Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) is crediting Missouri’s settlement with an automaker for adding more funding back into the state’s current budget.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (File photo from Bill Greenblatt/UPI)
Nixon is restoring $8.7 million in funding in the state’s current fiscal year budget. He says Missouri’s court settlement with Volkswagen will allow $4.5 million for school transportation, $3 million for the transfer of biodiesel subsidies that were previously deferred and $1.2 million in funding for Missouri Task Force 1. Columbia-based Task Force 1 is an urban search and rescue team. Task Force 1’s previous deployments include the 2013 Oklahoma tornado and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
“Now that these funds are available as a result of Thursday’s settlement, I am making the money available so we can provide additional funding to school transportation, first responders and Missouri’s agricultural producers,” Governor Nixon said in a written statement.
Nixon says they’re able to immediately release the funds, because of Missouri’s fiscal discipline.