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Missouri House Passes FY2015 State Budget

UPI/Bill Greenblatt

The Missouri House has passed all 13 budget bills with an estimated $26.6 billion spending plan for Fiscal Year 2015, which begins July 1.

During Thursday's round of budget votes, House Democrats began sharply criticizing this year's budget writing process. Along with Gov. Jay Nixon, they disagree with House Republicans about how much revenue they think the state will take in.  State Rep. Margo McNeil, D-Hazelwood, accused GOP leaders of crafting an unnecessarily low budget.

"That is, in my estimation, primarily because (of) two factors," McNeil said.  "One, we're not looking at the improvement in the job market as much as we could, (and two), we're also not accepting Medicaid expansion into the budget."

McNeil, a former art teacher in the Ferguson-Florissant school district, was especially critical of how Republican budget writers crafted the bill for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"Unfortunately, the committee chose to work with the wrong set of numbers; they chose to be stingy," McNeil said.  "I don't know why, perhaps it was to insure that the governor could not withhold even one single dime...that is not a reasoned or prudent approach."

Republicans strongly disagreed with McNeil's comments.

"I don't know if (McNeil) is living in a fantasy world or what," said state Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington. "Just because the governor says there's money to budget for this and money to budget for that (doesn't mean there is) ... He could have cured hunger in the world in this budget!"

State Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, also chimed in.

"The governor brought us a budget based on pixie dust predictions and long-shot legislation," Barnes said.  "It's our duty as the House to pass a budget that is actually balanced."

Democrats and Republicans also argued over whether the Ozark National Scenic Riverways should become a state park or remain part of the National Park Service, as well as whether Medicaid should be expanded.  

The state budget is now in the hands of the Missouri Senate.  A final version has to be passed by both chambers no later than 5 p.m. on May9, one week before the end of the 2014 regular session.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.
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