During his State of the State address on January 28, Governor Kehoe outlined his budget requests including a cut of $5 million to state transit operating assistance. The SFY 2026 Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission request was $11.7 million for Missouri transit. This request included $10 million from General Revenue and $1.7 million from the State Transportation Fund. This has been the funding level since 2023.
“It is a disappointment to see our wins for transit investment reduced in this year’s budget recommendations from the Governor. This investment in transit is a critical match to ensure our providers can draw down the historic federal funding levels available for public transit back to Missouri. The price of doing business continues to escalate and this $5 million is critical to continue to be able to deliver in Missouri,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “This just means we will have to work even harder this year to educate the legislature on the importance of this investment to the state’s bottom line.”
Transit supporters can help by reaching out members of the House and Senate Committees on the importance of transit investment using the links below: