Missouri House Democrats discuss priorities for fiscal year budget

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Missouri House of Representative Democrats discussed priorities for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget on Monday.

Some of those priorities include Medicaid, income, education, and healthcare.

“Our vision for the budget is based on investing in families, investing in Missouri’s workforce, and investing in the future,” said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade.

She discussed the governor wanting to give money towards education.

”Although the governor’s budget is good news for higher education, it doesn’t come close to making up all the ground public colleges and universities have lost over 20 years of reduced or flat funding,” said Rep. Quade.

During his state of the state address, Governor Parson said he wanted to fully fund K-12 schools.

”We are again fully funding the Foundation Formula,” said Governor Parson.

Representative Quade said she is happy the budget will include fully funding Medicaid.

”We are of course, ecstatic that he has pledged to fully fund Medicaid expansion, even if he didn’t see fit to mention it in the state of the state,” said Rep. Quade.

Representative Peter Meredith also expressed his frustration the emergency supplemental money earmarked for schools has not been taken up in committee yet. He says schools are needing that money.

”We are hearing from school districts across the state that they’re in a crisis mode that most of them have spent down the funds they had from the previous allotment from the federal government, and they’re waiting for these dollars, they need them right now,” said Representative Meredith.

Another thing discussed was healthcare and serving underserved communities.

”Whether it’s to show me healthy babies, or whether it’s any health care program, as well as us looking forward for minority-owned businesses. We need to do more in those underserved communities and support those minority businesses,” said Representative LaKeySha Bosley.

The budget needs to be done by the end of the Legislative session in May.

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