Missouri's Budget Vlog

House Prioritizes Education Funding

This week, the House moved to pass another responsible, balanced budget – a promise we have made and continue to keep.  Even in tough economic times we were able to prioritize the state’s responsibilities, especially to our children.

Economists everywhere agree - an educated workforce is what will move our state’s economy forward.  This year we were able to budget a $65 million increase for the Foundation Formula, which provides basic aid to public schools.  All told, we allocated over $3 billion for our public elementary and secondary schools through the Formula.  Furthermore, we also allotted $2.5 million for Teach for America to bring talented, dedicated teachers to our urban areas and another $200,000 will go to the Missouri Charter School Commission.  But education does not end at high school. 

 

To ensure our workforce is prepared for tomorrow’s endeavors, each year we invest significant amounts into our institutions of higher education.  We have a number of campuses across the state, which each have been allocated the following funds:   

 

Community Colleges - $132,467,439

Linn State Technical College - $4,675,115

University of Central Missouri - $53,810,963

Southeast Missouri State University - $44,245,150

Missouri State University - $80,344,961

Lincoln University - $17,704,736

Truman State University - $40,414,289

Northwest Missouri State University - $30,023,979

Missouri Southern State University - $23,171,049

Missouri Western State University - $21,534,608

Harris-Stowe State University - $9,709,803

University of Missouri - $404,027,214

 

In further support of access to higher education, we appropriated a $1 million increase for the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program and a $2.4 million increase for Bright Flight scholarships.  While the federal government cut military tuition assistance scholarships in the misguided sequestration, we restored those scholarships for Missouri National Guard members.  

 

In the Missouri House, we are committed to make Missouri’s budget live within its means just like all Missourians do every day when we make decisions on our families’ finances.  Education was made our top priority in the state and this balanced budget has now moved to the Senate where it awaits committee hearings and floor debate.

House Refuses to Expose Budget to Budget Busting Medicaid Expansion Threat

Often, we look retrospectively at decisions we have made.  I am sure you can think of a time that you made a decision that was, in hindsight, not such a great one.  While speaking with constituents about government activity in Jefferson City or Washington, D.C., I often hear, “Why did they not see that coming?” Many times it is true; the government waits until it is too late to make the right decisions because of political consequences.  This week, your Republican-led legislature made a strong commitment to not giving in to the politically-expedient, easy path and made a decision that was in the public’s best long term interest.

 

Old Medicaid Expansion

The left, and those who do not take a long term, responsible economic view, have a grand, new idea on how to drastically diminish your kids’ and grandkids’ future earnings in the name of “doing the right thing” and “doing the smart thing”.  It is called Medicaid Expansion.  The idea has been to utilize more borrowed federal money to make promises to able-bodied adults that they will have “free” healthcare.  Never mind that Medicaid has poor health outcomes and trying to use a Medicaid card to gain access to a doctor’s office might as well be nothing more than handing someone a piece of plastic worth nothing. 

 

At the state level, Democrats have jumped for joy.  Governor Nixon and his liberal allies in the legislature think it is the greatest economic package they have ever seen.  So, for history’s sake, let us recall how many times on the campaign trail our governor proposed expanding Medicaid as the smart thing to do.  The answer is zero.  In fact, in each of Governor Nixon’s years in office before this one, he never once said that expanding Medicaid eligibility was the “smart” or “right” thing to do.  Apparently, it is only smart and right if the federal government pays for it with billions of dollars of more borrowed money.

 

A Budget Buster

 

Instead of being smart or right, this proposal actually adds billions to the federal deficit and exposes Missouri to more reliance on the federal government which, as a recent highly respected economic publication pointed out, places our triple-A credit rating in danger. The Democrats’ plan for Medicaid expansion has the potential to significantly reduce the amount of revenues available for future legislators to be able to appropriately fund long-term priorities like an educated citizenry.  This week, your Republican-led legislature was forward thinking.  Instead of giving in to the easy option of forsaking your future for today’s politically easy choices, we voted to be wise, prudent, and fiscally-responsible.  Those are mandates you sent us here to live up to.  Those are mandates we will uphold.    

The State’s Operating Budget

This week, the Republican-led legislature tackled the tough business of crafting the Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget.  I cannot expound enough how incredibly important this component of our jobs is.  In fact, it is the only constitutional duty that we, as elected members of the legislature, are required to perform.  The talk in Washington has been, of late, to try and convince Senate Majority Democrats to at least propose a budget, which they finally have, after over four years.  Here in Jefferson City, we do things differently.  For the last ten years, the Republican lead General Assembly has consistently and annually passed a true, balanced budget, every single year.  But, why is this so important?

You do not have to listen to the news too long to hear of some sort of new abuse on the part of some politician somewhere.  Recently, it was revealed that a county administrator in the state of California would be making nearly $500,000 a year in public money in retirement.  This is an example of blatant taxpayer abuse.  If your government asks a dollar from you, it should do so with the utmost care and then appropriate it only to fund those activities which are worthy of that request.

 

Taxpayers in this state contribute more than $7 billion to help finance noble goals like public education, economic advancement, and public safety.  Your Republican-led legislature takes the duty of being fiscally prudent incredibly seriously.  We have made it a priority to spend wisely, rein in spending on wasteful activities (even when those cuts are politically challenging), and help fund only what is necessary. 

 

It is easy to make the argument that the government should make certain promises at taxpayer expense – the left often does this to try and convince you that we do not already allocate enough funds aimed at helping the less fortunate.  But governments that have followed the “make promises now and worry about balancing the budget later” approach wind up like Illinois and California: essentially bankrupt, billions of dollars in debt, unable to reimburse Medicaid providers or provide essential services and with no responsible plan except “make the rich pay their fair share” (as if 50% or more of someone’s income is not enough).  I refuse to do that as a public servant.  I will not sell out your children’s future opportunities or diminish their potential for a political promise today.  And that is why balanced budgets are important.