State Auditor Urges Kehoe to Balance Budget as Missouri Continues to Cut Into Reserves

State auditor urges Kehoe to balance budget as Missouri continues to cut into reserves

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick on Wednesday urged Gov. Mike Kehoe to balance the budget, saying current spending is jeopardizing Missouri's fiscal health. Fitzpatrick stated in a news release that the fiscal 2027 budget increased spending from the state's general revenue fund. The state is expected to spend over $1.7 billion for the year. At this rate, Fitzpatrick expects the fund to shrink from around $5.8 billion in…

Missouri auditor warns deep budget cuts loom as surplus nears end

Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick speaks to reporters about a critical report of the Secretary of State's office on Jan. 23, 2024 (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent). Missouri is about to exhaust the surplus lawmakers relied on to balance the state budget, and elected officials are going to have to make deep cuts to align spending with revenue, State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said in a report released Wednesday. The report shows a worsening pi…

State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick warns Missouri remains on track for painful, emergency budget cuts

Republican Scott Fitzpatrick (AP Photo/Summer Ballentine)JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (June 10, 2026) -- As Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe prepares to take action on the Fiscal Year 2027 state operating budget, State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is urging him to take steps to proactively balance the budget now before more painful cuts are needed in the future.Despite a warning from Fitzpatrick before the 2026 legislative session began, a new report from his o…