State budget office created to counter governor's power closes

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri lawmakers have eliminated a budget office they created to counter the governor's power.

Dan Kowalski, director of the Legislative Budget Office, said the office closed Friday after lawmakers decided earlier this year not to reauthorize it. Before coming to Missouri, Kowalski worked for the U.S. House Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office.

The budget office's creation was announced in 2007. It was designed to give lawmakers an arm to analyze how bills and policies affect the state's budget. Researchers already prepared cost estimates for legislation but relied on cooperation from state agencies controlled by the executive branch.