From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Help  

Budget filed five weeks before its deadline

March 31, 2005
By: Meghan Kloth
State Capital Bureau

The House is fast-tracking the bill to reduce medicaid. Meghan Kloth has more from Jefferson City.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Governor Matt Blunt's proposal to cut one-hundred thousand people off medicaid passed out of a House committee late last night with no changes.

Speaker Rod Jetton said medicaid must get through the House and on the governor's desk before they can take on the budget.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

I'm hoping that we're able to keep it the way it is because I think it's a very good bill. And for the time factor I'd like to see it go ahead and passed"

Jetton says medicaid has to be finished first so the government knows how much money it has in savings.

Medicaid and the budget all need to be finalized before the May 6 deadline.

From the state capitol, I'm Meghan Kloth.

###

###

A month and a half later than last year, the House finally filed the first draft of the state budget. Meghan Kloth has more from Jefferson City.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Last night, the House budget committee filed a version of the budget separate from Governor Matt Blunt's proposal.

Commitee Chair Republican Brad Lager said their budget was designed to protect the state's most vulnerable citizens.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

" We have to take and make some very difficult decisions to make sure Missouri's most vulnerable and most needy are protected. There are going to be reforms and we are going to do things differently."

The budget increase K-12 spending while cutting money for social services.

Lager hopes to have the budget on the House floor in two weeks.

From the state Capitol, I'm Meghan Kloth.

The first draft of the Missouri state budget is in and democrats still aren't happy. Meghan Kloth has more from Jefferson City.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Democrats remain concerned about cuts to medicaid and senior citizens in the new budget.

They also cite reduced access to health care for families and children as areas of concern.

Democratic Floor Leader Jeff Harris led the discussion about the democratic opinions.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

"These budget bills don't camoflouge the negative things that are being done to Missourians."

House leaders say the budget will be on the floor in two weeks for debate.

From the state capitol, I'm Meghan Kloth.

#