Rupp: Missouri Budget: It’s Bad, But It Could Be Worse

The new fiscal year for the Missouri state budget began on July 1, and the stress of allocating every dollar to best work for the people of this state will be felt throughout the year. Your state government made many difficult decisions to arrive at this point, but I believe it's important for my constituents to know that despite these tough economic times, Missouri is in better shape than what it could be because of our conservative principles.

It only takes a quick search of the Internet to see that the economic crisis continues to be felt across our great country. Take our good neighbors to the east, Illinois, as a very close-by example. Recent media reports indicate that Land of Lincoln is looking at a $13 billion budget deficit, nearly half of their entire operating budget. A July 14 report in the St. Louis Post Dispatch notes that Illinois is approximately $6 billion behind as far as the money it owes to schools, hospitals, and the like. That state is attempting to sell bonds to keep afloat, which is basically equal to adding more water to the pool that is drowning you.

In Missouri however, we are one of the top six most financially sounds states in the country because of the fiscal conservative approach we take when dealing with your money.  Missouri is one of a handful of states that still has its AAA bond rating, which simply says that Missouri is the safest place to put your money, because we are good stewards of the people's tax dollars.

Despite the historic shortfall, your Missouri government not only submitted a balanced budget, my colleagues and I did it a week ahead of schedule, with no new taxes. We cut nearly half a billion dollars from the governor's recommendations. When new spending ideas were floated during this past session, those ideas were quickly snuffed out.  We maintained funding for education, and we started the ball rolling on an unprecedented effort to get state spending under control and into a budget situation it can maintain.

Lawmakers also just took an important step forward recently in reducing further state spending by passing a state pension reform bill during the special session. With our common sense reforms, the projections indicate that this legislation alone will save you – the taxpayers – $660 million through the next ten years.

There should be no misunderstanding: this budget crisis is not even close to being over. Next year promises to be just as bad, if not worse, than this year. But the big picture shows that we are fortunate that Missouri's conservative values have kept this terrible situation from becoming catastrophic.

We only have to look across the river to see how bad it could be.

Please visit my website, e-mail me, or call my office at (866) 271-2844 if you have any questions.

Public ribbon cutting on July 27

Come celebrate the opening of the first section of new Route 364

ST. CHARLES COUNTY (July 22, 2010) – Drivers on Route 94 in St. Charles County will have easier access to Route 364 when the Missouri Department of Transportation and its contractor, Fred Weber Inc., complete the first section of Phase 2 of the Route 364 project at Harvester Road next week.

The public is cordially invited to help MoDOT celebrate the completion at a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 27 on the eastbound lanes of new Route 364 near the new Harvester Road overpass. The eastbound lanes of the route will open shortly after the ceremony is complete.

Westbound lanes will open before evening rush.

Participants can access the ribbon cutting ceremony by taking the ramp from the south outer road (between Jungermann Road and Harvester Road) onto the eastbound lanes.

This roadwork will eliminate the need for Route 94 traffic to stop at a traffic signal on Harvester Road. This should speed up the flow of traffic on Route 94/364 during morning and evening rush periods.

This is the first section of Route 364, Phase 2 to be completed. This $19.7 million project constructed an additional mile of Route 364, from west of Jung Station Road, and to just east of Woodstone Drive. Crews also constructed a new bridge to take Harvester Road over Route 364 and built one-way outer roads.

For more information, click here.

American Cancer Society's "Legislator of the Year" Award Given to Sen. Scott T. Rupp

Cites effort to provide equity in cancer medications

JEFFERSON CITY – The American Cancer Society presented Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville) with their "Legislator of the Year" award during the Relay For Life of Central St. Charles opening ceremony awards on Friday, July 9.

Senator Rupp was recognized for his efforts on Senate Bill 786, which if enacted, would have equalized the costs between intravenous (IV) and oral medication for cancer chemotherapy. Currently, the cost for oral medication that slows or kills cancer is much higher than the IV form of the very same medication. The bill made it through the entire Missouri Senate, but was stalled in the House of Representatives.

The American Cancer Society also recognized Sen. Rupp's support of the Show Me Healthy Women's Program through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The program helps screen and educate women throughout Missouri for breast and cervical cancer.

"I am truly honored that the American Cancer Society has chosen me as their Legislator of the Year," said Sen. Rupp. "I have always been well-aware that the fight against cancer takes everything we have, and I will do what I can do, both as a Senator and a person, to make that fight a little easier.

If you have any questions or comments about this week's column or any other matter involving state government, please do not hesitate to contact me.  You can reach my office by phone at (866) 271-2844.