Barbour’s merger proposals could falter

State News

Discussion

November 17, 2009

Anonymous The Meridian Star Tue Nov 17, 2009, 11:33 PM CST

JACKSON (AP) — Some Mississippi House members say Republican Gov. Haley Barbour’s most politically sensitive budget proposals are likely to be dead on arrival — including a recommendation to merge eight universities into five.

Rep. Cecil Brown of Jackson, a Democrat on the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, said Tuesday he opposes Barbour’s idea of merging Mississippi University for Women into Mississippi State and combining the three historically black universities into one. Barbour proposes merging Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State into Jackson State.

‘‘I really fail to see that we’re going to save much money, and it’s bad public policy,’’ Brown told The Associated Press. ‘‘I’m not sure the cost would be worth it — the cost to students, the cost to the long-term economic outlook of the state.’’

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who leads the Senate and is current chairman of the Legislative Budget Committee, said in a written statement that he will seriously consider Barbour’s proposals. But Bryant said he’s also ‘‘discussing other possibilities’’ with the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee Chairman Doug Davis, R-Hernando, and members of the College Board.

Barbour on Monday unveiled his $5.5 billion proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins next July 1. Because experts anticipate a slow economic recovery, Barbour suggests saving money by closing some mental health centers and restructuring education. He said most agencies would take 12 percent cuts.

The 14-member Legislative Budget Committee will release its own recommendations in December. All 122 House members and 52 senators will get to vote on a final spending plan in early 2010.

Barbour said if universities are merged, all campuses would remain open but the state would save money by reducing administrative jobs and eliminating duplicate programs. He also proposes combining all universities’ purchasing and personnel functions.

Both chambers of the Legislature and the state College Board would have to agree on a plan to merge any universities, and it’s already clear that’s unlikely to happen. House Universities and Colleges Committee Chairman Kelvin O. Buck, D-Holly Springs, said Monday he opposes Barbour’s ideas. It’s nearly impossible to pass legislation if a chairman is against it.

Alumni groups are gearing up to oppose mergers.

James McDonald, president of the ASU National Alumni Association, said the association understands the state needs to save money. He said the group wants to work with Barbour, lawmakers, the College Board and ASU President George E. Ross ‘‘to develop a comprehensive plan that will provide quality higher education for students in Mississippi while maintaining the integrity and historical value and contributions of Alcorn State University.’’

Barbour also proposes reducing the number of school districts from 152 to 100. He said districts that are struggling academically or financially could be combined with more successful ones.

Sam Bounds, executive director of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents, said Tuesday that school consolidation should be a local decision.

‘‘We don’t agree with just wholesale consolidation,’’ Bounds said.

He said current state law already allows districts to consolidate if there’s an agreement between school boards and superintendents.

However, Bounds said research shows cost savings are minimal through consolidation. He said state funding still follows the students no matter where they’re located. And he said the salaries of principals and superintendents are a local expense.

————

Associated Press writer Shelia Byrd contributed to this report.

Text Only

State News

House panel snubs Hood’s effort to testify
A state House committee voted Tuesday to push forward a bill that would cut Attorney General Jim Hood’s authority, turning down Hood’s request to speak to the group before it voted.
Hood, steaming mad that he couldn’t speak, claimed the bill is unconstitutional. The lone Democrat in statewide office, Hood said he made a personal plea to House Judiciary A Committee Mark Baker to have extra time to study the bill.

February 8, 2012
Davis says he won’t resign as Southaven mayor
Fourth-term Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said Monday he plans to remain on the job amid continuing state and federal scrutiny of his spending of city money.

January 31, 2012
Miss. AG: Pardoned killer found in Wyoming
A convicted killer pardoned by former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was in Wyoming with his fiancie and initially drove off when he was located Sunday by investigators seeking to serve him with a court summons, authorities said Monday.

January 31, 2012
Gov. Bryant trims staff salaries
Gov. Phil Bryant is saving taxpayers at least $200,000 by cutting spending in his office.
According to documents obtained by The Clarion-Ledger (http://on.thec-l.com/zT7zi3 ) through an open records request, the amount Bryant will spend on salaries in his office is 10 percent less than former Gov. Haley Barbour. Bryant achieved that through a reduction in posts as well as salary cuts.

January 23, 2012
Attorney: Miss. AG knew of governor’s pardons
The state attorney general’s office was involved in getting pardons approved by former Gov. Haley Barbour but has hidden its involvement in the process, according to an attorney for four of the former inmate trusties who received a pardon.

January 23, 2012
Miss. AG: Some Barbour pardons might be invalid
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says he believes former Gov. Haley Barbour might’ve violated the state Constitution by pardoning some inmates who failed to give sufficient public notice that they were seeking clemency.

January 12, 2012
Barbour budget proposes education changes
    Republican Gov. Haley Barbour calls for reducing the number of school districts and merging some universities, reviving many of his past recommendations in his final Mississippi budget proposal.
   He also suggests spending the $97.4 million remaining in a health care trust fund that was created before he took office.
   Barbour released his nearly $5.5 billion budget Tuesday. His second term ends Jan. 10, nearly six months before fiscal 2013 begins on July 1.

December 21, 2011
Mississippi governor defends proposed offshore drilling regs
    Allowing oil and gas drilling 10 to 12 miles south of Mississippi’s coastline in the Gulf of Mexico is a good idea because it could generate state revenue, Gov. Haley Barbour said Tuesday.
   The Mississippi Development Authority on Monday published proposed regulations to lease state waters in the Gulf for the drilling.
   The regulations are open for public comment until Jan. 20. If they’re approved, a lease sale could take place in 2012, MDA spokesman Dan Turner said Monday.

December 21, 2011
Man gets life in fatal shooting of girlfriend
December 8, 2011
Junior colleges seek fair funding
Mississippi’s junior colleges are hoping the Legislature can make progress on a four-year-old promise to fund the schools at a pre-student level halfway between K-12 students and students at regional universities.
That might seem optimistic given that the first estimates for the fiscal 2013 budget are based on only 0.7 percent revenue growth. A state economist has said that cuts are inevitable for some agencies.

November 25, 2011
More State News Headlines

State News

Search Results

Discussion

Barbour’s merger proposals could falter

Site Map

Contact Us