Governor vetoes Shafer Road funding

Photo by Shari Harris
This photo of Shafer Road as it passes through George O. White State Forest Nursery was taken in March, 2023.

On Friday, June 28, Governor Mike Parson vetoed the language from House Bill #2004 which would have provided funding for the repair of Shafer Road.

In the letter which lists the vetoes for the bill is the following:

“I hereby veto $2,000,000 Budget Stabilization Fund for the maintenance, repair and upgrades to Shafer Road in Texas and Phelps counties. The General Assembly grossly overappropriated Budget Stabilization Funds. Additionally, these provisions constitute local or special laws in violation of Article III, Section 40(17), which prohibits the passage of any local or special law authorizing the laying out, opening, altering or maintaining roads, highways, streets or alleys. Further, this is a local responsibility and is not on the State’s highway system.

“For the maintenance, repair and upgrades to Shafer Road in Texas and Phelps counties. From $2,000,000 to $0 from Budget Stabilization Fund.”

Shafer Road supporter Larry Wrest isn’t giving up, nor is Representative Bennie Cook, said Wrest. Efforts to make Shafer Road a part of the State’s highway system will continue.

In the meantime, the road continues to fall into further disrepair, making access to the homes and businesses along its route more treacherous.