Missouri's budget to be cut at least $700M to make up for COVID-19 shortfall

Missouri lawmakers on Friday will get their first look at how much they will be expected to cut from the state budget as state revenues turned negative for the year and Republicans in Washington said they aren’t willing to help states cover their bills.

The COVID-19-caused recession is expected to result in cuts of at least $700 million from the almost $10 billion in general revenue spending proposed by Gov. Mike Parson in January when the state anticipated growing revenues for the year.

State Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia and the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said the full proposal will be available Friday for debate in the House next week.

The cuts will likely fall heavily on higher education and perhaps on public schools as well, he said.

Read more: https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/missouri/2020/04/23/state-budget-to-be-cut-700m-to-make-up-for-covid-19-shortfall/3016515001/
(Springfield News-Leader)