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House approves rules for debate on budget

JEFFERSON CITY - 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.

The House is expected on Wednesday to bring up the 13 bills that together make up the budget now that the rules for debate have been approved.

Under rules adopted by a vote of 106-30, any amendment to increase funding to a specific program must be offset by a cut elsewhere in the budget. Democratic leaders said they feared without the rule, members would try to get money for programs without having to make tough decisions to cut others.

"We can have a political heyday out there inflating this budget continuously," said Budget Chairman Tim Green, R-St. Louis County. "Or we can do the responsible thing and say let's keep it balanced. If this is that dear to you, go out and sell it to 81 other people and show them where you are going to get that funding."

Critics countered that the rule may make the debate more confusing, with lawmakers jumping between the 13 bills to find cuts. Rep. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, voted for the resolution, but said it could make things more difficult for lawmakers.

"This greatly complicates the process of the budget bills on the floor," Shields said. "We agreed to make the process more convoluted."

Lawmakers are faced with passing what many call the most difficult budget in years before May 10. Debate on the bills is already several weeks behind schedule, and the bills has yet to be debated by the Senate.

Complicating the process is that the budget is dependent on about $75 million from a Budget Reserve Fund, which requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers to use. Shields said there weren't enough Republicans willing to support using the fund, meaning more cuts may be necessary to balance the budget.