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Stories by Matt Williams include:

• 5/16/2002: Newspaper Story - the story of education funding has been a tale of two vastly divergent issues, with elementary and secondary school districts walking away with funding increases and higher education institutions the victim of withholdings and budget cuts.
• 5/14/2002: Newspaper Story - House and Senate negotiators agreed to raise more than $100 million in new revenues Tuesday, but still came short of a goal to balance next year's state budget.
• 5/10/2002: Newspaper Story - The Missouri legislature passes an operating budget for FY 2003 that all sides agree is out of balance.
• 5/ 9/2002: Newspaper Story - House Republicans blocked a push to borrow from the state's "Rainy Day Fund," a move that Gov. Bob Holden said could lead to withholdings from state agencies and furloughs of state employees.
• 5/ 7/2002: Newspaper Story - Debate on a tax increase to pay for Missouri roads broke down over the plan's price tag.
• 5/ 2/2002: Newspaper Story - Preoccupied with a debate stretching late into the night on subsidies for a new baseball stadium in St. Louis, the Senate postponed debate on a plan to tap an emergency fund to balance the state's budget.
• 4/30/2002: Newspaper Story - Sen. John Russell, R-Lebanon, said he chose to cancel a scheduled conference committee meeting Tuesday night because House Speaker Jim Kreider refused to appoint negotiators for the bulk of the budget's 12 appropriation bills.
• 4/30/2002: Newspaper Story - The Senate's top budget leaders proposed a plan Tuesday to tap $120 million from the state's Budget Reserve Fund to cover a projected shortfall in tax collections.
• 4/25/2002: Newspaper Story - The state's financial picture is worse than expected Gov. Bob Holden announced Thursday, saying he would have to find an extra $250 million on top of earlier withholdings to keep this year's budget out of the red.
• 4/23/2002: Newspaper Story - A review of major program funding with four weeks left in the legislative session
• 4/18/2002: Newspaper Story - Mortgaging Missouri's tobacco settlement has emerged as a solution to the state's budget crisis
• 4/ 9/2002: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers defeated Gov. Bob Holden's proposal to tap into the state's Rainy Day Fund, with the plan falling short of the support it needed to pass the House Tuesday.
• 4/ 4/2002: Newspaper Story - The Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee voiced concerns over $500,000 cut to the University of Missouri's budget over a patriotic ribbon policy at KOMU-TV
• 4/ 4/2002: Newspaper Story - House leaders delayed a vote to tap the state's Budget Reserve Fund late Thursday after giving preliminary approval to most of the state's budget.
• 4/ 2/2002: Newspaper Story - Missouri's budget got off to a smooth start on the House floor Tuesday, with lawmakers approving the ground rules for debate with support from both sides of the aisle.
• 3/21/2002: Newspaper Story - The house budget committee slashed the coordinating board for higher education by 62%.
• 3/12/2002: Newspaper Story - The House gave first-round approval to using $88 million of tobacco settlement money to fix the state budget.
• 3/ 7/2002: Newspaper Story - Public colleges and universities are spending more than $800,000 every year lobbying Missouri lawmakers for more funding, according to state records.
• 3/ 5/2002: Newspaper Story - A House committee gave tentative approval last week to Gov. Bob Holden's proposal to cut $49 million from the University of Missouri's budget.
• 2/28/2002: Newspaper Story - The State's budget director warned that state could be $30 million short this fiscal year, and would not rule out further withholdings from state agencies.
• 2/28/2002: Newspaper Story - Missouri's lottery game operator stands to take in millions annually from a new, fast-paced Keno game approved last month.
• 2/21/2002: Newspaper Story - Some lawmakers and higher education officials are charging that Gov. Bob Holden is boosting funds for public schools on the backs of the state's institutions of higher education.
• 2/19/2002: Newspaper Story - Gov. Bob Holden threw his hat into the transportation ring Tuesday, embracing a $475 million tax increase for roads and public transit sponsored by the Senate's Republican Transportation Committee chairman.
• 2/12/2002: Newspaper Story - Missouri schools would get a smaller budget increase the next year, but a bigger funding boost in two years under a budget-crisis plan approved by a House committee Tuesday.
• 2/ 5/2002: Newspaper Story - Gov. Bob Holden issued a proclamation honoring the St. Louis rapper and his group, the St. Lunatics, for helping to raise attendance in St. Louis city schools.
• 1/31/2002: Newspaper Story - Higher education officials told a House appropriations committee they wanted to be treated with the same financial kindness that Gov. Bob Holden showed for local public schools.
• 1/29/2002: Newspaper Story - Economic development tax credits are projected to grow by $55 million this year despite cuts in other state programs
• 1/22/2002: Newspaper Story - Missouri voters would be faced with nearly $1 billion in tax and fee increases for highways and school buildings under a proposal unveiled Tuesday by House leaders
• 1/17/2002: Newspaper Story - MU Students would get a greater voice in future tuition increases and university policy under a proposal to have a voting student member of the Board of Curators.
• 1/17/2002: Newspaper Story - Gov. Bob Holden has clipped his wings following criticism about his frequent use of state airplanes.
• 5/18/2001: Newspaper Story - Missouri's General Assembly wrapped up this year's session Friday, swiftly passing two major bills while failing to address proposals on roads and prescription drug coverage.
• 5/16/2001: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers came to an agreement on congressional redistricting Wednesday when the Senate and House approved a compromise map by wide margins.
• 5/14/2001: Newspaper Story - With only four days left in the legislative session, the Missouri lawmakers worked to finalize several issues, from prescription drugs to parental notification.
• 5/10/2001: Newspaper Story - MU Health Care received money for its financial shortfall as the Senate and House passed the annual state budget.
• 5/ 9/2001: Newspaper Story - Senate Democrats -- including Sen. Ken Jacob, D-Columbia -- launched a filibuster Wednesday to block GOP efforts to strip Democratic St. Louis City from the congressional district of U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt.
• 5/ 8/2001: Newspaper Story - All of Boone County would remain in U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof's ninth district under a plan given first-round approval Tuesday in the state House.
• 5/ 2/2001: Newspaper Story - The state would no longer execute the mentally retarded as part of a larger measure approved by the House Wednesday to change court procedures.
• 5/ 1/2001: Newspaper Story - The Missouri House approved a plan Tuesday that would allow drivers to keep a loaded weapon in their glove compartment, prompting opponents to complain of a push to chip away at the state's gun restrictions.
• 4/26/2001: Newspaper Story - The House gave approval Thursday to toll roads. Republicans did not approve.
• 4/19/2001: Newspaper Story - The Senate approved the 2002 Missouri budget Thursday that lacks a pay increase for state employees.
• 4/11/2001: Newspaper Story - Alarmed by the spread of methamphetamines, some lawmakers and police are pushing for harsher penalties aimed at sources of the illegal drug.
• 4/10/2001: Newspaper Story - Missourians can put in their two cents on what will grace the back of the state's commemorative quarter to be minted in 2003.
• 4/10/2001: Newspaper Story - A proposal to stiffen penalties for health and safety violations at nursing homes gained preliminary approval Tuesday in the state House despite objections that the bill would hurt even the best facilities.
• 4/ 5/2001: Newspaper Story - The House approved Gov. Bob Holden's "One Missouri Transportation Plan" in a near party-line vote Thursday that followed last-minute arm twisting to ensure its passage.
• 4/ 3/2001: Newspaper Story - Two top leaders of the Missouri House are working to revive the issue of allowing citizens to carry a concealed weapon two years after voters rejected a ballot issue to do just that.
• 3/ 7/2001: Newspaper Story - A campaign to allow Missourians to carry concealed weapons found a surprise, but accidental supporter from one of the leading concealed weapons opponents.
• 3/ 1/2001: Newspaper Story - Mixing experience with outside leadership, Missouri Gov. Bob Holden nominated four cabinet members Thursday, bringing in two newcomers while keeping two officials from previous administrations.
• 2/28/2001: Newspaper Story - The campaign for gay rights came before a committee of Missouri's legislature.
• 2/27/2001: Newspaper Story - The state attorney general reports that the recent high increases in natural gas rates were not a result of criminal activity.
• 2/22/2001: Newspaper Story - Under the bill, sponsored by Sen. Larry Rohrbach, the state will perform DNA tests in cases where prisoners can prove it may make a difference in their finding of guilt
• 2/15/2001: Newspaper Story - The House Education Appropriations committee handed the University of Missouri System a $458.5 million budget, a 3.7 percent increase over last year and $550,000 more than Missouri Gov. Bob Holden included in his proposed budget.
• 2/15/2001: Newspaper Story - An audit of the state's inspection program for dog breeders found the program has left animals at risk for substandard care.
• 2/13/2001: Newspaper Story - Representatives of Missouri's billboard industry came out in support of a bill that would restrict the contstruction of new signs.
• 1/30/2001: Newspaper Story - Missouri Gov. Bob Holden proposed using a portion of the state's tobacco settlement to fund life sciences research at large public institutions such as MU over 25 years.
• 1/23/2001: Newspaper Story - In an angry and bitter Senate debate Tuesday, Missouri state senators delayed action on a resolution that would have rejected a raise for themselves.