Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a report that examined funding trends in K-12 education in the state. The report found Missouri ranks near the bottom for the portion of classroom funding that comes from state sources and the formula calculating per-student funding has not kept up with inflation. “The state is not […]
Tag: budget
Judge sets trial date for lawsuit over Missouri Medicaid expansion
(Missouri Independent) – The lawsuit seeking to force Missouri to expand Medicaid coverage under a voter-approved constitutional amendment will go to trial June 18 in Cole County. On Wednesday morning, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem met in a conference call with Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office and attorneys for the three people suing for coverage. In an online notation with […]
North Central Missouri Board of Trustees address lengthy agenda at latest meeting on Tuesday
The North Central Missouri Board of Trustees received a consolidated budget update on May 25, 2021. The 2021-2022 budget projection includes total operating revenue of $11,111,547. With auxiliary operations of $12,151,045, the total consolidated income is projected at $13,262,592. Revenues include $7,433,078 for tuition and fees and $2,939,169 in state appropriations. The budget projection also […]
Trenton City Council approves purchase of police cars, East 28th Street Bridge proposal rejected
The Trenton City Council took action Monday night on several topics including the adoption of three ordinances as recommended by the Trenton Utility Committee from last week. Toward the end of the council meeting, the discussion focused on what the city can do, if anything, to enforce the cleanup of property at 601 Jefferson Street. […]
Audio: Salvation Army to cease worship services; New funding allows assistance in paying rent and utilities for residents
The Salvation Army of Chillicothe ceased worship activities as of Sunday, May 23 and Captain Crystal Sherack says the change is due to budgets. Sherack will also move to Canton, Illinois at the end of June and work in a similar capacity. She has been at the Chillicothe location for less than one […]
Audio: Top MO Senate Democrat says anti-Medicaid expansion Republicans are more concerned about their next office
The next state budget does not include funding to expand Medicaid healthcare coverage to another 275-thousand low-income Missouri adults. The Republican-controlled Missouri Legislature refused to fund the expansion – setting up an expected court battle. John Rizzo, the top Democrat in the Missouri Senate, says the GOP is more concerned about their next office. […]
Free testing aims to curb STIs that went unchecked as COVID spread in Missouri
(Missouri Independent) – As the case counts of the novel coronavirus began to tick up last March across Missouri, providers who offer tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) found their resources were being pulled in two directions. Swabs were in short supply as they became needed for COVID-19 testing. Contact tracers, who reach out to […]
Braymer man now faces federal indictment in $215,000 fraud scheme
A Braymer, Missouri, man was indicted by a federal grand jury for a $215,000 cattle fraud scheme that he attempted to cover up by murdering two Wisconsin brothers. Garland Joseph Nelson, 27, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. The indictment charges Nelson with one count of […]
Advocates fear homeless crisis with federal eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground
(Missouri Independent) – At least once a day, housing advocate Melissa Pashia speaks to someone living in a car. Once the situation gets to this point, it’s hard to get people back into stable housing, said Pashia, a housing resource specialist for the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council. “Landlords don’t want to […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol promotes three to lieutenant
Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the following promotions. Sergeant Scott A. Ballard, Troop F, will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transfer to Field Operations Bureau, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, MO, effective June 1, 2021. Ballard was appointed to the Patrol on June 29, 2003, as […]
Advance monthly payments of Child Tax Credits to be made to approximately 39 million households
The Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have announced that the first monthly payment of the expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan will be made on July 15. Roughly 39 million households, covering 88% of children in the United States, are slated to begin receiving monthly […]
Medicaid provider taxes imperiled as compromise on abortion issues eludes lawmakers
(Missouri Independent) – The pathway to renewing provider taxes essential to funding Medicaid before Missouri lawmakers adjourn for the year became much narrower when issues raised by abortion opponents forced removal of the taxes from a health care bill. When a conference committee met to work out differences between the House and Senate on the bill, […]
Audio: Key bills passed in the final day or days of the Missouri Legislature’s session
Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
North Mercer Board of Education accepts resignation from Janet Searcy
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education accepted a resignation May 13th from Janet Searcy from music. Searcy has been with the district for more than 20 years. A contract was offered to Alyssa Craig of Mercer as a paraprofessional. Nellie Henley was designated as the head cook. Henley has been with North Mercer for […]
Governor Parsons signs fiscal year 2021 supplemental budget bill
Governor Mike Parson signed HB 15, which allows for the continued current operations of state government through FY 2021. HB 15 totals over $2.1 billion, including $254.8 million in general revenue, $1.7 billion in federal funds, and $116.7 million in other funds. The supplemental budget bill contains funding for several items, including the USDA’s Summer […]
State of Missouri withdraws State Plan Amendments for expansion of MO HealthNet
The Missouri Department of Social Services submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services formally withdrawing its State Plan Amendments for MO HealthNet expansion. On August 4, 2020, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding MO HealthNet eligibility to individuals between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level. However, the […]
Missouri’s Governor Parson abandons plans to implement voter-approved Medicaid expansion
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri will not expand Medicaid coverage to working-age adults on July 1 because lawmakers refused to include funding for the health care program in the state budget, Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday. In a news release, Parson said the state was withdrawing documents submitted to the federal government necessary to add the approximately 275,000 […]
Annualization of salaries within the school district tops discussion at Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on Tuesday, May 11, discussed non-certified payroll annualization with district Bookkeeper Mona Loyd and Administrative Assistant Susan Leeper. Loyd started by saying she had been willing to try annualization at the time the board originally voted to implement it for non-certified staff. She did not have the forethought to […]
Audio: North Central Missouri College to see huge infusion of funding from state budget
The state legislature voted Friday, May 7, to give final approval to a $34 billion state operating budget; however, the budget has not been signed by the governor. North Central Missouri College President Doctor Lenny Klaver says he is pleased where the college is in the process. He explains that, in the budget, community colleges […]