An early budget warning – a very early budget warning – being issued by the House Budget Committee Chairman. Representative Brad Lager of Maryville is worried that state lawmakers have been convinced that the budget crisis is over, since the state economy has been growing. And he’s worried state department heads don’t understand the tight fiscal times are a reality, after taking a look at the budget requests that have filed with the Governor’s office. Lager says mandated spending on education, Medicaid, and the like will total around $500-Million while the expected natural growth in the state budget from growth in the economy will total only between $200-and-300 Million dollars. Lager predicts much debate during the upcoming legislative session on the budget for Fiscal Year 2007.
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