Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Budget olive branch?

Mississippi House of Representatives Minority Leader David Baria (D-Gulf Coast) sent the following letter to Governor Phil Bryant.

Dear Governor Bryant:

I understand that you may be considering calling a special session to address FY 2015-2016 budget concerns. I certainly hope that you will as Mississippi law requires the budget to be balanced and it clearly will not be based on insufficient revenue collections. My understanding is that tens of millions of additional dollars will be needed to fund the FY 15-16 budget and that as governor you are limited to taking only another $4.8 million from the Budget Contingency Fund without legislative action.

I also understand that the FY 16-17 budget is built on the same revenue estimates, plus anticipated growth. The amount of current shortfall is likely to be similar next year, or perhaps worse. It seems prudent to call the Revenue Estimating Group together to assess where we will be in terms of revenue for FY 16-17 with a view towards addressing that budget before we are in similarly dire financial straits. Thus, I ask that you consider including in your call for a special session a provision allowing the legislature to address the FY 16-17 budget as well.

You have expressed concerns over the Budget Transparency and Simplification Act eliminating inter-agency transfers/billing and the Attorney General has opined that portions of the Act are not legal. Clearly the impacts of the legislation are largely unknown and are causing great concern across state agencies for various reasons, not the least of which is the anticipated loss of substantial federal funds. Accordingly, I ask that you include in your call for a special session a provision allowing the legislature to revisit and perhaps repeal the Budget Transparency and Simplification Act.

Finally, should you decide to call a special session I ask that you provide 4-5 days notice to the members of the legislature as many of us have made summer plans to spend time with our families traveling. Also, if you can provide details of suggested legislation in advance of a special session I feel that it would greatly improve the chances that agreement can be reached expeditiously. I feel sure that you would agree that we ought to make the effort to avoid conflict in resolving the budgetary issues to the extent that we can.

Thank you for your consideration of these matters. I know that you, like my legislative colleagues, have the best interests of the State of Mississippi as your foremost concern and will act accordingly.

Sincerely yours,
Rep. David Baria
House Minority Leader

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Olive Branch"?? Are you kidding? C'mon KF - this is nothing but posturing by Baria as he tries (1) to make himself and his coharts relevant, and (2) trying to box in the Governor and Repub leaders.

If Baria really wanted to accomplish something along these lines, he would have this as a private conversation with the Gov, not a public proclamation. Now whatever Fill does Baria can follow - either Fill did as the Dems suggested, or Fill failed and didn't address the "real" issues, as being defined by the Dems.

There is nothing in this release that is a compromise - or for that matter, anything of original thought. But I'm sure David appreciates you for helping his ego feel like it has a reason for being.

Anonymous said...

They tried, they failed, and now it's time to blame those pesky Libbies, somehow-someway this is their fault.

( our economy isn't big enough for this to "work". I wish it was, but it ain't)

Anonymous said...

They celebrate meaningless temporary until-I-find-something-better-away-from-these-psychos staffer birthdays at the JFP, don't they?

Anonymous said...

Anyone with an IQ above room temperature can objectively see the absolute shit show mess the Lt. Gov, Speaker of the House, appropriations chairs on both sides (Frierson & Clark) & Terry C ("C" stands for cough drops & cough syrup) have put us in. They tried to do a tax cut @ the absolute worst possible time, made a $56 MILLION error, and cut services in our state to people who need it. And their dumb asses keep saying, "....uh, we'll fix this in January...uh, we didn't mean for that to happen, uh..." Guys and Ladies-Who in the hell has a job that you can f$$$-up so bad, make those excuses & tell your boss that you'll fix the problem in January? I don't care what side of politics you're on-that's just stupid. We elect these morons? Really? The only thing dumber than them are us for not impeaching everyone of them. And Phil-have you lost your mind? Why do you keep trying to tow the party line? You realize it's the Titanic you're towing?!?!? Before any of you say I'm Baria...far from it. I'm not in politics & never been in politics. I just read & educate myself on these issues. I'm amazed at the utter stupidity & arrogance that we have leading our senate & house right now. On a similar issue-Speaker,I hope you enjoy working with Mr Cough Drop. At the end of the day, you will be judged by the friends you keep. Take a look at what your friends are in the senate. I know they aren't the type of people you would associate with. Or, are they? You're sending the wrong message to our youth if you don't take a stand against that!

Anonymous said...

This is Baria's way of highlighting Tate's failed leadership on the budget. Bravo Baria even if it means you have to partner with Bryant to highlight Tate's failed leaderhsip.

Anonymous said...

11:01, I don't think anyone needs to highlight Tate's failed leadership. He does a good job of that on his own.

Anonymous said...

Here's a hint: Before you cut revenues, you need to cut expenses even more in case unanticipated expenses are incurred. If you need to reduce debt, you have to have more revenue than your expenses to pay it off.
You may want taxes to be flat for everyone, but until they are you have to deal with the budget that "is" rather than your " wanna be" budget or you'll make things worse.
Here's another hint: Instead of listening to biased sources who tell you want you want to believe rather than what you need to know, go to official records ( government sites) and look at the actual history of taxes and revenues, incomes and GDP. Then look at the bad years and see who was in charge of the budget and what they did. Look to see if median income in States with Tea Party control that have cut taxes and spending and see that though the GDP can increase, the average income decreases. That is how the rich keep getting richer and the middle class is disappearing.
And, the last hint: You have to sometimes spend money and go into debt to make more money. Going into debt to go to medical school will result in making money. Borrowing money to start a business will make money if the business is successful. Buying something that will increase in value makes money for you when you sell it later. Spending money on clothes or food doesn't make money.
In the end , it's math. And, we're never going to get out of the hole we've dug fighting over money, casting blame and never pragmatically facing the bad choices we've made that got us into this mess .Both liberals and conservatives have spent money badly for decades to get your vote. It's not politics. It's MATH!


Anonymous said...

Before any of you say I'm Baria...far from it.

Nobody here would conclude you were Baria ... far from it. Baria wouldn't come here and anonymously rant as you did and expect anyone to seriously consider, let alone care, about their comments.

Anonymous said...

Then look at the bad years and see who was in charge of the budget and what they did. Look to see if median income in States with Tea Party control that have cut taxes and spending and see that though the GDP can increase, the average income decreases.

Mississippi isn't Tea Party controlled. Only a fool would try to posit otherwise.

Anonymous said...

I am a Republican and I am ashamed of the actions of the Governor, the Lt. Governor and the Speaker regarding fiscal and budgetary issues. We could not afford a tax decrease. We should not have borrowed $500,000,000. We complain about the federal debt, but Mississippi has way too much debt too. Shame on the Republican leadership.

Anonymous said...

Which tax decrease are you referring to "Republican"?

Anonymous said...

For starters they could save millions by ending the emergency contracts to the favorite consultants.

Anonymous said...

9:03 income and franchise.

Anonymous said...

The tax decreases passed this session have nothing to do with the current budget shortfalls.

Anonymous said...

It don't get much better than to watch Sam R Hall from his lofty perch deep inside the burning Clarion-Ledger dumpster act as if he's some sort of authoritative expert and share that someone, or something, is a "dumpster fire".

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon @ 7:23. Here's a hint. That's what they did. Just because the agencies are crying crock tears about the cutting of expenses, that's the purpose. Folks gotta remember - these reps were elected to cut the size of government. The way you do that is to cut the amount they spend.

Government has increased 50% in spending over the last decade. What has happened? We continue to send in tax dollars so that they legislature and the agencies could spend it.

This time they decided to start cutting the revenue, and they cut the expenses as well. But now people are in the typical lotus position and crying "don't cut my........."

Some of the things they did don't make sense to me - and some might need to be adjusted next year. And the fact that they can wait until next year to fix it is ok, since it is next year's budget that we are talking about. That applies to the $54M 'error' as well - since everyone realizes it exists and has to be dealt with.

The problem facing the state right now is 'this year'. They didn't cut expenses last year and the revenue hasnt met the projection. They are going to have a hell of a problem taking care of that and its aftermath into next year.

But - I'm all for them cutting the spending and letting the bureaucracy cry. Its time now though for them to start cutting programs - not just across the board cuts. Let the agencies focus on needed programs and quit spending totally on the fluff - stuff everybody likes but not the job of state government to supply.

KF - start a poll; see which programs/agencies/boards people think we can do without and not hurt the quality of life in the state.



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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!!!

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