Saturday, September 30, 2017

Bill Crawford: So much for budget hearings.

The Legislature’s quickie budget hearings produced few surprises last week. Schools, colleges, and universities, as usual, asked for lots more money while legislators, as usual, focused on holding down spending.


One unusual aspect, compared to recent history, was the absence of a looming budget cut due to revenue shortfalls. State tax collections for the first two months of this fiscal year are 10% higher than last year and 4% ahead of the revenue estimate. Last year, the state collected millions less than expected and suffered three mid-year budget cuts by Governor Phil Bryant.

Tempering this good news was the continuing outlook for slow revenue growth due to what state economist Darrin Webb called the state’s “lackluster” economic performance. Fitch and S&P ratings also project “relatively slow” economic growth.

Two surprises were the Department of Mental Health asking for level funding and Medicaid asking for less than it sought last year. The mental health agency was severely impacted by budget cuts over the past two years. Consequently, the agency announced it would lay off 650 employees and cut many services. Apparently, agency leaders decided the cuts to be a fait accompli and chose not to die in the ditch seeking unlikely budget increases. Medicaid's request was down $47 million. The agency said it could request less because of an increase in federal matching funds.

Education entities, on the other hand, told the budget committee they need $437 million more to adequately educate and train students. “I don’t want to see Mississippi left behind as the rest of the world moves forward,” said Dr. Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, as reported by the Associated Press.

"We are not going to have that kind of money," House Pro Tem Greg Snowden said, according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. "We have to prioritize and choose somehow."

One extra thing they will choose to fund for sure is the next phase of the $415 million tax cut adopted in 2016. The additional cost for the upcoming fiscal year is estimated to be $46 million.

"We work for the taxpayers, not the bureaucracy that has been created over the past 200 years," said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, according to Mississippi Today.

Lack of respect for the "bureaucracy" likely played a role in Reeves and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn scaling back the time allotted to agency heads to plead their budget cases. As pointed out by The Clarion-Ledger, agencies used to be allotted significant time to present and justify their budgets. Past hearings would take a solid week, sometimes more, compared to the day and a half allotted this year. "Most agencies will only submit their spending requests to the Legislative Budget Office and not make a formal presentation," the newspaper reported.

“How can you actually get up and talk about your agency and the needs of your agency in a 20-minute presentation?” Brenda Scott, president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees, told Mississippi Today.

No one is listening, Brenda, so the gap between what agency heads see as citizen demands for services and what legislators perceive as demands from taxpayers just grows and grows.


Crawford is syndicated columnist from Meridian (crawfolk@gmail.com)

Kingfish note: I've attended more than a few of these budget hearings. They were dog and pony shows that bore little resemblance to reality in terms of their actual appropriation when then the legislative session rolled around.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish Brenda Scott would change the name of her union. I'm pretty sure she represents mostly City of Jackson employees. I'd be surprised if she represented more than 5% of state employees. Can anyone actually say what she does?

Anonymous said...

I agree that past budget presentations have been "for show".
But,it has always been within the legislature's power to change that by defining what they need to know and how it should be presented.
Do you really think businesses don't require accurate, meaningful and justifiable budgets from their divisions?

Of course, that would require legislators to know what to require and then actually read the budget before it's presented so they could ask intelligent questions or raise objections.

It's ignorance and laziness ...then and now!

Anonymous said...

I wondering why there was no mention of Treasure Lynn Fitch not showing up. This is unprecedented because no one can recall this ever happening. Then there is the little matter of the letter she sent to the committee, which Tate made reference to and basically called her a liar. This was all THE talk after the fact. So where is the reporting???

Anonymous said...

2:32 pm It's because it's pointless to point out when the "new" wing of the GOP does something wrong. The shouts of " fake news" or " the Dems were worse" are deafening.
Only fools accept the argument that it's ok for me and mine to do bad things because others have done worse. Hello! That is acceptance of bad and that's why we are in such a mess.


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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