New state report: Gov. Nixon’s budget moves violate Missouri constitution

Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich is accusing Gov. Jay Nixon of violating the state constitution by making budget cuts in 2012.

Schweich released an audit Monday asserting that Nixon should not have blocked millions of dollars of spending that year because state revenues exceeded estimates upon which the budget was based. During the fiscal year 2012, Gov. Nixon withheld over 170 million dollars to cover recent flooding and the Joplin tornado. But the reports claims less than 7.8 million dollars of that was actually spent on those disasters that year.

The Republican auditor accused the Democratic governor of “contorting and distorting” his constitutional authority to manage the budget.

Nixon’s office said in a written response attached to the audit that Schweich’s interpretation is inaccurate.

Schweich released his report as lawmakers are preparing to convene Wednesday to consider overriding numerous line-item vetoes that Nixon made to the 2015 budget.