Advocacy Alert: Restore Transit Funding in the Missouri Budget

Last-minute budget cuts could make life harder for families, employers, and local governments in Missouri, but if we act together, we can take action to reverse the cuts.

Gov. Kehoe issued a line item veto in the Missouri state budget which slashed transit funding by 42%. If allowed to stand, this cut will worsen existing transit challenges, making it harder for Missourians to reach jobs, healthcare, and other essential resources. With your help, we can urge state legislators to restore this critical funding during the September veto session.

Each year, the Missouri legislature must adopt a proposed budget and send it to the governor for review and approval. The governor can then issue line-item vetoes — removing all or part of specific items within the proposed budget.

When Missouri legislators sent the proposed FY 2026 state budget to Gov. Kehoe, he used his veto pen and reduced the amount of transit funding from $11.7 million to $6.7 million (a 42% decrease). You can learn more about the cuts from this piece by Citizens for Modern Transit.

Why is the loss of this funding such an issue for the 30 transit providers across the state, including Metro Transit? Consider this:

• State funding enables local communities to bring in some of the $91 billion in federal funds earmarked for transit.
• Missouri’s per capita spending on transit has dropped from $1.89 to $1.08, making it the lowest per capita spending among neighboring states.
• Metro Transit provides over 19.6 million rides annually, producing vital connectivity across the St. Louis region.
• Investment in public transportation pays off, with every $1 invested producing approximately $4 in economic returns. Recent investments, including system-wide safety improvements, have the potential to transform mobility throughout the Metro service area. Funding cuts threaten this future.

We can’t allow this to happen. That’s why Trailnet and our partners across the region and the state need YOUR help. Here’s what you can do:

• Use this link to find your state senator and state representative.
• Email your state legislators and ask them to overturn Gov. Kehoe’s veto of transit funding.
• Urge your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to do the same.

The Missouri Legislature will meet for a veto session on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Our best chance to stop these cuts from taking effect is to urge our state legislators to override Gov. Kehoe’s veto on transit funding.

The reductions to transit funding are more than just numbers on a page; they represent the loss of access to the resources that all Missourians need to achieve and maintain a good quality of life. Organizations like Trailnet recognize this, and that’s why we need your help to restore what could be lost.