While enjoying happy hour at an upscale establishment, I watched the bar tender get something out of his supply cabinet. To my surprise, I saw a box of 15 ounce Pilsner glasses.
True, I wasn’t promised a “pint” of beer for my $6.00. And, some quick research showed that 15 ounce glasses represent the industry standard. (For a reasonable price Amazon would put a case on my door step by sunset tomorrow.)
Still, seeing beer servings go the way of ice cream and coffee – a half gallon of ice cream now holds 48 ounces and a “one pound” can of coffee weighs between 10 and 11 ounces – almost brought a tear to my eye. I fear that the 15 ounce glass soon yields to 14 ounces, meaning the next generation never gets to experience a well-poured pint.
On a similar note, Missouri Republicans continue promising a pint yet delivering a half-filled glass.
Take for example the Accidental Governor’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget. While the governor calls for $18.1 million in new funding to fight the spreading opioid crisis (which, in reality, moved about as fast as a glacier), under Republican control the state downgraded alcohol and drug abuse activities from a division within the Department of Mental Health to a mere subsidiary component of the division for psychiatric care. Funding for treatment and prevention got targeted for cuts most every year.
Today, more people get treated for drug abuse in Missouri’s prisons than by the Department of Mental Health.
Simply put, Missouri missed the opportunity to minimize opioid issues with targeted prevention and treatment dollars over the last decade. Now, well, calling it the “opioid crisis” hits the nail.
Same way with education funding. The majority party claims they will ‘fully fund’ education. Yes, they plan to pay the minimum to dill-out the formula they reduced the other year, leaving Missouri schools most of a half billion dollars light of what they should have received under the old, also inadequate formula.
The bottom line? Republican legislators want smaller government at all costs. If families get whacked by opioid abuse or teachers don’t get pay raises for years, well, that’s acceptable so that state government can shrink – and taxes lowered.
Of course, many cuts result in death. Oh, not just having a lack of treatment for those fighting drug addiction, no, the FY20 budget also demands a dramatic reduction in MO HealthNet – a better than $300 million core reduction. To hit that number around 50,000 Missouri citizens must be denied health coverage. Since better than two of every three citizens on Medicaid are children…
The Missouri Budget Project and the state auditor note than Missouri’s General Revenue collections now run around $4 billion a year below what the Hancock Amendment requires. Missouri could adequately fund education, fix roads, offer substantial and quality prevention and treatment to drug users, and, paint all the restrooms in the state parks without touching the Hancock lid.
Don’t hold your breath. This session the legislature will consider a score of new tax reductions and tax breaks. Republicans like to drink from a half-filled and undersized glass of beer.
Glenn