Nixon Lays Out Goals

***UPDATE, 7:17 A.M.***(AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon wants to raise the pay of state employees while also cutting 190 positions in state government.Nixon on Monday proposed a 2 percent raise for state workers effective Jan. 1, 2014 – halfway through the state’s next budget year. The governor’s plan calls for a targeted salary increase for nurses in state government that would take effect this July.The 190 jobs that Nixon wants to eliminate include some in the Department of Social Services because of plans for a new computer system for the Medicaid program.Nixon’s administration estimates that Missouri has cut more than 4,000 state jobs since 2009.***ORIGINAL STORY***(AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is proposing additional money for K-12 schools, colleges and universities and early childhood programs in the next budget.The governor’s budget released Monday for the fiscal year that starts July 1 would add $66 million into Missouri’s roughly $3 billion school funding formula. But state government would need to add a total of $686 million next academic year to meet the full amount called for by the formula.Nixon proposes to increase funding for public colleges and universities by an average of 4 percent, with each institution’s raise based upon performance.The proposed budget also calls for doubling state funding for preschool and early childhood programs.