Barbour comments on 2010 budget

JACKSON — The fiscal year 2010 budget adopted in a special session of the Mississippi Legislature is prudent and balanced and will serve state’ taxpayers, agencies and their constituents well, says, Gov. Haley Barbour. However, not all issues are resolved, and he is concerned about the amount of federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds contained in the budget.

“I appreciate the hard work it took to reach a consensus on many issues and want to thank legislators like Sens. Alan Nunnelee and Hob Bryan and House members Robert Johnson and Johnny Stringer as well as Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and House Speaker Billy McCoy,” he said. “I am especially pleased the Legislature accepted my proposal to carry forward $60 million from the Health Care Expendable Fund as a cushion against the revenue shortfalls that are expected next year.

Barbour is concerned that the budget contains a significant amount of federal stimulus money, and that “we must learn to wean ourselves from it soon, as it ends after next year.”

Spending on all three levels of education will be the highest ever, but the federal stimulus funds make that possible.