Higher ed. funding on committee's agenda
A House of Representatives committee will consider Gov. Matt Blunt's proposal to increase funding.
Published Feb. 7, 2006
State legislatures will meet today to consider Gov. Matt Blunt's proposal to increase funding for higher education by $17 million, which includes about $8 million more for the UM system.
This meeting is the first this session of the Missouri House of Representative's committee on education funding.
Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, a member of the committee, said the most important issue the committee would consider is the governor's proposed increase in funding.
"It is my belief that the committee will support that increase," Baker said.
If the education funding committee approves the increase, it would then go to the House's budget committee for final approval before a full vote. The budget committee is not bound to use the money for higher education.
"The appropriations committee will mark-up all of the higher-education budget requests from the governor," said Kathlyn Fares, R-St. Louis, who is the chairwoman of the education funding committee. "When our decisions reach the budget committee, representatives can decide whether or not to take funds from higher education."
Baker said that though their decisions affect the amount of money that goes to each university, the committees do not formally advise tuition decisions.
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