Missouri’s revenue collections are up compared to a year ago.
The latest numbers from Governor Jay Nixon’s Budget Office show the state took in 7.5 percent more revenue last month than it did in October of 2011.
State Budget director Linda Luebbering says that’s part of the reason why state workers will get to stay home on November 23rd.
“It does cost us a little bit to provide those holidays to state employees, and that’s why he didn’t authorize that in 2010 and 11, because of that cost to the budget,” says Luebbering
Peter Mueser is an Economics professor at the University of Missouri–Columbia. He says despite the positive report, the state still has a way to go:
“Well, a seven percent increase is a substantial improvement, but obviously we would hope for more…there’s been hope that the economy would begin to improve very quickly, and as positive as things look, they aren’t as positive as anyone had hoped a year or two or three ago,” says Mueser.
State offices in Missouri have been open the past two Black Fridays.