JEFFERSON CITY — After years pressing to cut unfilled positions in state government, Missouri’s new secretary of state is fighting back against attempts to reduce jobs in his agency.
Republican Denny Hoskins issued a 37-page report Monday that aims to convince lawmakers to restore personnel cuts approved by Senate budget writers last week.
Vacancies exist in the office not because the positions are unnecessary, but because some employees resigned when former Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft left office, spokesperson Rachel Dunn said. For example, the securities division is looking for a new director of enforcement after the person previously in the role left during the transition.
Hoskins’ report outlined “critical†risks to business development and cybersecurity if the cuts were to be made.
“With reduced staffing, turnaround times for business filings — including registrations, renewals, and amendments — will increase significantly, impeding entrepreneurs and existing businesses from legally operating,†the report stated.
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“Missouri elections remain vulnerable to cyberattacks,†if cybersecurity staffing is reduced, Hoskins’s report said.
The job reductions came at the request of Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
During budget negotiations, Cierpiot successfully passed an amendment to cut 25 vacant positions and $684,000 from the Secretary of State’s spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed changes still need to be approved by the Senate, House and governor to go into effect.
Cierpiot is giving Hoskins a taste of his own medicine: When Hoskins was on the Senate Appropriations Committee he frequently grilled state agency officials about jobs that hadn’t been filled for lengthy periods of time. Hoskins, a former member of the Freedom Caucus, also consistently drew Cierpiot’s ire because of frequent legislative disruptions.
The proposed job reductions are the result of a political feud, said Dunn, the secretary of state’s spokesperson.
“It is unfortunate that one senator’s personal and political feelings could potentially reduce the quality of service that we are able to provide to the Missourians who sent Secretary Hoskins here to work on their behalf,†Dunn said.
She said department openings appear vacant for longer than are, because the state’s payroll office doesn’t regularly update its books.
The secretary of state’s office should be adding staff, not cutting, she said. In fact, she said, the business services division needs to add five to 10 employees to complete a “backlog of over 6,000 (business) applications awaiting processing.â€
The Senate is set to take up the overall budget next week, with a goal of sending the $52 billion package to Gov. Mike Kehoe by May 9.
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