This Week's Stouffer Report: Missouri Senate Finishes Its Version of the Budget

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May 1, 2012

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Missouri Senate Finishes Its Version ofthe Budget

Members of the Missouri General Assembly haveonly one constitutional obligation, and that is topass a budget every year. Missouri senators areone step closer to doing just that.

In a rare turn of events, the 13 individual billsthat make up the entire budget for Missouris

next fiscal year plus a supplemental bill for theremainder of the current fiscal year werehandled in about six hours. Normally, thesemeasures take the better part of a week todebate and pass. Your Missouri legislators areunited in passing a balanced budget that meetsMissouris needs and honors taxpayers.

It is worth noting that the Senate started on thebills around 8:15 p.m. on April 24 and finished itswork in the early morning hours on April 25.

Much press has been given to the $24 billionFiscal Year 2013 operating budget. Budgetexperts from the Missouri Senate, House and thegovernors office started on the details back in

November of last year. After that, the Housesvarying budget committees and the Senate
http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlmailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewsmailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewshttp://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/comm/aprp.htmhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/comm/aprp.htmmailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewshttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.html


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Appropriations Committee heard from statedepartment heads and the general public abouttheir preferences and concerns.

By March, there was much talk about some of

the reductions the Missouri House decided tomake to ensure the budget was in order. Icommend the efforts of all legislators sitting oncommittees hearing hours of testimony and thensurgically removing what extra remains in theway the state spends money.

There are still more steps to take. The budgetbills will now be hashed out by a Senate-Houseconference committee. Those agreed-upon billsmust then receive both chambers final approval.

The Fiscal Year 2013 operating budget has to beon the governors desk by 6 p.m. on May 11,

2012.

As you well know, we have had some difficultbudgets over the past four years. At first, thefederal government acted like it was saving theday by handing out money to the states. Some ofthis money was used to plug some holes, but thefederal money is gone. We have had to make

some of the tough decisions that I said shouldhave been made three years ago. Budgeting isnever easy. There is no way to please everyone.

The budget for Fiscal Year 2013, which will starton July 1, 2012, and run through June 30, 2013,anticipates 3.5 percent revenue growth for thecoming year. Hopefully, this will be the case, asthe governor has chosen to withhold millions ofdollars over the past three years usually in

higher education and school bus money whichtends to hurt rural Missouri.

I pray that better economic times are coming.We need more taxpayers, not more taxes. Weshould no longer depend on the federalgovernment for budget assistance, because itonly makes states more dependent upon an


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entity with a bloated debt and no fiscalresponsibility. We have to be smarter with ourspending, which I will continue to fight for in theMissouri Senate.

Senator Stouffer serves the counties of Carroll,Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray,

Saline, and a part of Clay.

If you have questions or comments about this or anyother issue, please call toll free (866) 768-3987 or by

e-mail [email protected].

[email protected] | www.senate.mo.gov/stoufferState Capitol, Room 332, Jefferson City, MO 65101 | (866) 768-3987
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This Week's Stouffer Report: Missouri Senate Finishes Its Version of the Budget

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