State Predicts Shortfall

The state of Missouri is going to face a large hole when the legislature returns in January. 

Governor Jay Nixon’s budget director sent a memo last week to various budget officers and department heads.  In the memo it said the state is anticipating a 600 million dollar shortfall for the 2012 budget. That budget will have to be signed into law by May of 2011.  The memo says the 280 million dollars in cuts made in June to be permanent.  Department heads are also asked to offset mandatory spending increases with cuts when they submit their 2012 budgets.  The shortfall comes from the phase out of over 860 million dollars in federal funds that are being used in the 2011 budget.