Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Missouri Senate Votes to Lessen Higher Education Cuts

Lessening a 7 percent cut to higher education, the Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a $20 million increase for Missouri’s two and four-year colleges and universities. The committee also adopted an increase of $20 million for Missouri’s K-12 transportation line item funding bringing the total to $120 million. Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, initiated the effort to secure the increases for education after the committee trimmed other sections of the budget by more than $50 million last week.

“Missouri families and students are facing steep tuition increases in the coming school year because of the large cut proposed by the governor,” Schaefer said. “By lessening that 7 percent cut to only 4.8 percent, we allow our colleges and universities to find and pass on real savings to out-of-pocket expenses students would have incurred.”

Of the $20 million increase for higher education, a funding formula determines that $16.8 million would go to four-year institutions, $3.1 million would go to two-year colleges, with the remaining $108,931 to go to Linn State Technical College.

The committee also approved a $20 million increase for transportation for K-12 education, restoring almost half of the recommended cut proposed by the governor and adopted by the House. With the increase, the funding for public school transportation would total $120 million.

“Our school leaders have told us that reductions to the transportation line item are difficult to endure, especially when the cost of fuel continues to increase,” Schaefer said. “By working to help shore up funding for transportation, we help prevent local schools from having to raid funding for our classrooms or other dollars directed to education.”

Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, commended Schaefer’s leadership on restoring funding on two issues that enhance the Senate’s commitment to education funding and, ultimately, benefit Missouri students.

“We have worked hard and made tough decisions across the budget in recent years in order to maintain funding to our K-12 public schools,” Mayer said. “Sen. Schaefer and the committee’s commitment to our students is exemplified by their ability to find even more funding — where the governor could not — for school transportation and our students attending Missouri’s community colleges and universities.”

A committee will resume hearings today upon adjournment in Senate Committee Room 2 located on the first floor of the State Capitol. Once approved by the committee, the budget bills will advance to the Senate floor for consideration of the full Senate.

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