PLANNING GROUP TO TALK FUNDS

PERRYVILLE -- The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission may lose a portion of its funding from the state.

"We've been notified that the governor proposes zeroing out the state funding to regional planning in the new budget," said Thomas G. Tucker, executive director of the Southeast commission, one of 20 such organizations around the state.

"We realize that the budget situation is tight, but it's my opinion that the state has gained far more than it has put into regional planning commissions over the 18-year history of these organizations."

The possible funding cut, and the idea of a regional safehouse, which would provide a regional emergency shelter for victims of violence, are just two of a number of issues to be addressed by the Commission at a 2 p.m. meeting today at 1 West St. Joseph Street here.

"The proposal to totally do away with funding for the regional planning commissions would have a very negative impact on the services that we can deliver," said Tucker. "These funds are allocated for programs by the Regional Planning Commission membership and through the budgetary process."

Tucker said another alternative had been suggested: to phase out the state funding over three years, decreasing the funding each year.

"Either way, we'll have to discuss means of additional funding," said Tucker.

He explained that the state established the commissions in 1973. "The Southeast Commission was supposed to get $25,000," he said. "We got $21,000. That has since dropped to about $17,000.

"Last year the commission received a $10 increase in funding," said Tucker. "That amounted to 50 cents each for the 20 commissions in the state. But, because of a cutback during the past year, we received only $16,331.10."

The funds make up only a small portion of the commission's $632,500 budget, but are important for many of the commission's services, said Tucker.

"We have very little flexible money in our budget because most of the projects and funds are dedicated to a particular endeavor," he said. "I also don't know how we are going to fill the hole in the budget for those operating needs."

Tucker said he was recommending that all of the commission members contact their state senators and representatives expressing concern about the cut in funding.

Scheduled to appear on the program today are Dr. Barron Pratte, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Community Treatment Center near Farmington, and Jim Massie of Mineral Area Care Center in St. Francois County. They are to talk about operation of a regional safehouse.

"We have talked with Massie and Pratte for some time in evaluating the potential for such a safehouse," said Tucker. "This could provide a good opportunity to provide a required service and avoid the duplicative cost of provision of the service in each and every county."

Tucker said county commissions would have to individually decide whether they wanted to participate in such a program.

"However, we will be asking the full membership for authorization to work with the Southeast Missouri Community Treatment Center to develop grant funding to help support the activity." he said.