CL EDITORIAL – Budget: Barbour’s priorities are off

Budget: Barbour’s priorities are off

Mississippi has a tight budget situation, but there is no compelling reason – and it is certainly not good policy – to seek to further underfund such critical items as education and mental health.

Even under the best proposals, many school districts could have to raise taxes locally (as 70 already have) to make up for state cuts. Cutting one education program to fund another is still cutting education. Mental health needs to keep open its crisis centers and not push funding to local communities.

Iowa may not need to fund education and mental health; Mississippi does. Barbour should get his mind back on Mississippi.

Clarion Ledger Editorial
3/26/11