Budget showdown
looms in Capitol

By Staff
March 7,2004
Over on the budget side of the governing equation, two very different proposals to deal with the state's looming $709 million deficit have now passed both houses of the Legislature, setting up a showdown of epic proportions.
It's a signature issue for the 2004 legislative session and the Senate seems much more inclined toward Gov. Haley Barbour's "Operation: Streamline" plan than does the House, which adopted Speaker Billy McCoy's plan.
McCoy's plan, as we have previously said, uses what Barbour described last week as "funny money" that only purports to fund some items. While an exaggerated rate of economic growth looks good on paper, it is not at this moment going to put any real dollars in state coffers.
Lawmakers need to take a sobering look at reality
and work within the available resources as they plod through the budget process.