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| Saving state money starts in prison |
| By themaneater.com |
| Published: 02/26/2010 |
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The recent slow down in the economy has caught up with Missouri lawmakers, and that means budget cuts are inevitable. Unlike the federal government, the Missouri Constitution requires legislatures to keep a balanced budget. Using predicted revenue levels, lawmakers try to balance the budget for the next year. Any revenue above what was budgeted is set aside in a rainy day fund, and when revenue falls below predictions, it is taken out of this fund and used to offset the loss. The Missouri state budget is $23 billion. General revenue for the state (taxes and the like) comes out to just less than $8 billion, and the legislature has to find a way to cut $1.3 billion from the budget. With such a drastic budget cut underway, state government has to reduce its size. Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Ray Price encouraged lawmakers to take a closer look at the cost of incarcerating nonviolent law offenders, during his State of the Judiciary speech earlier this month. "Perhaps the biggest waste of resources in all of state government is the over-incarceration of nonviolent offenders," Price said. House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, attempted to correct the budget by asking the Corrections Appropriations Committee for a $19 million cut from the corrections department. His cuts faced opposition from Rep. Michael Brown, D-Kansas City, and others who thought the cuts were too much. Read More. |
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