House of Representative candidates talk University of Missouri funding

Local candidates running for the Missouri House of Representatives got to speak on several issues Wednesday night, including University of Missouri funding.

Candidates for the 44th, 45th, 46th and 47th Districts took part in the forum held by the University of Missouri’s Pi Sigma Alpha and Political Science Club at the Rhynsburger Theatre on Mizzou’s campus.

When candidates were asked what they would do to stop another tuition increase for students attending the University, candidate Tom Pauley (D), 44th District, touched on the funding cuts made earlier this year.

“There has been and there will continue to be attacks on this University,” Pauley said. “I think we need to do everything we can to stand up and stop that.”

He went on to say, “When the majority (of the legislature) is taking it out on us by taking funding away and hurts this University, I think we need to argue seriously and work very hard to stop that.”

“All this controversy at Mizzou about a year ago stemmed from the protests and everything that happened subsequently after the protests started, especially when the football team got involved,” Rep. Chuck Basye (R), 47th District, said. “It’s really what perpetuated a lot of problems. It all came down to one thing, a lack of leadership.”

Basye said it was not only the lack of leadership, but the lack of appropriate actions. Things were happening rapidly, he said. “The more it happened, the worse it got with my colleagues. A good part of my colleagues don’t have ties to the University. They have no concern for the University, like I do. I’m a graduate. It took a lot of effort to get that under control, but I think we did the best we could.”

“It’s imperative that the Boone delegation does completely support the University,” said 47th District candidate Susan McClintic (D). “We saw that, as your question alluded to, that did not happen in the past. It’s imperative we take care of the largest employer in our area, the major driver in our healthcare.”

Many agreed the institution was not only a top priority, but a main artery for Mid-Missouri.

“The University of Missouri is the foundation of Mid-Missouri,” said 44th District candidate Cheri Reisch (R). “I will go to bat for the University so that funding will remain, or increase, not decrease.”

“We need to make sure that all of our programs at the University have what they need to do what they’re there to do,” said William Lee (I), 45th District candidate. “to train students so they have the tools when they exit the University to enter the workforce in a functional capacity.”

Others pointed to numbers. 45th District Rep. Kip Kendrick (D) said, “We’ve seen it happen where 60% of the money comes from the state, 40% throughout the country from the student. Now, it’s completely shifted in the opposite direction – closer to 70% coming from the student.”

Rep. Kendrick said this was due to a number of things including tax cuts that benefit multinational corporations and wealthy Missourians. “Then, you lose money to be able to spread out to the middle class and students have paid as a result of that.”

“I think that is obviously hurting the amount of money that can be allocated to higher education,” agreed Martha Stevens (D), candidate for the 46th District.

Don Waterman (R), also a candidate for the 46th District, drew on numbers he said he found from 2004. “The Missouri budget appropriated $377 million for the University. In 2014, it was $395 million. Yes, it went up a little bit, not a great amount, but yet, if the percentage that supported by the state has gone down, then that means expenses have gone up by a significant amount. So where is that coming from? I think that’s something that needs to be looked at as well.”