JOPLIN — Gov. Jay Nixon said the state will pay Joplin's share of the cost for picking up debris from a deadly tornado — even after the federal government starts paying less.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is paying 90 percent of the cost for cleaning debris from the hardest hit areas, but that will decrease to 75 percent after Sunday.
Earlier this week, Nixon said state government would cover the 10 percent of the cost that federal officials were not paying.
Nixon said Thursday that state government would start to pick up a larger share of the costs after Sunday so local officials will not be expected to provide matching money.
The May 22 tornado killed 160 people and damaged or destroyed about 8,000 homes and businesses.
