By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – The House has given final approval to Governor Matt Blunt's state budget plan.
House Speaker Rod Jetton says the $21-billion proposal raises both education and health care spending, while providing tax relief to teachers and senior citizens.
It also holds $200 million in reserve in case of an emergency. But House Minority Leader Jeff Harris thinks that's a mistake.
The governor has $200 million that he's going to hoard, and carry over, I guess, to next year, Harris said. He could've very easily taken just part of that money and undone all of the damage that he and others did in 2005.
Harris and other House Democrats campaigned unsuccessfully to have Medicaid cuts made two years ago restored.
The Missouri Senate is not expected to put them back in, but they might restore the Amtrak cuts made by the House. Senators will begin work on the budget next week.