Missouri lawmakers have ideas on what to do with budget surplus

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - There is roughly $6 billion that lawmakers have to work with when it comes to the Missouri budget.

There are several ideas on the table from another tax cut, to teacher pay, to childcare to healthcare.

One thing newly elected Speaker of the House Dean Plocher says he would like to see with that budget is give Missourians some of their money back.

“It’s paid for by the taxes are paid for by Missouri citizens, it’s their working dollar that they contribute and run the state. There are so many ways that we tax in the state of Missouri, I mean, there’s the income tax or sales taxes, personal property taxes, which I think have gone up regular property taxes,” said Representative Plocher.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade doesn’t think another cut would be the right move.

”Absolutely not. Listen, we have a $6 billion surplus. I’ve said many times, we have probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to make real investments in Missouri,” said Representative Quade.

On the other side of the Capitol, some State Senators warn not to cut government services in the process.

”We see infrastructure all over the state crumbling I mean, I-70 is a perfect example for us in Springfield, if you drive to St. Louis, I-44, sometimes is almost scary. And then there’s always higher education, K-12, spending, teacher’s salaries,” said State Senator Lincoln Hough. A republican from Greene County.

State Senator Doug Beck agrees and points to the chronic need for childcare.

”One of the top priorities of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, they said that facing our working people is childcare, the ability to have childcare for these folks, so they can go back to work, and work in some of these industries where we’re seeing a lack of, of worker participation,” said State Senator Doug Beck, a democrat from St. Louis.

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