Missouri governor, budgeters predict 2 percent revenue hike

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Republican Gov. Mike Parson and Republican legislative budget leaders are predicting a 2 percent growth in state revenue next fiscal year.

Parson, House Budget chairman Scott Fitzpatrick and Senate Appropriations chairman Dan Brown announced the estimate Friday.

The growth estimate is important because it's used to help craft a budget for the fiscal year beginning in July.

Fitzpatrick said the estimate is conservative but realistic. He said the state's finances are on solid ground.

But top Democratic House budgeter Rep. Kip Kendrick said the state will miss out on $320 million in revenue next fiscal year because of a 2014 tax cut.