Mississippi's state constitution calls for an annual legislative session of 90 days. For 2009, 90 days after the Jan. 6 session start is Sunday, April 5. If by some miracle, both houses submit and then agree on a budget for the 2010 fiscal year by this Saturday, legislators will go home until next year. That seems a remote possibility, though, and the likelihood is that all 174 Mississippi legislators—122 representatives and 52 senators—will reconvene in May. Or perhaps, June.

"The state Senate will finish our work on general legislation next week, but we still have a lot of work to do on behalf of the people of Mississippi on issues such as the state budget and Medicaid," Sen. Doug Davis, R-Hernando, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal last week.

Part of the problem in coming to a budget agreement is a marked decline in state revenues, estimated as $222.5 million for 2009 and $402.7 million next year, reports the Laurel Leader Call.

The Appeal also identifies the legislature's inability to agree on a cigarette tax hike as another reason for extending the session, for which the story puts the blame unambiguously into the House's court:

House negotiators declared an impasse and called it quits.

Wednesday's 8 p.m. deadline passed without a compromise, which stunned Senate negotiators.

"I think a 250 percent increase is enough for anyone," Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant said Friday during a meeting with reporters in his office.

The House began negotiations on the cigarette tax increase at $1 per pack, eventually dropping down to 80 cents, while the Senate began at 49 cents and ended with an offer of 60 cents. Legislators are attempting to revive negotiations, but without success at this point.

Their inability to compromise means that budget holes plugged prematurely in anticipation of tax revenues from cigarette sales will need to find other funding sources. Gov. Haley Barbour and State Treasurer Tate Reeves, however, are loathe to allow access to the state's $365 million rainy-day fund, making it clear that they don't want that money touched. The majority-Republican Senate is not likely to override the governor's wishes.

Legislators are apparently also uncertain how the federal stimulus funds will affect the budget. Meanwhile, the extended session will cost taxpayers money they can ill afford to spend.

Previous Comments

ID

145243

Comment

House Bill 364, the House bill to increase cigarette taxes to $1, is back on the legislative calendar, resurrected by Senate Concurrent Resolution 684. The House and Senate both required a two-thirds vote to put the bill back into play.

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-03-30T15:40:41-06:00