Nixon proposes $89 million higher-ed cut

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon again proposed drastic cuts to the state's higher education system Tuesday, a move that was lambasted by area legislators as the last place to seek savings.

Before delivering his fourth State of the State address to a joint legislative session, the Democratic governor had presented a fiscal 2013 budget proposal that cut $89 million from higher education, the second largest cut behind only $191 million from Medicaid.

"You can't keep cutting higher education and then tell higher ed they cannot have tuition hikes," said Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson. "You can't do both."

Lichtenegger and Rep. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, are both on the higher education committee. Both acknowledged that "hard decisions" are going to have to be made, but said they felt like higher education should have been among the last things to be cut.

Wallingford's district is home to Southeast Missouri State University.

"How are we going to see any real job growth if we're not training a future workforce?" Wallingford said. "He talked about growing signs of technology and attracting technological companies to Missouri. But it all starts in the school system."

This was the third straight year that Nixon proposed cuts to public universities while favoring K-12 schools in an election-year budget plan that avoids tax increases and emphasizes efforts to expand private-sector jobs.

Nixon proposed a nearly $23 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year, a slight reduction from the current year's spending. It would cut funding for higher education by 12.5 percent while holding aid for student scholarships steady and would eliminate 816 state positions to help close the funding gap between expenses and revenue.

Nixon said the employee cuts would reduce the state payroll to its smallest level in 15 years. Nixon also proposed a slight $5 million increase in basic aid to public K-12 schools.

Nixon said he was optimistic about Missouri's future, calling the people of Missouri "stubborn and self-reliant." He boasted that Missouri is "moving forward" and has maintained "strict fiscal discipline and balanced our budget -- and we've done it without raising taxes."

The opposing party didn't exactly see it that way. In a prepared Republican response, Rep. Tim Jones of Eureka said Nixon again delivered a speech full of "lofty rhetoric, brimming with hope."

But Jones called on Nixon to "follow through on his promises. But if the past is any indication, his leadership will stop once the cameras are turned off and the reality of life continues."

The Legislature has until early May to make changes to the budget and send it back to Nixon. Lichtenegger said the real job is going to be figuring out what to cut.

"It's not going to be pretty," she said. "We've got some tough decisions to make."

Wallingford said Nixon offered few specifics during his speech. He also took issue with Nixon's assertion that the state is moving forward.

"I don't think we're moving forward fast enough," Wallingford said. "I think we're moving at a turtle's pace."

But Wallingford said he did agree with Nixon's call for tax credit reform. Nixon said that over the past two years, $2 billion in state tax credits have been redeemed. He asked lawmakers to pass comprehensive tax credit reform to "get this under control."

Nixon also commented on several natural disasters that took place in Missouri in 2011, including the Joplin tornado, massive spring flooding and he referenced the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway.

"What some call an intentional breach, I call the blowing up of the levee at Birds Point," Nixon said.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pertinent address: Jefferson City, MO