Governor Jay Nixon has seen reports in the past week, including this one on Missourinet, that the Republican-led legislature is planning to overturn his cuts in the current budget, that amount to about $144-million dollars.

House Budget Committee Chairman Rick Stream, R-Kirkwood, told Missourinet even though state revenue is still struggling, he believes the state can afford those programs. Nixon says otherwise.

“Some of the additional spending items are earmarks and pet projects for specific organizations and interests. Others are worthwhile initiatives that should be part of the discussion if resources were available,” says Nixon. “But the one thing all these items have in common is that we don’t have the money to afford ’em.”

If lawmakers overturn Nixon’s line-item vetoes in the budget, he could then withhold the money that would go to the programs those lines fund.

The veto session begins Wednesday.