Mississippi lawmakers hammered out the proposed cuts for state agencies heading into fiscal year 2018.
This was done over the weekend in conference, on the heels of Governor Phil Bryant’s latest withdrawal from the Rainy Day Fund, the fourth such withdrawal this year. Many of the recommendations were finalized Monday night.
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The overall budget is $329 million dollars less than last year, and the state’s top tax officials are not projecting any revenue growth for FY 2018.
Very few agencies and departments are seeing an increase:
- Veterans’ Affairs Board, +8.7%, or $440,339 more than FY 17
- Public Service Commission Public Utilities Staff, +4.3%, or $91,123 more than FY 17
- Supreme Court Services, + 9.0%, or $613,198 more than FY 17
- Dept. of Finance and Admin, +3.5%, or $1,453,940 more than FY 17
- General Ed Programs under the Department of Ed, +2.9%, or $4,630,765 more than FY 17
- Vocational and Technical under MDE, +.01%, or $116,500 more than FY 17
Several agencies saw massive cuts since no changes were made by Monday’s 8pm budget deadline:
- Attorney General Jim Hood’s Office, -18.5%, or $5,212,310 less than FY 17
- Secretary of State, -13.2%, or $2,115,226 less than FY 17
- Dept. of Revenue, -15.2% or $6,834,690 less than FY 17
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, -12.7%, or $22,916,715 less than FY 17
- State Fire Academy, -8.9%, or $481,647 less than FY 17
- Dept. of Child Protective Services, -12.8%, or $14,326,176 less than FY 17
- Dept. of Rehab Services, -13.6%, or $3,712,378 less than FY 17**
- Emergency Management Agency, -3.1%, or $99,098 less than FY 17
- MEMA Disaster Relief, -3.1%, or $18,594 less than FY 17
The Department of Rehabilitation Services cut was held on a motion to reconsider. If a joint legislative agreement is not reached Tuesday, the projected cut stands.
News Mississippi will continue to update the budget situation as it progresses.
