Before the Legislature adjourned on Thursday, the House and the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. Passing a budget is the one thing that the constitution requires the General Assembly to do annually, and the budget process is a significant component of every legislative session. The process is lengthy, challenging and never without criticism. It should not be easy or quick to pass a $26 billion budget, and any time your tax dollars are used there will be criticisms. No budget is perfect, and while this budget is not an exception to that rule, the 2016 budget accomplishes three very important goals.
First, it is balanced. While this sounds simple, we need only to look at Washington, D.C., to see how easy it is for government to spend more than it takes in. Missouri's constitution requires the budget to be balanced, and I am more and more thankful every year for the wisdom and foresight of this requirement. You have to balance your budgets and prioritize your spending at home, and it is fitting and right that the state do so, too.
Second, this 2016 budget reins in the explosion of entitlement spending that has occurred since 2009. Between 2009 and 2015 entitlement spending has increased by 32 percent while spending for education has only increased by 9 percent. The 2016 budget applies the brakes to the runaway train that entitlement spending has become in Missouri while at the same time ensuring more than sufficient resources are available to assist the most vulnerable Missourians who cannot care for themselves.
Finally, this budget contains a surplus in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Unlike the way government normally works, which is to spend every last penny of every last dollar, this budget holds some money back to ensure that the state is prepared for the unexpected. Just like Missourians have to maintain an emergency fund to meet unforeseen, and often unwanted, expenditures, the state is no different. Accordingly, when the new fiscal year begins on July 1, there will be nearly $100 million in surplus funds to ensure that state government is prepared for the upcoming year.
The most disappointing aspect of the 2016 budget is that it does not include an adjustment in wages for hard-working state employees. Such an increase is long overdue and should have been a priority in the governor's recommended budget which initiates the appropriations process. The governor has been able to provide substantial raises to his staff behind the -scenes, but he has completely resisted efforts to do so for all other state employees.
Before completing the budget on Thursday, the Senate gave final approval to SB476 which I sponsored. SB476 contains several components relating to the Department of Natural Resources including removing the term "waters of the United States' from the definition of "waters of the state'. This provides clear and definitive direction to DNR in the event that the federal government tramples on the wishes of Missourians by expanding the definition of "waters of the United States' via administrative rule. Additionally, HB476 clarifies Missouri's water policy to include the objectives of maintaining maximum employment and full industrial development and requires the Clean Water Commission to seek to meet these objectives by practical and economically feasible methods. Finally, HB476 provides a framework for DNR to permit and regulate the state's growing gas and oil industry. I tip my hat to DNR for their proactive efforts in working with the industry on this language.
On Wednesday I was very disappointed to learn that Mid-Missourians will soon be paying for an even sweeter deal for one company in Southeast Missouri. In last week's column I mentioned my profound disappointment that the governor chose to weigh in, against Mid-Missouri ratepayers, just before the Public Service Commission began deliberations. It appears that my concerns about the timing of the governor's press release were well founded as the PSC gave initial approval to a plan to sell the exact same electricity that you and I pay 10 cents for to this company for 3.6 cents. There can be no doubt who will make up this difference ... it will be all of us.
It is with white-knuckles that I am tempering the turkey taunts for this week. I want to be very clear, it is in fact a week where his tag has gone unfilled. However, two things give me a little bit of pause. First, he was sick during the middle of the week. More importantly though, after he was well enough to get back into the woods he accompanied his 9 year-old son on a hunt and Myles gave him some fantastic instruction by bagging a double-bearded granddaddy of a turkey right in front of his dad. Clearly turkey hunting skills skip a generation. Next week the gloves will be off.
My purpose and my intent is to serve the constituents of the 6th Senatorial District. If you are in the Capitol during the coming weeks and months, please stop by your office in Room 220.
State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, represents the 6th District