Hogs and the Budget
The Legislature has approved a 35-billion dollar state operating budget. The Budget has some questionable spending and arguments continue as well.
One such point, the budget contains language prohibiting the Department of Conservation from funding a federal employee at the Mark Twain National Forest. During Friday’s floor debate, Yukon GOP State Representative Robert Ross told colleagues that the Conservation Department tried to put 130-thousand dollars in the budget for an employee. Ross said, this was going to be a 6th forest ranger that Missouri tax dollars would support. Ross also stated that the federal employee was “ …simply going to harass individuals on Mark Twain National Forest looking to hunt and kill these hogs.”
Ross says under the new budget, the funding instead will pay for things like feral hog traps and cameras. The budget is now on Governor Parson’s desk.