Jackson Free Press

Gov. Haley Barbour outlined his 2012 budget proposal at a press conference this afternoon, calling for an average of 8 percent cuts to state agencies next year. Barbour's $5.47 billion budget recommendation for fiscal year 2012 is $43 million below this year's final budget and roughly $250 million below the state's 2008 budget, its largest cut to date.

The governor's proposal (PDF) compensates for the loss of $383 million in federal stimulus funds by using $257 million in state reserves, leaving $185 million in reserves for 2013. While the recommendation cuts most agency budgets by 8 percent, it leaves funding for the Department of Corrections and Mississippi Development Authority unchanged from the current 2011 fiscal year.

The governor's proposal calls for school districts to reserve for 2012 $65.3 million of the $98 million they are set to receive from a federal jobs bill passed in August. With the additional federal money, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program—the state's main funding stream for school districts—would receive the same amount in the 2012 fiscal year that it will this year. Other K-12 education programs, such as the state schools for the blind and deaf, would receive 8 percent cuts.

In his budget recommendation last year, Barbour set off heated debate with proposals to consolidate school districts and universities. While noting his belief that the state has too many school districts, Barbour left district mergers out of this year's recommendation. He urged university administrators to consider consolidating administrative operations like purchasing and payroll. He also proposed that the state develop a new formula for funding higher education institutions in part based on student performance. Currently, state funding for universities is based on enrollment. Barbour proposed that statistics like graduation rates could factor into the new formula.

"We have the ability to track students," Barbour said. "The outcome for these students should be part of the way we determine (universities' and community colleges') funding,"

Overall, Barbour's recommendation would cut funding for community colleges and universities by 3 percent.

Barbour proposed eliminating state funds for community college athletics altogether. Funding for athletics at community colleges should come from local efforts and student fees exclusively, Barbour said.

The governor recommended cutting the Department of Health by 7.8 percent, the Department of Mental Health by 7.2 percent and the Division of Medicaid by 4.8 percent.

Barbour also called for 20 percent cuts to Mississippi Public Broadcasting, the state Library Commission and the Mississippi Arts Commission. The cuts, which Barbour said he hoped would be "one-time" reductions for 2012 only, together would save the state roughly $4.27 million.

Asked whether he was considering a run for president in 2012, Barbour said that he had begun discussing a possible bid with his wife and with others but that a presidential campaign was "pretty serious business."

Previous Comments

ID

160916

Comment

If you're poor or sick, blind or mentally ill, enjoy listening to public radio or going to the library, Haley Barbour has a message for you: tough noogies. But don't bother to express your concern; he's too busy discussing his presidential aspirations with his wife. Barbour turned down $383 million in federal stimulus funds in a political ploy as a Republican show of solidarity against President Obama. Now the citizens of Mississippi must pick up the tab. What a tool.

Author

StarsUponThars

Date

2010-11-15T17:31:30-06:00

ID

160926

Comment

@ StarsUponThars While I totally understand the frustration behind your message, but in 2007 415,512 out of 715,590 Mississippians - gave him the green light for all this! What makes it really bad, it was in re-election year! lol!!! Our infrastructure/basic essential services are nil and people view it as a slap to Obama policies! God you have to love the people in this state and how they view things. So do you want to call Haley a tool or do you actually want to call the people who elected him - a bunch of tools? That is the question you really have to ask my friend. Good post, I understand how you feel.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-16T08:21:45-06:00

ID

160930

Comment

How can you leave the JAILS intact and cut arts and culture by 20%? I'm just happy he went down from 15% to 7.2% in mental health. Of course, my program might end up with a 15% cut anyway as DMH will not be able to apply those cuts across the board. He might as well just funnel all that money into the prisons because without social support services and mental health...we're going to need those bed. Also, I guess I should start looking for a job. I don't think that people realize how bad its going to be next year. Do they have a plan in place for the spike in crime? Haley's such a good Christian.

Author

Lori G

Date

2010-11-16T11:25:03-06:00

ID

160932

Comment

Haley Barbour took great pride in boasting about the State not taking stimilus funds which totaled the exact amount he would need to avoid making these drastic cuts in schools, Dept. of Mental Health, Human Services, Mediciad, and anything positive you can think of. I agree that the need for more prison beds is aparent. Later for this academic formula: Where is the money for the Ayers case? Ain't nothing wrong, but, something ain't right.

Author

justjess

Date

2010-11-16T11:45:11-06:00

ID

160933

Comment

Jess- Dontcha just LOVE when people are all for these cuts and have no idea the effect they will have on their life? They just think "We ain't got to give them our money". And their idea about who "them" actually ARE is so short-sited and often fueled by race hatred created by this very political party. Its so funny to me. Well, not really, but I can't go around mad enough to spit fire ALL the time. ;) Yesterday I saw something on facebook that really captured this line of thinking: The girl's "About Me" said: "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I do all things for him, by him, and in his name and glory." Her "political views"? "Wanna keep MY MONEY!" LOVE IT. What I found hysterical is that although I know this girl from high school and she wasn't the brightest bulb in the vanity mirror, she apparently really didn't get the irony in that statement considering Jesus advocated giving up all wordly possessions and following him!

Author

Lori G

Date

2010-11-16T12:02:02-06:00

ID

160934

Comment

@ Lori G - It seems we have a whole lot more in common than I thought. Would love to chit chat with you more. Forget the beds in the prison - get ready for the lawsuits that will pile up regarding the treatment, care and well being of vulnerable adults in this state.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-16T12:19:14-06:00

ID

160936

Comment

Lori G, "You BetCha"

Author

justjess

Date

2010-11-16T15:02:04-06:00

ID

160938

Comment

I don't think the community colleges can stand another cut! I don't understand that at all! Enrollment is up at the community colleges - higher than the universities. And most of the students in the universities started in a community college. Almost all community college students are Mississippi residents (97%). Not to mention adult education and workforce training provided by the community colleges. Enrollment up, funding down. Out of the whole "Educational Funding" pie, public schools get 73%, universities get 20%, and community colleges only get 7%. That just doesn't make sense to me! Also, the faculty and staff at community colleges make less money than the faculty and staff at universities AND k-12. It really just looks like he took the top things that Mississippians can most benefit from, and chose to cut their budgets. What a tool. (sorry, did somebody already say that?)

Author

Tre

Date

2010-11-16T16:13:56-06:00

ID

160939

Comment

Tre-If I hadn't said it yet, it was about 30 seconds away from coming out of my mouth. And, it wouldn't have been "tool". It would have been WAY worse...

Author

Lori G

Date

2010-11-16T17:16:06-06:00

ID

160940

Comment

@ Tre I hate to be the pessimist to your argument, but to me we have way too many JUCO's in this state. We have 7 public funded universities We have between 19-24 JUCO's that split $135 million from the state last year. Then we have numerous public schools. With that said, we have 3 million residents. In actuality, he would rather see more money go to JUCO's, and consolidate the HBCU's in the state. Believe you me, if and once Phil Bryant moves into the governor's spot - you will see a big jump in funding towards the JUCO's. But I do believe we have way too many JUCO's in this state.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-17T07:58:03-06:00

ID

160942

Comment

@ Duan C. - agreed

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2010-11-17T09:55:38-06:00

ID

160945

Comment

How do the JUCOs in this state stack up against Mississippi's satellite prisons? Just asking.

Author

justjess

Date

2010-11-17T10:37:54-06:00

ID

160946

Comment

@ jess Quick question, are you talking about financially (budget) or just in numbers?

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-17T10:43:21-06:00

ID

160947

Comment

"We have between 19-24 JUCO's" There are 15. And, as I said earlier, enrollment is going up as funding drops. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Author

Tre

Date

2010-11-17T11:39:52-06:00

ID

160950

Comment

Oh my bad! - excuse me We do have the following Junior Colleges: 1. Coahoma 2. Co-Lin 3. East Central 4. East Miss 5. Hinds 6. Holmes 7. Itawamba 8. Jones 9. Meridian 10. Mississippi Delta 11. Mississippi Gulf Coast 12. Northeast Mississippi 13. Northwest Mississippi 14. Pearl River 15. Southwest But now, here is what I should have made clear earlier - there are 15 Juco's, but with how many campuses/facilities or locations? This is where it gets interesting. 1. Coahoma - 1 main campus 2. Co-Lin - 2 locations 3. East Central - 1 main campus 4. East Miss - 2 locations 5. Hinds - 6 location, with 3 major campuses 6. Holmes - 4 locations, 2 major campuses 7. Itawamba - 3 locations, 1 main campus 8. Jones - 1 main campus 9. Meridian - 1 main campus 10. Mississippi Delta - 1 main campus 11. Mississippi Gulf Coast - 4 locations, 2 major campuses 12. Northeast Mississippi - 1 main campus, 2 locations 13. Northwest Mississippi - 2 major campuses, s locations 14. Pearl River - 1 major campus, 3 locations 15. Southwest - 1 main campus wow - a total of 36 locations or 20 major campuses across this state, with all of them having new construction done in regards to the growing enrollment. I don't know about the IHL total - but I do know the State Board for Community & Junior Colleges did not get knocked down regarding the approriations with the IHL, in actuality they received $245 million - with no recommended cuts for the FY 2011!? That's what I'm trying to explain to you, this is their backdoor method for consolidating JSU, Alcorn and Valley. But Jackson State, Alcorn, and Valley have to scrape and claw for $25 million off the Ayers Settlement - which is what!? Going to expire. But Hinds, Holmes and Gulf Coast are building new campuses left and right? Yes indeed!

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-17T12:17:18-06:00

ID

160959

Comment

"What a tool. (sorry, did somebody already say that?)" Is this remark not in violation of the user agreement?

Author

bill_jackson

Date

2010-11-17T14:20:20-06:00

ID

160962

Comment

Bill, I think we can survive people saying that the governor, and a presidential candidate, is a "tool" of his political party or of industry. It's not like it's an evidence-supported opinion. That's not exactly the same thing as people coming on here insulting each other and calling other vicious names. Now, back to the topic.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-11-17T14:42:09-06:00

ID

160971

Comment

Back on topic... From the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges: Since 2000, enrollment is up nearly 54 percent at the 15 colleges while state funding per-student has dropped 26 percent in the same time period.

Author

Tre

Date

2010-11-17T16:27:23-06:00

ID

160988

Comment

Tre there's no way in the world I am going to be an advocate for the state to increase funding for JUCO's - while JSU, Alcorn, and Southern Miss could put the funds to much better use!? Now the state should do their part for assisting the county's in this state, with their educational system. But the JUCO's in Mississippi have this colonialism mentality, which to me is a bunch of hogwash - where all they are doing is creating a bigger economic headache, by opening additional campuses across other counties. But I come from a state where we don't have issues with funding our educational system, whether it's K-12, JUCO's, or our University system. Plain and simple. Hinds community college has branches in Warren County, Rankin County and Hinds County. However the bulk of the responsibility falls on the tax payers of Hinds county for that respective JUCO. However, due to our lovely lobbying system in Mississippi - we actually have lobbyist working for Hinds community college - jockeying for funds from the approriated amount submitted to the SBCJC. To be honest the responsibility should fall on the citizens of Hinds County, because they live in that county. That total burden shouldn't fall on the citizens of Mississippi. The burden for those "COMMUNITY" colleges should fall on the people that live in the respective district of that JUCO. If you want to see more funding for JUCO's - tell them to raise the taxes and enrollment fee's in their respective area's.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-11-18T08:15:47-06:00

ID

160992

Comment

Th Governor would have an easier time winning the war in Afghanistan than attempting to close/consolidate Alcorn, Jackson State and Valley.

Author

justjess

Date

2010-11-18T10:16:46-06:00

ID

160993

Comment

Duan C., I was speaking about budget.

Author

justjess

Date

2010-11-18T10:18:15-06:00