MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - With hours of words but not one amendment, Missouri's House gave first round approval to next year's state budget.
Based on a Republican plan to provide lump sum payments to state departments, the budget sets a cap for each state department expenditures without giving approprations to specific programs.
"I am saddened that we will not have the opportunity to take money back to our districts to do the things the people sent us up here to do," said Rep. Bill Ransdall, D-Pulaski.
But other than voicing objections, Democrats did not offer any amendments to undo the lump-sum approach.
House Democratic Leader Mark Abel, D-Festus, said his members decided not to offer amendments to give money to specific programs because their would not be enough money to fund all the individual projects.
"The Republicans don't care how the department directors decide to spend the money as long as they don't exceed the bottom line," Abel said. "Why should we set the priorities they weren't willing to make through the appropraitions process?"
Republican Rep. Chuck Purgason said this budget plan was a way to make about $1 billion in cuts without raising taxes.
"We can't afford any more Democratic leadership," Purgason said. "We've hedged ourselves into a billion dollars of debt."
The nearly $19 billion budget passed in twelve straight votes - one for each state department, the office of administration and elected officials.
The higher education budget includes a cut of about 4 percent compared to the current year's budget, but the University of Missouri system would not get a specific appropriation under the House plan. Instead, it would be up to the Higher Education Cooridnating Board to distribute the more than $1 million given in its lump sum.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said he opposed the bill because it had cuts that appeared to have "no rhyme or reason."
"I'm not prepared to put my stamp of approval on an ameturish and unprofessional attempt to handle a serious process," Harris said.
House Budget Chairman Carl Bearden, R-St. Charles, said he could not tell how much money would go to each college or university, but that the money would be there for the coordinating board to allocate.
The Education Department's budget is also about 4 percent lower than last year, but Rep. Paul LeVota, D-Jackson County, said schools would each receive about 13 percent less next year than they did this year.
"If the budget process in a place to show our priorities and to be held accountable, this is not the place to cut," LeVota said.
The House is expected to give final approval to the budget this week before taking the last week of March off for spring break. Then the bill will move over to the Senate for consideration.
In the Senate, legislators have voiced skepticism -- but not outright opposition -- to the lump-sum approach.