The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 1/12/9
Mississippi lawmakers will be busy the next several days with the governor’s State of the State address, a briefing about the state economy and, barring a last-minute change of plans, a debate about a cigarette tax increase.
This is the second week of a three-month session, and most of the big issues should be outlined by Wednesday. That’s the deadline for members of the House and Senate to ask staff attorneys to draft general bills and constitutional amendments.
Democrats and Republicans say they want to hear detailed plans, not just generalities, from Republican Gov. Haley Barbour during the State of the State address. He’s scheduled to appear in the House chamber at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and the speech will be carried live on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and radio.
Rep. Michael Janus, R-Biloxi, said he hopes the governor will give a frank assessment of the state’s financial condition during the national recession.
“Let’s have some specifics. Let’s have some recommendations of how we’re going to continue to fund state government,” Janus said.
Magnolia Tribune
