JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In his first major public appearance since news of his affair broke, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens released his recommendations for the state's budget.
His plan includes increased spending on elementary and secondary education, infrastructure, child welfare programs and public safety. However, he recommends slashing $68.2 million from higher education.
After announcing his budget plan, Gov. Greitens was forced to address the elephant in the room: the affair he admitted to and allegations of blackmail surrounding it.
"A lot that's been put out is not true. There was no blackmail. There was no violence. There was no photograph for blackmail. There was no threat of using a photograph for blackmail," Gov. Greitens told reporters.
Although he denies allegations of blackmail, Gov. Greitens declined several times to answer whether or not a photo was taken.
"I addressed those questions here today. We addressed them over the weekend in multiple interviews, and Sheena and I and our team are moving forward to serve the people of Missouri," the governor said.
While Gov. Greitens told 41 Action News he can effectively work with lawmakers on the budget, some have raised concerns. State Sen. Rob Schaaf (R-St.Joseph) is just one of the lawmakers calling for the governor's resignation.
"There's a cloud, and I think there will be for the entire session as long as the governor stays there," Schaaf said.
After Greitens announced his plans to cut the the state's budget for higher education, the University of Missouri and the University of Central Missouri sent the following statements to 41 Action News.
Today, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi, University of Missouri-Columbia Chancellor Alexander Cartwright, University of Missouri-Kansas City Interim Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer, Missouri University of Science and Technology Interim Chancellor Christopher Maples and University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor Thomas George issued the statement below following the release of the state budget by Missouri Governor Eric Greitens.
“We recognize and appreciate the hard work of our elected leaders in addressing the fiscal challenges facing the state. As the largest public institution of higher learning in Missouri, we’ll also contribute our share to address these fiscal challenges. The latest reductions in state support for the University of Missouri System add up to $71 million during the past three years with an additional $38 million at risk through performance funding. This has required administrative restructuring, efficiency measures, and cuts to academic and support programs. These budget difficulties also underscore the need for Missouri public universities to have relief from Senate Bill 389 to grow our revenue during periods of shrinking state support. Without this relief, the quality of our educational offerings, access to critical services by our students, and the impact of our institution in creating economic and community development will be diminished.
“Our commitment to an affordable education is stronger than ever before, and we look forward to working with elected leaders to keep our investment in higher education a top priority for the state of Missouri because of its significant positive impact for the future of Missouri.”
