Analysis: Schools’ money won’t be swiftly restored
As Mississippi’s legislators continue to wrangle over how much money will be restored to K-12 public education, school district leaders have moved ahead with cost-saving plans.
And that’s a good idea, according to the chairmen of the education committees in the House and Senate. It doesn’t look as if any money is going to be quickly restored to the public education budget.
Four rounds of budget cuts ordered by Gov. Haley Barbour have reduced K-12 spending by about $205 million. The governor announced the latest round of reductions last week. Barbour said the state’s lagging revenue collections have given him little choice in the matter.
Barbour said he “suspects” the state’s revenue collections will be $500 million below estimates by the time the fiscal year ends June 30. He has reduced what started as a nearly $6 billion overall spending plan by $458 million.
AP
2/7/10
Magnolia Tribune
