Missouri's budget director, Linda Luebbering, said this is mostly because of the state's high unemployment rate. Falling sales tax figures are also to blame, she said.

Lawmakers passed the state's 2009-2010 budget under the assumption that revenue would be up 4 percent from last year. Revenues have fallen throughout the year, and Gov. Jay Nixon has slashed the budget to operate with 4 percent less revenue.

Whether the state can maintain a 4 percent revenue decline depends on Missourians finding jobs in the first half of 2010, Luebbering said.

"Compared to last year, January through June, we should see an improvement relatively," Luebbering said.

Luebbering said the state expected the first half of this fiscal year to be bad, but is confident figures will improve.

If figures continue to fall, Nixon will have to trim the budget again. So far, Nixon has cut more than $600 million from Missouri's budget.