Lawmakers Return to Complete Regular Session Work

The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson

State Lawmakers return to the Capitol today to complete work on the state budget and several other issues. MPB's lawayne Childrey has more.

Federal stimulus funds will play a role in the next few days, but with state revenue continuing to come in below projected levels, Senator Johnny Walls of Bolivar and Washington Counties is eager to get back to work.

"We need to finish the business that we started, the cigarette tax and the budget for the coming year. We need to make a decision about the taxes so our citizens will know what they have to deal with, especially the car tags."

Senator Lee Yancy of Madison says that's only part of the work to be done.

"We have a Medicaid , ah 90 million dollar funding hole. We need to find a way to bridge that gap. I believe there’s eminent domain that's part of a special session the governor has inserted. And ah, several other things the budget is key, we gotta have a budget. And how to disperse the stimulus money."

Even with billions in Katrina and federal stimulus funding, Phil Hardwick, with The Stennis Institute of Government, says lawmakers have an uphill climb ahead.

"There's a probably a 400 million dollar short fall this year and a 700 million dollar fall next year. And the question is have we finally gotten to the door where we've gotta not only figure out how we're gonna pay for it but whether we can pay for it."

A state cigarette tax increase, could help cover some of the revenue shortfalls, but State agencies could see additional budget cuts. For MPB news, I'm Lawayne Childrey.