JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Top Mississippi lawmakers, seeking to put more money in reserve, propose small cuts for most state agencies in the coming year.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee, meeting Monday, adopted a plan that would cut more than 1 percent from overall state spending in the 2019 budget year, which begins July 1.
It would be the second straight decline in state spending after sharp midyear cuts during the 2017 budget year, followed by more cuts as the current year’s budget was written. That lack of money has sparked tuition increases at community colleges and public universities, and has weighed on other education spending.
The committee’s recommendations, although influential, are typically altered during the legislative session, as agencies appeal for more money and the revenue picture becomes clearer.
