Mo. Gov. Nixon releases $1.6M in budget cuts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon is releasing $1.6 million that he trimmed from the current year's budgets for social service programs, firefighter training and the state Senate.

Nixon budget director Linda Luebbering said Tuesday that $1.2 million was released for domestic violence shelters, crisis care services for children and Area Agencies on Aging. Nixon also released $200,000 each for firefighter training and the operations of the state Senate.

The Democratic governor had held back $172 million while approving the budget that took effect last July. Nixon softened the budget cuts for the three social service programs in August, and his latest action means the programs will receive the full amount budgeted by the Republican-controlled Legislature. The firefighter training money was also restored.

Luebbering says the budget restorations were made earlier this month.