JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – The Missouri House approved its version of the state budget, sending the $47.9 billion spending plan to the next step. But it’s what’s not in that budget getting the most attention.
The budget approved Thursday leaves more than $2 billion on the bottom line, but it’s at the cost of child care providers who need some state help to stay afloat. The budget has to be finalized by 6 p.m. on May 9. This is the general assembly’s only constitutional duty.
House Budget Chair Rep. Dirk Deaton had to make tough calls as he worked to craft a state budget with lower revenue, depleting federal funds, and an uncertain future. One of those calls was removing more than $100 million for child care subsidies.
The money removed for child care subsidies came from one-time federal funds. It was removed because the state would have to pay it in the future, a cost the House budget chair does not think the state could take on.
“That was a concern as it relates to sustainability, which is why we didn’t move forward at this time,” Deaton said. “Having said that, we have invested heavily in this program in the last few years.”
But Democratic lawmakers criticized the Budget Chair for what they called prioritizing savings over people.
“Are we measuring ourselves in food in the belly? Is Narcan distributed? In children’s programs? Or are we measuring ourselves in, oh, we cut so many billion dollars?” said Rep. Del Taylor of St. Louis.
Missouri’s budget analysts are predicting $13.35 billion in general revenue for the fiscal year 2025 state budget. That’s a 0.6% decline from last year’s general revenue. General revenue is the money left to be spent, there is more money that’s already been allocated to specific state departments.
The money cut would have supported a program where the state pays part of a low-income family’s tuition for child care. It is different from the current program in that it would pay the providers based on enrollment instead of attendance. It was put in the budget by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Robin Phillips with Child Care Aware Missouri helps Missourians access child care and promotes safe and quality early childhood education. Phillips said state subsidies benefit both families and child care providers.
“That funding to pay them on enrollment versus attendance and paying them in advance would be key to stabilizing some of the system,” Phillips said.
The highest-ranking Democrat on the budget committee, Rep. Betsy Fogle, laments the removal of these funds as lawmakers sent the spending plan to the Senate for more discussion.
It is possible for the Senate to add back in the funding for childcare.
“We sat in that hearing room for countless hours listening to people cry and scream and express their frustration about our inability to do our job as a general assembly and the department to get those dollars out the door,” Fogle said. “I don’t envision a world where the Senate does not do something to restore some level of child care funding.”
A study from United WE, a research group focused on women and family issues, shows there are three children in need for every open child care spot. The study said 85% of Missouri does not have enough child care for working parents, which is preventing economic growth.
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