We have weathered another week of our new Missouri normal, temperatures included! Although I miss working with my colleagues to pass beneficial legislation, I am very thankful to be stationed at home, in our community, during this pandemic. I see the effects in our neighborhoods, hear from my constituents about some of the difficulties they face and feel the uneasiness of “wait and see”. With some of the stimulus checks being deposited in low-balance checking accounts and workers and businesses gaining more access to the CARES Act programs, hopefully the “see” will overtake the “wait” in the coming weeks.
Economic Impact Payments
Help is on the way! The Internal Revenue Service will start issuing Economic Impact Payments this week. If you have a social security number, filed income taxes in 2018 and 2019, earn less than the established maximums and are not claimed as a dependent, you should automatically receive a check with no further action needed. If you did not file income taxes in either of these years, you may still qualify for a stimulus check by entering some additional information.
Federal funds from the CARES Act will also start trickling into states in the next few weeks. The state auditor will monitor the state’s spending of these funds. The auditor’s office is in the process of developing an online tool so Missourians can see how the money is distributed among the state’s agencies and departments, while also tracking its effectiveness in providing appropriate relief services.
As this assistance starts to lessen some of the hardships our community faces, I remain concerned for us all, especially for our farmers. It is hard to put a price tag on the time and energy farmers spend growing the food that will nourish our families. The USDA has recently released a COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide to outline some of the programs that are available to assist in rural recovery efforts and guide those working on the frontlines of the agriculture industry.
COVID-19 Resource Guides for Businesses and Workers
My office has also responded to some of the needs and inquiries yielded by the residents of Dade, Jasper and Newton counties and compiled some new resource guides. Please refer to the COVID-19 Assistance for Workers and Businesses for details on the programs that are in place, and share the links on your social media channels to help get the word out.
Session Update
The General Assembly will probably resume session on Monday, August 27, with the goal of passing a budget by May 8. While I do not serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, my estimate is that we will need to cut the budget by between $500 million and $1 billion depending on the amount of federal aid and how quickly and robustly the economy recovers. I do not believe in “sacred cows” in cuts this dramatic. In my opinion, all areas of government and expenses should equitably share in meeting the short fall. Because this new budget will be based on so many uncertainties, there may well be the need for an extra session later in the year to adjust this budget for any additional federal funds and to take into account the actual amounts of general revenue collected by the state.
I regret that most of the legislation we have worked on in the House and Senate during the first part of the session will not make it through the process due to time constraints. I believe those bills that have already been passed by one house of the General Assembly and are already in the other have the best chance of success. With at least one of the three remaining weeks dedicated to the budget that leaves little time for negotiations and efforts to build consensus on many bills.
Although the remainder of the 2020 legislative session is still in flux, I remain optimistic about the future of our state. Crises often bring folks together and allow us to realize what really matters. Thank you for remaining diligent and united through this outbreak. Your positive attitudes and selfless acts are an inspiration.
