Sander Capitol Report

Rep. Therese Sander, 22^nd District

Moberly School Administrators Parisa Stoddard, Debbie Young, Tara Link, and Andrea Ambrosen stopped by this week to advocate for education. A profound statistic they shared with me is that third grade reading levels are a predictor of which children are at risk of ending up in prison when they grow up. Since I sit on the Appropriations Budget subcommittee for Corrections and Public Safety I am well aware of the fiscal crunch facing the state in all areas, but I’m acutely aware that our prison system is sitting at nearly full capacity, with only a couple hundred beds left vacant, last time I heard a number

I am also aware that every appropriations chairman has been charged by the budget chair with finding places to make additional substantial cuts in programs that depend on General Revenue to bring our budget into balance with the revenues the state is expected to receive. Even the revenue the state is expected to receive is somewhat of an elastic number, since the Governor’s proposed budget is counting on $300 million from the federal government which hasn’t even been passed by Congress yet.

The dilemma facing the General Assembly is that included in the revenue estimate is $1.2 billion of one time money from federal stimulus spending that is being directed to the states. That $1.2 billion won’t be there next year to help the new General Assembly that will be seated after this November’s general election to cover ongoing programs and services that depend on General Revenue for their funding source.

If you follow the news you are already aware that the vast majority of General Revenue is consumed in funding either education or social services. From my side of the desk, looking at all these facts combined, any person who thinks that either one will get by this budget process unscathed is not being realistic.

There has also been talk about doing a new round of state bonding to fund capital projects throughout the state, many of which are on campuses of our institutions of higher learning. The argument is raging over whether or not to do that and what would be the effect on the state’s “Triple A” bond rating if we did so. The basic question that needs answering is whether now is the time for the state to replace debt it is paying off with new debt. If we incur new indebtedness, there must be a funding stream to make the payments on that debt.

Significant action taken on the floor this week was approval of a measure allow drug testing of TANF recipients and another to provide for special elections to replace statewide officeholders who vacate their positions for one reason or another. Currently, the Governor has the power to appoint a statewide officeholder or US Senator should that position become vacant.

As always, you can reach me at 573-751-6566 or by email at Therese.Sander@house.mo.gov.