Governor Barbour: More work to be done

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July 7, 2009

Jones to make debut on Friday

staff and wire The Meridian Star Tue Jul 07, 2009, 11:30 PM CDT

Lawmakers will head back to Jackson Friday to finish the budget for state utility regulators — an agency gone unfunded since July 1 passed with legislators not finalizing a spending plan for them.

Republican Gov. Haley Barbour is calling a special session so Mississippi lawmakers can finish their work. Barbour spokesman Dan Turner confirmed Tuesday the session will begin at 10 a.m. Friday.

Also on Friday, newly-elected state Rep. Wilbert Jones, who last week won the special election for the District 82 seat vacated by the death of Charles Young Sr., will be sworn into office. Jones, D-Meridian, said he is ready to get started in the special session.

"I'm ready to roll my sleeves up and get to work," he said. "I'm ready to work hard for the people of this state and the people in District 82. I know it will be a quick process but I'm still excited about it. "

It’s unclear how long it will take the House and Senate to agree on funding for the Public Service Commission and the related Public Utilities Staff.

State Rep. Greg Snowden, R-Meridian, said he believes the session will take "only a couple of hours" on Friday to complete.

"It's a shame we have to go back for a special session at all but that's where we are," Snowden said. "I see no reason it shouldn't be swift. This is just an appropriations bill."

Snowden said he also looks forward to working with Jones on Friday.

"It will be nice to once again have our full compliment of folks in the House," he said. "I welcome him as a colleague and I look forward to working with him. I know he has a true heart for East Mississippi."

The state fiscal year started July 1. Funding for the two agencies died during a special session last week in a dispute over staffing.

The three elected commissioners wanted to hire more employees to help them evaluate utility companies’ requests for rate changes. House Democrats supported the request, while Barbour and Senate Republicans opposed it.

Most employees for the two agencies have been told to go home until budgets are set.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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