Dempsey: Missouri Senate Passes 2012 Budget

This week the Missouri Senate took up and passed a balanced budget for the next fiscal year that begins in July. Crafting an annual budget is the main duty given to the General Assembly by the Missouri Constitution. This year we are on track to work out differences with the Missouri House and send the $23 billion budget on to the governor well ahead of the constitutional deadline of May 6.

Passing a budget during lean economic times is always difficult. Just like the budgets of many Missouri families, our state budget has contracted over the past few years and we can no longer afford certain things that were once taken for granted. However, in spite of the current economic situation, we were able to pass a balanced budget without raising taxes. We were also able to protect top priorities such as education.

In fact, thanks to the leadership of Senate budget drafters, the Senate version of the budget secures even more funding than the governor's proposed budget for our students attending Missouri’s community colleges and universities. For instance, a seven percent proposed cut to higher education was reduced under the Senate plan to a cut of less than five percent – a difference to Missouri’s two- and four-year colleges and universities of $20 million.

Despite revenue shortfalls, we were also able to maintain the elementary and secondary school funding formula at its current level.

Unfortunately, when budget times are hard, the Legislature is sometimes called on to make difficult cuts. Along these lines, we are proposing to cut thousands of dollars from our own budgets. These reductions will come from funds used to support various staff positions and Joint Legislative Committee offices and come on top of a five percent reduction the Senate made in its budget last year.

As difficult as this year was, Legislators are bracing themselves for far more extensive cuts next year. Estimates are that next year’s budget will need to be reduced by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Our work on the current budget will resume next week as House and Senate conference committees meet to hammer out differences between versions passed in each Chamber. The bills will then move on to the governor for his signature.

I always appreciate hearing from you. If you have any questions about this issue or any legislation pending before the Missouri Senate, please do not hesitate to contact my office.