Governor's travel comes under fire as Missouri's House passes the 2012 budget

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3/ 7/2011: Radio Story - The House Budget Committee reviews a plan to stop the governor from shifting his travel expenses to other agencies.

2/18/2011: Radio Story - Documents obtained by KMOX indicate Gov. Jay Nixon has billed other state agencies almost $400,000 for his flights on taxpayer-funded airplanes.

3/ 7/2011: Newspaper Story - The governor would no longer be able to charge his travel expenses to other state agencies under new bill language introduced by the House Budget Committee Monday.

Intro:	As Governor Nixon travels around the state, the Missouri House continues to reign in his travel expenses.
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Wrap: The Missouri House passed a budget amendment stripping Governor Jay Nixon of travel money recommended by the House Budget Committee.

The committee had recommended Nixon get another half of a million dollars to use for travel as part of a package to block Nixon's practice of charging expenses to other state agencies.

Democratic St. Louis City Representative Jamilah Nasheed, won House approval for eliminating the additional money and instead placing funds into a dropout prevention program, which Nixon eliminated from the budget.

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Description: Those individuals that are reaping havoc in the City of St. Louis are individuals that have dropped out of the St. Louis Public School System.

Nasheed said it was important to get St. Louis City back on the right track by keeping children in school.

The House passed Nasheed's amendment along with the rest of the 2012 budget.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jordan Shapiro.

Intro:	The Missouri House passed an amendment stripping the Governor's office of additional travel funds.
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Wrap: House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey has criticized the governor for charging his travel to other state agencies and supported the effort Tuesday to make more cuts to the governor's budget.

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Description: We have got a pretty simple choice here. Do we let the governor continue flying around excessively on a state plane or do we help kids in inner-city St. Louis who need a leg up?

Democratic St. Louis City Representative Jamilah Nasheed offered the amendment which would take money from the governor's travel budget to a dropout prevention program in St. Louis.

Nasheed's amendment along with the rest of Missouri's budget passed.

The Governor's office said Nixon would give the proposals a fair review, as Nixon himself visited the St. Louis area.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jordan Shapiro.

Intro:	The Governor's travel practice receives another blow during the House budget process.
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Wrap: The Missouri House voted to eliminate Governor Nixon's additional travel money from his 2012 budget.

The half of a million dollars was placed in the budget in response to Nixon's practice of charging his travel to other state agencies.

Democratic St. Louis City Representative Jamilah Nasheed presented an amendment to eliminate the travel money saying it would be better spent serving school dropouts.

Columbia Democrat, Chris Kelly, opposed the amendment.

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Description: This amendment is a clear and present use, despicable use actually of these kids to manipulate and attack the governor.

The House overwhelmingly passed Nasheed's amendment along with the entire 2012 budget.

The Governor's office said they would review the proposal when the budget hits the governor's desk. Nixon was traveling in St. Louis as the House voted and was not available for comment.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jordan Shapiro.