May 19, 2022

Missouri state budget contains big projects, but also needed, less exciting, investments

Posted May 19, 2022 4:52 PM

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Missouri lawmakers approved a record $48 billion state budget this legislative session, a budget swollen by a huge influx of federal coronavirus relief and stimulus money.

Senate Appropriations Committee chair, Sen. Dan Hegeman of Cosby, says while the budget contained money for big, capital improvement projects and major programs, it also included $100 million to repair and upgrade rural roads.

“This is a bell I’ve been ringing for some time, the need to address the deplorable shape of our rural roads, our lettered routes, our farm-to-market roads, our low-volume roads, couch it however you want,” Hegeman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “We have a great need of addressing the degradation of our roads.”

Hegeman says the budget contains a good number of high-profile projects and programs, but it also funds what he says are the “not real exciting” projects.

“Putting in a water system, putting in a sewer system, that’s not real exciting, but it’s basic function of what government does,” Hegeman says. “It’s what makes our lives better on an individual, daily basis.”

Maybe not as exciting as breaking ground on new buildings and other ribbon-cutting, capital improvement projects, but just as important, according to Hegeman.

“Those are pretty exciting things, but it is the infrastructure needs, getting broadband out there, it’s things we take for granted, but they’re so important to our daily lives.”

Hegeman says the budget process went better than he expected. He credits the work of budget leaders in both the Senate and House as well as the cooperation of Gov. Mike Parson. While more than a $1 billion in federal funds helped a great deal, Hegeman says the state budget also benefitted from a strong state economy. Hegeman says the big numbers in this budget could have caused a big rift in the legislature.

“I had great worries that this would be an overwhelming project or an overwhelming task this year, due to the large amount of dollars and it was very trying along the way, but I was actually very surprised at how smoothly it went,” according to Hegeman.

The budget bills await the signature of Gov. Parson, who can cross out some spending through the power of line-item veto.