Schaefer & Mayer: Lawmakers Send $23.2 Billion State Operating Budget to the Governor

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 General Assembly today sent to the governor 13 budget bills totaling $23.2 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The bills include a $13.5 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.

Lawmakers’ actions lessen a 7 percent cut to higher education by adopting a $12 million increase for Missouri’s two- and four-year colleges and universities and another increase of $10 million for Missouri’s K-12 transportation line item.

“By lessening that 7 percent cut to only 5.45 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 $12 million increase for higher education, a funding formula determines $10.1 million would go to four-year universities, $1.85 million would go to two-year colleges, with the remaining $65,359 to go to Linn State Technical College. The $10 million increase for K-12 busing restores part of the governor’s reduction, bringing the total funding for public school transportation to nearly $110 million.

The Legislature also voted to maintain the school funding formula at its current level, also voting last month to accept an additional $189 million in federal funding to go toward K-12 funding in FY2012.

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

“Education is a top priority in the Senate,” said Mayer. “Sen. Schaefer 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.”

The budget also included an increase of $8 million over the governor’s recommendation in funding for in-home care providers and full funding to continue Missouri’s Senior Rx Program should legislation extending its sunset also pass the Legislature.

The constitutional deadline to complete the budget was Friday, May 6, at 6 p.m. The governor must accept, veto or line-item veto the bills by the start of the state’s Fiscal Year 2012, which begins July 1.