LETTERS: STATE OPERATING GROWTH AVERAGES 5 PERCENT

To the editor:

There is a basic factual error in your Oct. 18 editorial regarding spending on higher education. In it you state: "With the state budget increasing annually at 8 to 10 percent in recent years, the growth is far higher than the rate of inflation." In the last five years, growth in the state operating budget has averaged 5 percent. This includes federal funds -- earmarked for specific purposes -- that have increased faster than the rest of the state budget.

MARK E. WARD, Deputy Commissioner for Budget and Planning Office of Administration Jefferson City EDITOR'S NOTE: In the last decade, total spending for Missouri government has grown to $16.64 billion (budgeted for fiscal 2000, which started July 1) from $7.65 billion, an increase of 118 percent. Readers can do the math. In addition, an average increase of only 5 percent a year for the past five years, as claimed by Ward for the state's operating budget (excluding capital improvements), is still about double the rate of inflation.