State Auditor Says Current MO Budget Is “Broken” And Likely Will Run Out

The Missouri State budget is broken with current spending projected to run the state’s General Revenue Fund dry.

That’s according to State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s office which performed a follow-up analysis of the General Revenue Fund’s financial condition after the previous report documented that the state has been depleting the surplus balance due to a combination of deficit spending and slowing revenue growth.

The General Revenue balance at the end of Fiscal 2026 is expected to be about $2.3 billion before projected deficit spending of $1.7 billion in Fiscal 2027 will bring the fund’s balance down to $600 million which will be wiped out early in Fiscal 2028.

The auditor’s office says there is some good news even if the fund runs dry because, constitutionally unlike the federal government, it will force the state to reduce spending to no more than what is being collected.