Gov. Nixon has announced the state will cut an additional $204 million from the budget approved by the legislature last session. The cuts come on top of the $430 million in vetoes and withholdings announced earlier, bringing the total to $634 million.
More than 400 part-time state employee positions will eliminated, 200 full-time positioins; many employees will be laid off. Nixon says there will be no cuts to the core budgets of education, higher education, public safety and Medicaid. The governor says the state had to act due to the drastic drop in state revenue, because of the lingering recession.
Download/listen Gov. Jay Nixon announces $204 million in budget cuts (7:30 MP3)