Random Thoughts and Ramblings on the Proposed State Budget

Have you read the proposed budget for Mississippi that Gov. Barbour posted today? It’s interesting to say the least. State agency budgets are being slashed, mergers are being proposed and puppies and kittens are being skinned by the thousands.

Ok, I made up that last bit. No kitties or doggies are being harmed as a result of the proposed state budget.

If you missed my posting the link earlier go back and read it at http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2009/nov/FY11EBRFINAL.pdf. Make sure you read the whole thing because you will surely miss a lot of information. The areas of education and state government seem to be getting the most attention from the budget hammer. The governor plans to appoint a committee in December to study which public school districts should be consolidated. Now, this is sure to be a huge political football. After all, not many people want their kids bussed to a new school that may be farther away. However, this move could save the state approximately $65 million. In a lot of these situations the students would benefit from more resources being available to them that may not be available to them at the moment. Also the governor is proposing mergers of Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi State. Again, this is a move that makes sense that will ultimately benefit students at these schools (ex: MSU students can now have access to a culinary arts program while current students of the W will be able to participate in athletics).

Other state agencies are going to feel the pinch too. As far as public safety, Governor Barbour isn’t proposing any more cuts than are necessary but probably one of the biggest changes might be with MDOT’s enforcement division. The governor has proposed that the Department of Public Safety absorb MDOT’s enforcement division, a move which makes sense. Other departments will be merged with others, such as the Egg Board merging with the Department of Agriculture (again, a move that makes a lot of sense).

Of course, this is just a snapshot of what may be to come in the governor’s budget proposal. I don’t like all of it because it will mean that people are certainly going to lose their jobs and kids will likely be going to new schools in some cases. Services are going to be reduced and eliminated and even the Medicaid levy on hospitals is going to go up (hopefully this doesn’t mean closure but I know they’ll feel the pinch). The bottom line is, though, that the state government is going to do what the federal government needs to do: Cut costs or face raising taxes. Unlike the federal government, the state can not, and should not, “print money.” Instead of spending more money in during these tough times, Mississippi is looking at ways to save money.

I wish President Obama would follow Governor Barbour’s lead.

Jonathan