JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
As fall ushers its way into Mississippi, state leaders, like Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, are on the lookout for another type of fall, this one in state finances.
"We've got to continue to hold down state spending," Reeves said.
Reeves brought that message to the Jackson Rotary Club Monday afternoon. Reeves says if the state sees any revenue growth it's going to be slow.
"It's going to be a very difficult budget year," Reeves said.
His assessment comes just one week before the joint legislative budget committee begins its week-long budget process hearing for Fiscal Year 2014. Beginning Monday, the committee will hear budget presentations from state agencies and get financial overviews from state economists.
"The reality is that, as our state economist has said, on many occasions he's not expecting us to meet revenues similar to those in 2008 until maybe 2015," Reeves said.
Because of that, Reeves says just about every state agency that received a budget cut this year, can expect another cut next year.
"The reason virtually every state agency took a cut is so we could invest in our priorities, which are education and public safety," Reeves said.
To maintain those priorities and cover the loss of federal dollars, which are going away, Reeves is urging agency directors to come up with efficiencies. Democratic committee member, Rep. George Flaggs agrees agencies need to present a bare minimum but isn't ready to start handing out cuts.
"I do think that the agencies need to come in to the budget as honest as they possibly can as it relates to their needs, but I'm not ready to say that we ought to be looking at cutting agencies," Flaggs of Vicksburg said.
"Coming and asking for a huge wish list, which is going to cost tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars, is probably not going to get very far," Reeves said.
State leaders are also waiting to see what type of effect Hurricane Isaac will have on revenue projections and whether storm preparation sales will help give a boost.
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