They fear that in future years as revenue collections slow - as they surely will - an additional tax cut could make it difficult to fund state services.īut a one-time rebate instead of enacting a tax cut would not have impacted revenue streams in future years.
Many legislators indicated that they did not want to pass an additional tax cut after the $525 million income tax reduction they passed last year - the largest in Mississippi history. That would have been enough money to address some of the needs facing the state, while providing a one-time rebate to Mississippians like many other states have done. If that revision had occurred, legislators would have left $1 billion or more on the table based on the budget they passed. If that meeting had been called, it is safe to assume that financial experts would have, based on current collections, recommended increasing the revenue estimate by another $200 million or more. Gunn, who is not seeking re-election, apparently did not want to preside over a final session where such a large increase in state spending occurred, thus, he balked on calling the traditional revenue revision meeting. The lieutenant governor and speaker alternate each year chairing the Budget Committee. The responsibility for calling that meeting rested with Speaker Gunn. Yet, this year, even as collections for the current fiscal year through March are a whopping $601.9 million above the estimate, legislative leaders did not meet. In the past 25 years, the number of times legislative leaders have not met at the end of the session to revise the revenue estimate could be counted on one hand. Legislative leaders normally meet to consider revisions because obviously more information about upcoming revenue trends is available months later at the end of the session than in November weeks before the session begins. Normally, legislative leaders on the Budget Committee would have met again near the end of the session to hear input from the state’s financial experts on whether they should revise the revenue estimate, meaning increasing or decreasing the amount of money available to spend in the 2023 session for the upcoming fiscal year. Compared to other states, Mississippi continues to have the highest infant mortality rate, shortest life expectancy, one of the lowest work force participation rates (a fewer percentage of eligible people working) and highest homicide rate. Health care needs for Mississippians - young children as well as senior citizens - are being met.Įmpirical evidence does not bear out those statements.Crime, not only the much ballyhooed problems in Jackson, but throughout the state is being solved.The state Crime Lab is adequately staffed and can respond to the needs of local court jurisdictions and law enforcement in a timely manner to prosecute those accused of committing crimes.All state employees are paid at an acceptable rate.Education - pre-kindergarten through graduate school - is funded at an adequate level.
Based on the budget passed hurriedly and with barely any debate in late March during the final days of the 2023 session, legislators apparently were saying all of the state’s problems had been solved.
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