Ellington

The House of Representatives remains very disappointed that there has been no compromise on the budget for the fiscal year 2006. We pledge to remain here as long as there is hope to reach such a compromise, but obviously time is running out. Here at this late hour, Gov. Barbour and the State Senate have proposed that his economic development package be revived. However, there are time limitations facing us taht in the opinion of the House of Representatives do not allow serious consideration of such a massive, wide-ranging proposal.

Sine die adjournment has been set for tonight at midnight. The House of Representatives has proposed that this deadline be extended, but the Senate has not taken any action on that proposal. We regret that fact very much.

The Senate has offered the Governor's package through SCR 613. However, there is a Constitutional limitation on passing such a measure in the final three days of a session and, as we pointed out, sine die is tonight at midnight, unless the Senate acts to join us in extending it beyond that time.

The House remains committed to the notion that we will not accept any deficit spending proposals based on revenue that might arrive. The House wants to fulfill our pledge to fully fund the K-12 public school system and to make reductions in other areas of state government as needed to balance the budget.

Again, let us make it perfectly clear that the House of Representatives is willing to stay here as long as possible under the deadlines and work to produce a budget for the people of Mississippi. We cannot fathom doing otherwise. The clock is ticking.

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[statement retyped; typos are our own]

Previous Comments

ID

86944

Comment

The clock ran out, The bell has tolled. The session has ended. The schools are unfunded. The governor now controls the process, agenda, timing, and momentum. It's a sad day indeed.

Author

GDIModerate

Date

2005-04-07T07:28:06-06:00