Budget cuts: Barbour is taking right approach

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 11/13/8

Gov. Haley Barbour is taking the right approach to making necessary budget cuts in the face of falling state revenue.

Barbour has announced about $42 million in state budget cuts, but has spared critical education and health care needs.

That includes sparing the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. MAEP is the basic funding formula for state education spending.

It’s not a frill, but the minimum that is required for an adequate education.

With the economy slowing in Mississippi, as it has nationally, state revenues from tax collections have fallen 2.3 percent below estimates on which the budget is based.

Under law, Barbour is required to make cuts to get the revenue and spending back in line.