After soundly criticizing the federal Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act earlier this month, Gov. Haley Barbour has apparently reversed his decision, telling lawmakers and school officials yesterday that he will apply for funds to help Mississippi schools.
"Although I would have voted against this legislation were I in Congress, I intend to apply for the approximately $98 million in funding for K-12 education," Barbour wrote to legislators. "Our taxpayers, and their children and grandchildren are on the hook for the debt resulting from this federal spending, and it does not require us to raise taxes or make other negative policy changes, so I believe Mississippians should receive the extra funds for education purposes."
However, the bill, which is designed to save some 2,000 teaching jobs, will not increase the federal deficit. To pay for the measure, the act closes a tax loophole for corporations and cuts $11.9 billion from the national food stamp program. Last year, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act temporarily increased funding for food stamps.
In the governor's letter to school officials, he urged them not to spend the funds in the current school year.
"Given that you have already finalized your school year budgets, contracts are in place, and you have identified funding sources to fund the executed budgets, please save these unexpected funds for the extremely difficult budget year in FY 12," Barbour wrote.
In an Aug. 9 statement, Barbour made it clear that he wanted no part of the federal funds.
"There is no justification for the federal government hijacking state budgets, but that is exactly what Congress has done," he wrote.
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