Rep. Rita Martinson with a run-day of today’s session
“The House Appropriations Committee has met three times today and then we members worked those same bills on the floor, trying to meet the deadlines to keep state agencies working.
“Several times, in the committee work, attempts were made to take more money out of the Contingency Fund (the “rainy day” fund) than the joint budget committee agreed to do. The agreement with the governor was to take out $95 million this year and each year for the next two years, and no more, in order that the rainy day fund will not be depleted. There is at present $360 million in this fund. The governor and conservatives in both houses feel we need to plan for the future years, when revenues are not predicted to increase in any measurable way.
“It seems the House leadership is determined to spend more money in all other areas and make up the hole in the Medicaid budget from the stimulus funds and available monies in other funds, and not continue the hospital assessments in order to get the federal match funds.”
Madison County Journal
6/29/9
Magnolia Tribune
