Following a lot of finger-pointing over who’s to blame for the corporate tax cuts that have blown a big hole in the state budget, the House voted 72 to 38 to allow Governor Bryant to take whatever he needs from the Rainy Day Fund to get the budget back in the black. But only for the 2016 fiscal year that ends tomorrow.
The FY2017 budget, which goes into effect on Friday, is another problem altogether. It doesn’t balance, but state leaders insist that it will be just fine to wait until January to straighten it out. By then, agencies will be halfway through the budget year, which means any cuts required to balance the books will hit them doubly hard. Ditto for any citizen who uses a state service. Say, public schools, for example. Meanwhile, school districts have to decide how many teacher contracts they can afford to offer. Because contracts are binding – unlike a campaign promise.
Concerned? Check out your lawmakers’ voting records, and then give them a call. And remember that they work for you, not the other way around. They clearly could use your guidance.
If you’re fed up and ready for a change, give us a call (601-961-4551) or email Holly at hdean@msparentscampaign.org to schedule a visit in your community. Together, we can make good things happen for our kids and their schools!
