Proposed budget cuts don't hit elected officials

JEFFERSON CITY - While lawmakers were cutting more than $380 million from social services, elected officials received an increase.

The Department of Social Services took the brunt of the cuts, which Republican leaders said were necessary to keep a balanced budget while increasing spending for K-12 education. But the state's $19 billion budget also calls for an extra $43 million for elected officials in the executive branch, an extra $2.5 million in state money for the judiciary and a $500,000 increase for the Public Defender Commission.

House Budget Chairman Brad Lager, R-Maryville, said he thought elected officials should be permitted to set their own budgets.

"We made the decision from day one to permit these offices to write their own budget," he said. "We asked them to take responsible steps to increase efficiency, and every elected officer in this state has to go to the voters and justify their decisions."

The subcommittee of Rep. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis County, recommended several reductions; none were enacted.

"It is the height of arrogance that the governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, auditor, attorney general and General Assembly took no cuts," Lembke said. "And the hubris, which I believe is arrogance on steroids, of the judiciary stuns me.

"There'll be next year, and I expect that they'll buck up and take their hit."

The budget for the governor, which includes the functions of his office and the executive mansion, was unchanged from last year, as were the budgets for the lieutenant governor and state treasurer. The state auditor's office proposed a slight decrease while the attorney general's office was slotted to receive an increase.

Although the judiciary would take a cut to its overall funds, the balance of federal funds would decrease, forcing an increase in state money.

Ranking Minority member Rep. Frank Barnitz, D-Lake Spring, said he was especially disappointed the governor had not made cuts to his own office.

"It's disappointing to see the governor's office doesn't recognize what the rest of state government is going through," he said. "I would like to see the governor buck up to the cuts he's asking social services to take."

The budget also calls for an increase of $113 million for public schools and flat appropriations to each of the state's colleges. The UM System stands to receive $400 million, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry would receive an extra $1.95 million to aid accreditation.

Budget Committee approval of the state's spending plan came on the same day the House voted to option services covered under Medicaid based upon the budget. Many of the proposed cuts to social services depended upon that flexibility.

The budget would continue to fund eye exams every two years, some dental procedures, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs under Medicaid. But podiatry was cut and a premium was added to the state-funded insurance of children in families earning up to three times the poverty level who lack private insurance. The Department of Health and Senior Services estimated that the premium would prompt the families of 23,000 children to drop the program.

"This state has had a social contract for more than 40 years that I'll watch your back if you watch mine," said Rep. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence. "That contract is being attacked."

Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, said the cuts were necessary because of money shortfalls, a Medicaid program bloated by ineligible recipients, the inability to raise taxes and irresponsible past legislatures.

The budget is due May 6.