Budget cut's effect uncertain
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Budget cut's effect uncertain

Date: October 29, 2009
By: Allison Blood
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  Governor Jay Nixon's most recent budget cuts hit Medicaid and hosptials the hardest, but lack of details has them guessing what the specific effects will be. Allison Blood has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  1:49
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Health Care organizations have no idea what to expect after Governor Jay Nixon cut 32 million dollars from Medicaid in addition to millions of dollars from Missouri hospitals and clinics.

Dave Dillon of Missouri Hospitals Association said they are in the dark.

Actuality:  DILLON1.WAV
Run Time:  00:01
Description: "We don't really know at this point."

Actuality:  JENKINS1.WAV
Run Time:  00:06
Description: "Uhm we'll be looking at it over the next few days and weeks and assessing their impact."
 
That was Mary Jenkins of University Hospitals and Clinics, an organization facing three million dollars in budget cuts from their opporating budget.
 
The Governor released few details on what programs within these organizations will be cut in order to save money, and that leaves hospitals and patients waiting.
 
Despite the uncertainty, Republican Budget Chairman Alan Icet says this is not the end of the budget cuts.
 
Actuality:  ICET2.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "The governor will actually have to come back, at what point in time I do not know, but the governor will have to come back and make further reductions."

Icet said because it's mandated by the Missouri constitution that the Governor must balance the budget, he will need to make more drastic cuts as the fiscal year continues.

Democratic Representative Chris Kelley said he's not sure if more cuts will come this year, but next year will be worse for sure.

Actuality:  KELLY2.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: "I think that the fiscal year 11 budget is going to be in general revinue alone, a half a billion dollars less than the fiscal year 10 budget that we're in now."

Kelly said made that prediction based on revinue estimates and how much federal stimulus money Missouri spent so far.

He said Missouri will spend 900 million dollars in stimulus funds next year.

The most recent round of budget cuts included the termination of 700 full and part-time government jobs, many from the Department of Natural Resources.

Nixon cut 634 million dollars from the state's budget so far this year.

From Jefferson City, I'm Allison Blood, KSMU news.