State Rep. Clouse Discusses Budget Deficit Ahead of Legislative Session

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Jan 27 2016 10:23 AM

State Representative Steve Clouse (R-Dale, Houston) started off with the good news first at the Ozark Rotary Meeting on January 26, 2016: the state's education budget.

 

"We've got the budget in pretty good shape now, and I think, probably, there will be a pay raise for education employees this next year, and there will be more money for classrooms and pre-kindergarten,” Clouse said.

 

He then moved on to the bad news, the same news we have heard for the last several years.

 

"The general fund budget is still going to be on life support. We've got some big issues there, primarily centered around Medicaid. You never know from year to year what kind of costs we're dealing with there,” said Clouse.

 

That budget is now facing what he estimated as a 30 to 50 million dollar deficit, cutting into major programs and funding needed for prison reform, mental health, and the court system, just to name a few.

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