The Missouri House and Senate are still at an impasse over next year’s state budget. The Senate has made no progress on persuading Republican Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau to stop blocking legislation to fund veterans’ homes.
Crowell says he has no objections to transferring gaming revenues from early childhood programs to nursing homes for military vets. But he won’t allow it or any other bill to advance unless the House strips more than 2 million dollars from Southeast Missouri State University. Crowell says the extra funding was added on as a political favor to House Speaker and SEMO alum Steven Tilley. Tilley disagrees.
“There’s a funding inequity, (and) when you see an inequity with taxpayer dollars, you try and fix it…the reality is, he doesn’t like it because he doesn’t like the president of the university…ask anybody around,” Tilley said.
Lawmakers have until Friday afternoon to pass the state budget.