as possible with the people who actually earn it, our taxpayers. This is a challenge, but one I take seriously, particularly as a member of the Appropriations Committee. We spent countless hours going over every line of the budget, scrutinizing every government expenditure to ensure that it is: A) a necessary function of government; and B) couldn’t be better addressed by the private sector and the free market. 

Like too many things in our government, crafting the state budget is often wrought with political gamesmanship and focused on who gets more money and resources out of the taxpayers. This is the wrong approach and, instead, my colleagues and I in the Republican majority are focused on reining in spending and limiting government to its core functions.

It is important to remember a few things when looking at the budget process every year. When the state doesn’t have enough money, the governor controls the budget. When there is a surplus, the Legislature controls the budget. Our current governor always builds a budget to make it look like Missouri doesn’t have enough money so he remains in control. The only thing we can control is the total number.

Last week, the Senate and House wrapped up our work on the $26.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2016. I believe this is the most conservative budget we’ve passed. It reins in out-of-control social welfare spending and funds the core functions of government, like education. After a lot of discussion and hours of work in committee hearings, the state’s budget was approved with a surplus to keep spending under control while maintaining our commitment to limited responsibilities we have.

Funding for K–12 education will increase by $84 million, and higher education will see a $12 million increase, which is more than the governor recommended for both items. The budget will also provide an additional $2 million for the A+ Schools Program and $5.4 million for equity funding for community colleges that was vetoed by the governor in the 2015 budget.

The Legislature is also funding tourism at historic levels. Tourism experienced devastating cuts through the recession, losing nearly half of its appropriation. Tourism is the second-largest industry in Missouri and one of the few budget items that returns a lot more in revenue than we spend on it. Every dollar spent on tourism advertising creates a $58 return for Missouri’s economy and more than 50 percent of all tourism revenues in Missouri came from outside our state. For a small investment in tourism, we get back so much more.

This budget will also begin to contain the ever growing Departments of Mental Health, Health and Senior Services and Social Services in HBs 10 & 11. These departments spend huge a portion of the state budget and have done so uncontrollably and unsupervised for years, and they continue to ask for more money year after year. Almost every extra dollar in revenue we have goes to HBs 10 and 11 and there is nothing left over to fulfill our commitments to educating our kids or ensuring we have safe roads and infrastructure.

The Legislature passed the budget early enough in session that the governor must take action before the close of the legislative session. We are currently awaiting his action and will have opportunity to consider override of any withholds or vetoes before May 15.