Tag Archives: Missouri state budget

Rep. Kip Kendrick (D): about that state budget

26 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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Revenue isn’t trickling down.

Rep. Kip Kendrick (D) [2019 file photo].

The Missouri Budget: Concern or Crisis?

It’s complicated, but every Missourian should know and care about our state budget. It impacts our daily lives and it determines our economic future. Simply put, the budget is a reflection of our shared priorities. Right now, however, our budget is also a reflection of confusion and uncertainty, as we are experiencing an alarming decrease in revenue collections. Here is what we know about our current dilemma and, more importantly, what we do not.

Missouri’s fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. As of January 17––halfway through FY19––revenue collection for the state is down 8.76% compared to this time last year. As one of many measures of our state’s fiscal health, such a significant decrease in revenue indicates something is not right. A closer look at the data shows that the biggest contributor to this problem is a 26% decrease in the amount of personal income taxes being paid to date, as compared to last year.

[….]

Directly stated, the growing body of evidence suggests Missouri cannot afford any more tax cuts—and that we likely cannot afford those already in effect. Unequivocally, it was fiscally irresponsible to layer multiple tax cuts without ever truly and fully realizing the impact of any one of the bills alone. Still, it is amazing how many legislators continue to talk about the need for additional tax cuts. I will continue to demand that my colleagues pump the brakes on any additional cuts, but sadly, brakes may not be enough if policies already set in motion have us heading straight for a fiscal cliff.

Go. Read the whole thing.

Previously:

SB 509: the moment when all hope for the future of Missouri died (May 6, 2014)

Maybe if the church people talk to them……

18 Monday Jul 2011

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Sunday I attended a workshop about the Missouri state budget at Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church in an upscale St. Louis suburb.  The program was offered by members of the church and staffers from Metropolitan Congregations United of St. Louis and the Missouri Budget Project.  It involved asking ourselves what is “sacred” to us and how our values are reflected in the way we would divide up the revenue available for the state budget.  We did the “penny exercise” which forced us to make what politicians call “the hard choices.”

At the end of the session, David Gerth of MCU-StL asked those in attendance if they would come back to the church on August 24th at 5p.m. to meet with Sen. Lamping who represents the 7th Senatorial District.  I don’t know anything about Sen. Lamping, and I don’t live in St. Louis County, so I didn’t sign up.  But many others did.  They will meet beforehand and prepare their questions and comments for the senator. Our workshop group came to the conclusion that the state needs more revenue.  Here’s a shocker – at least to me.

The Missouri budget has declined every year since 2000, and, at the current rate of economic growth in the state, it will be 2016 before we are back to the revenue level we had in 2008.   Ruth Ehresman of the Mo Budget Project did a wonderful job of “show and tell” using props to explain what’s wrong with the policy decisions that have been made in recent years.

I think it’s wonderful that mainline faith communities are getting involved in talking to their reps and senators.  I’ve been wishing they would come out of hiding for years.  

I hope they are able to “move” some Republicans closer to decision making that reflects the care and concern for Missourians that the state motto calls for.

BUT………….

I don’t think the good hearted people who want to have a reasonable discussion with ultra conservative extremists in our state legislature realize what they are up against.

I have been harping on the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council for months now, and national media outlets are finally exposing them and their insidious attempt to dismantle the programs that hold communities together and keep families from extreme poverty.

I really do hope the meetings with state senators by members of the various faith communities helps educate the senators about the damage their votes are causing.  I will network with friends in various churches and synagogues and ask them to invite MCU and Mo Budget Project folks to do this workshop in more places.   AND I’m going to keep reminding people that ALEC is out to destroy the country it took us 200 years of progressive change to build.