MARYVILLE, Mo. — Three legislators agreed Tuesday at a higher education forum that funding will again top the list of Missouri legislative concerns in 2010.

Rep. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, said his top 10 list of concerns would have “budget” written on every line. Rep. Mike Thomson, R-Maryville, talked about scholarship initiatives and the expansion of the A-Plus program, but his first comments were that the budget is in crisis.

Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, laid out the numbers and said that “we are in unprecedented times and unprecedented levels” where budget shortfalls over the next two years could result in a $1.8 billion hole that has to be filled.

“You will see this governor have to navigate the most difficult budget and fiscal time of any governor I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Mr. Lager said. “He has a very daunting task.”

The effect the shortfall has on higher education remains to be seen, and the legislators didn’t venture to guess if or how much money would be cut from higher education.

Nearly half of public university and college budgets are derived from state appropriations. Tuition and fees make up the bulk of the other half. Mr. Lager said state government will have to learn to “scale back,” and that everyone will have to share in the process.

“We’re about to redefine what’s going to happen in state government,” Mr. Lager said, adding that tough economic times lead to wiser management practices. “We’re about to redefine how we run higher education institutions.”

Aside from ongoing funding issues, Mr. Thomson said he’d introduce a bill in the House that would lower the minimum grade point average from 2.5 to 2.0 for students receiving aid through the Missouri Access program. He said too many students across the state are missing out on funding by not maintaining the 2.5 GPA.

Mr. Schaaf said the issue of allowing students to carry firearms on campus would come up again. He said he supported the bill the first time and would do so again, because civil rights don’t end when you enter a campus.

“Your civil rights are your civil rights,” he said.

Jimmy Myers can be reached at jimmym@npgco.com.