Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Budget writers say Mississippi government will have slightly less money to spend during the current fiscal year because of slow economic growth.

They are also planning on only a modest increase in state tax collections for the coming year.

Gov. Phil Bryant and members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee met Monday. They reduced the revenue estimate for fiscal 2016, which ends June 30. And, they set an estimate for fiscal 2017, which begins July 1.

Bryant says he will wait until at least January to see if nearly $65 million in spending cuts will be needed in the roughly $6.3 billion budget. If tax collections increase unexpectedly, cuts might be avoided.

During public hearings in September, agency directors requested millions more for education, Medicaid and other services next year.