On the deadline day, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a new state budget into law. The $50.7 billion budget comes with expected cuts and funding freezes – totaling nearly $500 million.
If Kehoe feels the state’s economy is improving during the new budget year, he could restore some of the spending holds.
The governor says the state is spending faster than the economy is growing — and that is not sustainable. He says despite efforts to cut government spending, the state faces a projected budget shortfall of more than $500 million.
Some of his vetoes include:
$104 million for Missouri Capitol improvements
$2.5 million for artificial intelligence development
$2 million to help keep criminals from returning to jail or prison
$1.6 million for teacher recruitment and retention grants
$1.5 million for fentanyl testing
$1.1 million for a pretrial court program
$500,000 for safer schools initiatives
$250,000 to divert criminal cases to a jail prevention program for people with mental health and substance abuse disorders
$150,000 in anti-human trafficking grants
The budget signed includes $4.7 billion to fund K-12 schools and school transportation costs – underfunding schools by at least $190 million. Missouri’s public colleges and universities get the same level of funding as the current budget year – $1.3 billion.
The governor touts several items that survived:
$24.8 billion in healthcare costs for people with physical, developmental, and behavioral health issues
$2 billion to help law enforcement and public safety initiatives
$343 million to cover childcare costs for low-income children
$60 million to help students attend K-12 private schools
The new state budget begins Wednesday.
For more information on Kehoe’s budget cuts, click here.
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