Lawmakers react to Gov. Greitens’ budget proposal

Gov. Eric Greitens announced the FY19 budget proposal on Monday afternoon.

The proposal includes increases in funding for infrastructure, education, public safety, and programs to protect Missouri’s children.

Shortly after the budget proposal was released, local lawmakers reacted to it.

Senator Caleb Rowden condemned the cuts to higher education, “”We cannot continue to balance the budget on the backs of students; they are the future workers and job creators Missouri desperately needs to cultivate,” said Rowden. “Continuing to neglect our public colleges, universities and trade schools seriously hinders Missouri’s ability to compete. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass a budget that better reflects Missourians’ priorities.”

House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty from Kansas City said the budget fails to fund the basics, “The governor’s budget would put a lot of drops into a lot of buckets to create the illusion of addressing Missouri’s many vital needs. But no amount of budgetary sleight of hand can obscure the reality that years of tax cuts for corporations and special interests have left Missouri without sufficient money for the basics. Until the Republicans who control state government fix the structural problems they have inflicted on Missouri’s finances, the state will continue to stumble from one budget crisis to the next with no hope for progress in sight.”