Barbour: Budget cuts possible if revenues anemic

by Associated Press

Published: August 28,2009

JACKSON — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says he’ll start cutting the state budget if tax collections fall significantly short in August, as they did in July.

Barbour says cuts could begin in next few weeks, if they’re needed.

He says all parts of state government could be subject to reductions – and public schools, community colleges and universities could be among the first hit.

Barbour says some other state programs already are receiving 6 percent or 7 percent less money than they got two years ago. Education, however, has not seen that kind of year-to-year reduction.

Public education advocate Nancy Loome says cutting schools’ budgets is a short-term decision that could hurt the state’s long-term economic prospects.

Tax-collection figures for one month are released during the first few days of the following month.

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