JEFFERSON CITY • The chairman of the Missouri House Budget Committee broke Wednesday with Gov. Mike Parson’s administration by saying he would not support the governor’s plan to bond millions of dollars for bridge improvements.

House Budget Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, said that instead of borrowing $350 million to fund repairs for more than 200 bridges across the state, he would recommend the state put $100 million toward road and bridge repairs next fiscal year.

“Our state transportation department already has a heavy debt load and has paid more than $700 million in debt payments in just the last two years. The solution to fix our roads isn’t to go further into debt, but instead to invest wisely and responsibly in our transportation network with the funds we have available,” Smith said in a statement.

Parson’s plan would allow for the sale of bonds to pay for four years of projects at a cost of about $29.9 million annually for 15 years. The bonds would have an interest rate of 3.25 percent, meaning taxpayers would be on the hook for $100 million in interest payments.