Senate to cut operating budget

JEFFERSON CITY – In anticipation of funding cuts to be made in the budget process, the Senate Administration Committee voted unanimously today to cut the Senate’s operating budget by 5 percent or $462,100. Missouri is facing a billion dollar revenue shortfall, making it the largest budget gap in the state’s history. The Legislature must pass a balanced budget by the constitutional deadline of May 7.

Senate Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, said it is important for the committee to identify as many ways as possible to save taxpayer dollars.

“There can be no ‘sacred cows’ in a budget year like the one we are facing,” said Shields, chairman of the Senate Administration Committee. “We must consider every idea when it comes to identifying taxpayer savings so we can operate as efficiently and effectively as possible in a way taxpayers can afford.”

The Senate’s total operating budget is $9.245 million. The Senate and senators’ offices employee a total of 180 full-time employees.

The committee laid out a plan to meet their target total of cuts that includes the following ideas among others:

• Cutting Senators’ office budget allotments and/or per diem rates
• Job cuts (Eliminating currently vacant positions)
• Reducing mailing sizes
• Limiting or ending professional development travel (in and out-of-state)

 “We can’t expect citizens to face cuts to programs and not expect to cut our budget,” said Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, vice-chairman of the committee and Senate Majority Floor Leader. “We are facing the second budget year in a row where we are working with less revenue than the year before, and we need to lead by example by cutting our own expenses.”

 Senate Minority, Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence, said senators should do their part to help balance the budget.

 “In these difficult economic times, it is appropriate that the Missouri Senate be a part of the budget cuts that are impacting all areas of state government,” Callahan said. “The Senate, like families across Missouri, must learn to live within its means.”

 The Senate Administration Committee is comprised of Shields, Engler, Callahan, Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City; and Sen. Robin Wright-Jones, D-St. Louis.

 The 2010 regular session will run through May 14. The state’s fiscal year begins July 1^st and runs through June 30^th of the following year.