Schaefer and Mayer: Senate Advances $23 Billion State Operating Budget

Education is Priority with Increases for K-12 Busing, Higher Education

JEFFERSON CITY - Approving funding to run critical functions of state government without a tax increase, the Missouri Senate today advanced thirteen budget bills totaling $23.2 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The bills include a $6 million net reduction in spending from the budget proposed by Gov. Jay Nixon in January. The Senate also prioritized education with increases for K-12 busing and the budget for higher education colleges and universities.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, handled the budget bills in the Senate and initiated the chamber's effort to secure the increases for education after the Senate Appropriations Committee trimmed other sections of the budget by more than $50 million in the last month.

The Senate's actions lessen a 7 percent cut to higher education by adopting a $20 million increase for Missouri's two and four-year colleges and universities and another increase of $20 million for Missouri's K-12 transportation line item.

"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," said Schaefer. "By also working to help shore up funding for K-12 transportation, we help prevent local schools from having to raid funding for our classrooms or other dollars directed to education."

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 $20 million increase for K-12 busing restores nearly half of the governor's reduction adopted by the House. With the increase, the funding for public school transportation would total $120 million.

The Senate also voted to maintain the school funding formula at its current level..The chamber voted Monday to accept an additional $189 million in federal funding to go toward maintaining K-12 funding in FY2013.

Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer. R-Dexter, commended Schaefer for his leadership on the budget.

"Education is a top priority in the Senate and education leaders told us that they would like us to keep their core funding intact," said Mayer. "Sen. Schaefer listened and not only protected our students in our K-12 classrooms, but prioritized education by finding even more funding - where the governor could not - for school transportation and our students attending Missouri's community colleges and universities."

Differences in the House and Senate versions of the budget bills will now be ironed out by lawmakers in conference committees. Negotiated versions must return to the House before gaining Senate approval to advance to the governor. The budget must pass by 6 p.m., Friday, May 6, as required by the constitution.