Town and Country State Rep. Weighs In On State Of The State Address

The State of Missouri continues to have to cut programs in order to balance our budget. In an environment where we are considering every option and looking in every direction for job creation opportunities, it is hard to hear that the Governor's proposal includes an approximately 12% cut to higher education.  After all, we know that companies move to states that have a well educated workforce. 

With today's businesses starting and growing in the areas of science and technology, these cuts to our post secondary educational system seem counter-intuitive. And yet, we have few other places we can cut. Due to being unable to fully fund the K-12 education foundation formula, the legislature will be looking to revamp the formula so that it meets the state budget rather than the budget being based on what we believe the needs to be.   

The Governor is taking full advantage of the Ford and Chrysler plants that continue to grow jobs here after incentives he championed proved successful.  We will be putting people back to work by encouraging the ancillary businesses that produce items used in the building of automobiles by providing tax incentives for them to locate and hire people here in Missouri.

The Governor knows full well that Missourians are in no mood for any tax increase even though funding for programs and services are being cut. (When are people in the mood for tax increases??) It would be my hope that he will support the "Mainstream Fairness Act," which allows the State to collect internet sales taxes which are often already being paid. This influx of uncollected taxes would help fund education or any other programs the legislature deems worthy.  Let's see if the legislature has the will to make this happen for our communities and state!

Schupp represents parts of Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Town and Country and unincorporated St. Louis County in the Missouri General Assembly.