(The Center Square) – Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed into law Friday the state’s $50.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2025, beginning Monday. Parson made 173 line-item vetoes worth approximately $1 billion and approximately $1.9 billion wasn’t allocated. Missouri will end the 2024 fiscal year on Sunday with a $6 billion fund balance with approximately 66% of those funds obligated toward fiscal year 2025 expenses. “The use of the veto pen is not something I do eagerly, but today these vetoes represent the elimination of unnecessary pet projects and the protection of the taxpayer di…