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Bondurant
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By LEANN McCOY
Staff Writer
Budget is still the biggest concern three weeks into the 2010 legislative session, one local lawmaker believes.
Because of economic issues, Gov. Haley Barbour said existing law requires all agencies to take an 8.1 percent across-the-board cut if adjustments have to be made.
According to District 24 Representative Dr. Sid Bondurant, the House passed a bill last week calling for the governor to tap into $61 million of stimulus money and $50 million from the Rainy Day Fund to balance the current budget. The House said it would soften the blow of cuts on employees and the state’s most vulnerable.
Dr. Bondurant voted against the measure.
“It’s not prudent use of the money right now,” he said. “We have $240 million left in the Rainy Day Fund, and they want to use $50 million in addition to what has already been used.”
He said, as of right now, the Rainy Day Fund needs to last, and the House needs to think about future budgets, not just right now.
“It is also a question of legality of the House legislature to appropriate stimulus money to the governor the way they are wanting to,” Bondurant said, “The House cannot appropriate money. That money was given to the governor to help stimulate the state economy.”
He said what the government should do is to use the stimulus money to increase private sector jobs.
“It’s the private sector jobs that are the bulk and drive of our economy,” Bondurant said. “If we don’t use it correctly, the private sector economy will take longer to come back, hindering the recovery we already have.”
Education
On the education side, two bills were entered into the Senate last week calling for the mergers of the historically-black Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State universities into Jackson State University.
The merger would leave MVSU at its current Itta Bena campus, but the name would be changed to “Mississippi Valley Campus of Jackson State University,” according to the Senate bill.
Senate Bills 2701 and 2710, which involve MVSU and Alcorn State University, also called for the merger of the administrative functions of the universities.
Senate Bill 2794 called for the merging of administrative functions of Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi State University. MUW would become a campus of MSU, and duplicative programs at the schools would be consolidated.
Gov. Barbour estimated the merger would save the state $35 million.
“These proposals are still with the Education Committee,” Dr. Bondurant said. “From what I understand, the committee is generally not in favor, and it’s not on the floor right now.”
“It’s unlikely any consolidation bills will pass,” he said.
Consolidations
Gov. Barbour’s State of the State speech last week also called for the reduction of Mississippi’s 132 school districts to help save an estimated $1.22 billion needed to balance the 2012 state budget.
“Consolidation of school districts should happen on a county level without state intervention,” Bondurant said.
He said that by law, the Board of Supervisors can call for consolidation based on three factors; failing versus passing districts, jobs, and saving money.
“If consolidation measures do pass and go into law, school districts can look to Grenada School District as an example,” Bondurant said. “Grenada is a model for consolidation.”
Grenada city and county schools consolidated into one county district in the late 1950s.
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Submitted By:
Rob
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Submitted:
1/27/2010
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Submitted By:
Bobby
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Submitted:
1/26/2010
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