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Budget Debate Erupts in Yelling

March 18, 2003
By: Missy Shelton
State Capital Bureau

Debate on the state's budget got off to a rough start in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Missy Shelton has this report.

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The Republican majority is pushing ahead with a budget plan that gives the directors of state departments the power to spend tax dollars.

Democratic lawmakers criticize Republicans for their approach.

During debate on the budget, democrat Wes Shoemyer provoked a sharp response from Republican Chuck Purgason when he talked about how democrats handled the budget when they held a majority.

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The House is expected to finish work on the budget before lawmakers leave for Spring Break Thursday.

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Debate on the budget erupted into yelling in the Missouri House of Representatives today (Tuesday).

As Missy Shelton reports, the debate heated up when two lawmakers decided to square off.

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The Republican majority in the House backs a budget plan that cuts state spending but leaves it up to the directors of state departments to decide which programs to cut.

The republican plan gives each state department a lump sum to spend as they see fit.

During debate on the budget, Republican Chuck Purgason told Democrat Wes Shoemyer he either has to make cuts or offer tax increases.

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Shoemyer says he's offered proposals that would bring in revenue but the Republican leadership rejected them.

Shoemyer says he wants to tax the gaming boats, which would generate about 200 million dollars a year.

Purgason told Shoemyer that's not enough money to fill the one billion dollar budget gap.

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Shoemyer told Purgason Republicans need to take responsibility for cutting the budget rather than leaving it up to department directors.

Shoemyer says democrats took on a leadership role when they had the majority...he says republicans should do the same.

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Republican lawmakers have rejected the governor's budget plan because it calls for tax increases.

Lawmakers in the House are expected to finish their work on the budget before they leave Thursday for Spring Break.

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