MSU affected by Greitens’ budget cuts

Missouri State University is among those affected by $146.4 million in budget cuts announced yesterday by Gov. Eric Greitens.

Specifically, the cuts target MSU’s cooperative engineering program with the Missouri University of Science and Technology and the pharmacy school project in partnership with University of Missouri-Kansas City, according to a list of budget restrictions included in a news release from the governor’s office.

Together, the funding cut from the two MSU programs is $1.6 million.

MSU’s partnership with Missouri S&T is losing $808,338. That’s roughly 40 percent of a $2 million budget increase for the engineering program former Gov. Jay Nixon signed into action during an April 2016 visit to MSU.

The Springfield college’s initiative with UMKC is losing $808,331, according to the budget notes.

Greitens’ cuts also include $55.9 million in core funding for four-year institutions and $11.9 million in core funding for community colleges.

The newly inaugurated governor said in the release the cuts are necessary to balance Missouri’s budget.

"You elected me because I’ll always tell it like it is, and more hard choices lie ahead,” Greitens said in the release. “But as Missourians, I believe that we must come together, tighten our belts, be smart and wise with our tax dollars, and work our way out of this hole by bringing more jobs with higher pay to the people of Missouri.”

Greitens indicated no money would be taken from K-12 education. Other cuts include those for the state departments of Revenue, Transportation and Economic Development.

Last week, Greitens released Missouri’s consensus revenue estimate for fiscal 2018. For the fiscal year starting July 1, revenue is expected to be $9.4 billion. The projected budget for Greitens’ first full fiscal year in office is 3 percent above Missouri’s revised fiscal 2017 forecast of $9.1 billion. The revised forecast was decreased from the previously projected $9.6 billion.

In yesterday’s release, Greitens said over $700 million in budget cuts will be required over the next 18 months.

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