Officials: $350M in FY11 budget cuts still needed

Despite legislative efforts to trim Missouri's budget for fiscal 2011, the state budget office announced Tuesday that more will have to be done.

Missouri State Budget Director Linda Luebbering said that about $350 million will have to be cut from the $23.3 billion budget approved by the General Assembly last week.

According to a news release from Luebbering's office, the legislature's budget cuts to date are insufficient for three reasons:

• The budget assumed several money-saving legislative ideas would pass, but many did not receive approval;

• Several legislative assumptions on revenue sources will likely not materialize, including federal funding and unrealistically low Medicaid caseload expectations; and

• Monthly revenue collections continue to come in below expected levels.

Gov. Jay Nixon will likely need to make additional cuts himself before signing the appropriation bills next month, according to the release.[[In-content Ad]]