JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Due to an increase in tax revenue this year, compared to the same time last year, Gov. Jay Nixon made an additional $2.1 million available for health care, education and infrastructure items in the budget for this year.
Year-to-date revenue collections have increased 4.2 percent compared to this time last year, allowing for the increased funding for budget items.
“The March general revenue report reflects the strong growth we are seeing in our economy, and I’m pleased we are able to make these dollars available,” Nixon said. “Revenues can be especially volatile during tax season, so we will continue to monitor the numbers carefully and take the actions necessary to keep the budget in balance.”
The budget items that would be affected affected include the Scholars and Fine Arts Academies, Brain Injury Wavier Fund, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities, Foster Kids Health Home and Asthma Services. The Scholars and Fine Arts Academies budget line had previously been targeted by the House of Representatives, through House overrides.
House Budget Chairman Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, praised Nixon’s decision but warned that the legislature could choose other areas to disburse the fund.
“I’m happy to see the governor release funds to these deserving programs, but also extremely thankful that the voters made the wise decision to give the legislature the authority to intervene in times when his withholds are not justified,” Flanigan said. “This is an important check and balance that Missourians saw fit to give us, and it’s a power we will continue to exercise when the governor oversteps his authority by unnecessarily restricting funding for worthy programs.”
Last month, the House override Nixon’s decision to withhold funds from the Missouri Scholars Academy and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, as well as the Brain Injury Waiver Fund, areas that were funded by the governor this month.
