JACKSON – Republican Gov. Haley Barbour used his State of the State speech Tuesday night to reinforce his opposition to new taxes and to seek support for his education agenda.
He discussed the state’s budget struggles without offering new solutions beyond the 5 percent cuts he had already proposed for most agencies. He said Mississippi must control Medicaid spending, but he did not give details on how to do that.
“I believe Mississippi will not only come through this budget crisis; we are at the dawn of our greatest hour, when we will usher in for our children a more prosperous, hopeful and rewarding future than our state has ever known,” said Barbour, who’s entering his second year in Mississippi’s highest elected office.
Barbour unveiled a handful of new proposals during the 43-minute address, including one to make it harder to purchase an over-the-counter drug that’s used to make crystal methamphetamine. He also asked legislators to revamp the unemployment tax formula, saying “flaws in the formula” have caused companies to overpay for two decades.
The longest applause of the evening came as he introduced several National Guard members who recently returned from the war in Iraq. The governor said he and his wife Marsha are praying for members of the 155th Brigade Combat Team who are in the process of being deployed in the war zone.
“Let us pray for victory, for their success in destroying fanatical Islamic terrorism and for their safe return home to their families and neighbors, to Mississippi, which is so proud of them,” Barbour said.
The speech took place before a standing-room-only crowd of legislators and other state elected officials in the ornate House chamber. It was carried live on Mississippi Public Broadcasting radio.
Mississippi governors traditionally have given State of the State speeches during daytime hours, but Barbour said he likes to speak at night in hopes of reaching a larger audience of people returning home from work.
State of the State addresses are usually a mixture of ceremony and rowdiness. Legislators interrupted Barbour about two dozen times to clap. Among those receiving hearty applause was Pat Fordice, the ex-wife of former Gov. Kirk Fordice. The former governor-a longtime political ally of Barbour’s-died of cancer in September.
Barbour talked about the Mississippi Beef Processors plant, a state-backed venture that closed Nov. 17 after three months in operation. The state invested $54.06 million in the project that’s now under investigation by the state auditor’s office.
“I wasn’t governor when this project was funded, and I have no intention of trying to assess blame,” Barbour said. “That’s the job of the attorney general and the auditor. My job is to help make sure the taxpayers recover as much of their money as possible, as soon as possible.”
Barbour said the beef plant did not undergo the kind of scrutiny faced by projects handled by the Mississippi Development Authority.
Some legislators praised Barbour’s speech; others said they wanted to hear more detailed proposals for solving the state’s budget woes. Agencies have requested nearly $1 billion more than the $3.8 billion that will be available to spend in the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Rep. Bryant Clark, D-Pickens, said he’s leery of Barbour’s call for 5 percent cuts. Clark said he believes there’s some room to trim spending-but not much.
“There ain’t much fat left,” Clark said. “We’re cutting into the bone.”
Rep. Noal Akins, R-Oxford, said Barbour was right to discuss the beef processing plant. Akins praised what he saw as the governor’s positive outlook on challenges facing the state.
“We have a big job in balancing that darn budget,” Akins said.