Governor cuts education funding to cover Joplin tornado expenses

Gov. Jay Nixon announced $172 million in budget cuts, most from education to help cover funding for tornado-stricken Joplin and other areas that have been hit by disasters:

Nixon announced $172 million in cuts from the budget set to take effect July 1, including reductions in aid to colleges and universities, student scholarships and busing for public elementary and secondary schools.


Lawmakers passed a $23 billion-plus budget in early May, just days after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blew up the Birds Point-New Madrid levee and unleashed a swollen Mississippi River on an estimated 130,000 acres of fertile farmland and rural homes. A couple of weeks later, a tornado tore through Joplin, destroying more than 8,000 homes and businesses. The death toll has risen to 151 people.

Nixon has committed $50 million of state general revenue -- which was not anticipated in the budget -- for disaster response and recovery efforts.

On Friday, he cut $57 million from other parts of the state budget. Nixon said the disaster aid must be a priority.