Crowell discusses state's budget woes

State Rep. Jason Crowell, a Cape Girardeau Republican, outlined Missouri's budget problems to the Cape Girardeau Lions Club on Wednesday.

Crowell was the guest speaker at the Lions Club's weekly meeting at the Holiday Inn. Invited to give a wrap-up of the latest legislative session, Crowell focused his talk on Missouri's budgetary problems.

With Missouri facing a projected shortfall of $230 million for fiscal 2002, Crowell spoke of the importance of cutting back state expenses.

"We need to work together as a state," Crowell said. "We have to look long-term at how we spend tax dollars."

In discussing his decision to vote against the governor's proposal to tap into the Rainy Day Fund, which the House voted down, Crowell said it was important to look for other ways to balance the budget, instead of spending more state money.

"It was time to cut off state money," Crowell said. "It was time to say enough is enough."

Keeping with the theme of budgetary problems, the topic of education was discussed.

Crowell expressed his disappointment with the imminent cuts in higher education that will affect Southeast Missouri and Southeast Missouri State University in particular.

After finishing his discussion, Crowell fielded questions from Lions members.

When asked about the effects that the terrorism attacks of Sept. 11 had on the state, Crowell said the main effects of the events of Sept. 11 have been limited to the travel industry.

Crowell did leave the group with some signs of hope, though, saying that a balanced budget for 2003 has been passed.