Jan. 28
The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss., on state budget:
Mississippi’s budgeting process has drifted far, too far from the bottom line.
As a prime example, we cite the state Department of Health, which contends it needs at least $30 million to meet basic needs and an additional $6 million from the state to match a $13 million grant for life-saving medications.
Yet some members of the Legislature have countered with a proposed budget of less than $21 million. That would be the smallest amount the Health Department has received from legislators since 1990.
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Jan. 27
The Greenwood (Miss.) Commonwealth on missing Barbour pardon files:
Former Gov. Haley Barbour’s pardon fiasco is getting more intriguing and mysterious by the day.
In the latest development, The Associated Press reported that some of the files for the 198 pardons issued by Barbour in his last few days in office are missing. Among the missing files are those for the five inmates, including four murderers, who worked as trusties in the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion.
The attorney general, Jim Hood, who is challenging the legality of the majority of Barbour’s pardons, says his office doesn’t have them. Barbour’s spokesperson says the former governor doesn’t have them. The Parole Board says it doesn’t have them either.
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Jan. 26
The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss., on reducing state teen pregnancy:
In his State of the State address, Gov. Phil Bryant set out as a policy for his administration to tackle the issue of teen pregnancy — a formidable goal.
“Without hesitation, we must begin the public discussion of how to reduce teen pregnancy in Mississippi,” Bryant said. “As you know, we lead the nation in teen pregnancy and consequently, low birth weights and high infant mortality rates. We know a child born to a teen mother almost always has a difficult path to success.”
Even so, we’ll have to wait a bit more to see what the new governor intends to do about it. …
We know what doesn’t work!
AP
