After a week off and the chance to spend some time in our districts, the House wasted no time getting back to the business at hand. The 13 bills that make up the state’s operating budget for the next fiscal year were debated and passed with strong bipartisan approval in record time.
Included in that $23.2 billion budget is more than $5.26 billion in funding for elementary and secondary education. That figure represents an increase of more than $113 million from what the governor recommended in his original budget proposal. That is in large part because of the work of House members to restore a recommended cut to the Foundation Formula that provides funding to Missouri’s public schools. The budget approved by the House sustains the same level of funding – over $3 billion – for the Foundation Formula as it has for the current fiscal year. In a year when cuts were necessary in so many other areas of state government, I am proud to say we were able to protect our system of elementary and secondary education from severe cuts.
One area that did sustain cuts is our system of higher education. In his budget proposal the governor recommended a cut of 7 percent to all public institutions of higher education. While we couldn’t protect our colleges and universities from having to take some cuts, they were funded at a higher level than many thought was possible just a few months ago and the final budget reflected an additional $43 million above what the governor proposed. Included in that is $12 million to help universities educate our next generation of health care professionals, a $1 million increase to the Bright Flight scholarship program and $7 million increase to fully fund the A+ Scholarship Program. These increases represent some small but significant victories in a year when the money simply isn’t there to fund our higher education system at the level we would like.
Another area that received cuts serves as a good example of the kind of budget trimming we should focus on each and every year. These cuts come within the bureaucracy of state government. The bills we approved reduce the budgets for all elected statewide officials by 5 percent. We also approved an amendment that would reduce the salaries of any state agency official who makes in excess of $86,500. By capping some of the higher salaries we can save the state approximately $1 million each year. We also saved several hundred thousand dollars by eliminating a number of joint committees and by reducing the mileage reimbursement rate for House members. In total, it shows the legislature’s willingness to lead by example and to take the same cuts we’ve asked the rest of state government to endure.
While the budget is not perfect, it represents what I believe is the best we can do given the limited resources we have. It is never easy to cut or eliminate programs and services that Missourians have become accustomed to but fiscal restraint and balancing the budget is not only a necessity but the will of most Missourians.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101
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