The Budget Circus: A Master Class in Legislative Shenanigans
JACKSON, Miss. — In a stimulating display of legislative prowess, lawmakers finally passed a $7.1 billion state budget, and it only took a special session fraught with yelling, finger-pointing, and a hefty dose of irony.
Senators were busy comparing notes—mostly about their House counterparts—while disgruntled House members engaged in a heated squabble worthy of daytime television. And let’s not even start on the delightful twist of knowingly passing a bill that does a fantastic job of butting heads with federal Medicaid regulations. Bravo!
This little comedy of errors unfolded during a special session, a term that usually evokes thoughts of unity and focused teamwork. However, after failing to get their act together during the regular session—nearly a soap opera full of Republican infighting and deep existential crises—Governor Tate Reeves had to whip them back into shape just before the new fiscal year kicks off on July 1. Imagine herding cats wearing tiny suits.
In a heartfelt social media post, Gov. Reeves noted, “Yes—this should have been completed in regular session.” A candid remark, indeed! Upon realizing that a budget miracle wasn’t happening, lawmakers donned their serious faces and hashed out an agreement that met Reeves’ criteria, all while minimizing the costs of this special legislative field trip.
The Senate finally wrapped things up Thursday evening, only after a dramatic debate regarding the Department of Health’s budget—because who doesn’t love a good budgetary cliffhanger? Lawmakers suddenly panicked upon discovering a provision that could threaten $1.2 billion in federal Medicaid dollars for Mississippi. Calm down, folks! Just have the Governor veto it—problem solved!
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann expressed thanks to the Senate but also threw some shade at House leaders for reneging on previous agreements, making it sound like a kindergarten spat over crayons. “There were three more significant bills from the House that didn’t even make the cut for the governor’s call,” he lamented. And what is a special session without a rousing game of ‘who can upset the apple cart the most?’
Senate Democrats, feeling like they walked into a party without an invitation, opposed almost every budget bill. They even complained about being left in the dark—an ironic twist considering they should know how the budget works after all these years.
As all of this chaos unfolded, the House continued to engage in a charming episode of ‘Who Has the Floor?’—where threatening to remove members became a beloved party game. All this, while many members whined that they were practically in the dark about the budget’s details, making for a real “best kept secret” atmosphere.
Despite the tumult, House members eventually calmed down enough to drop their filibuster request for reading bills aloud. In a surprising turn of events, Republicans suddenly decided to answer questions from their Democratic colleagues. Who would’ve thought? Amid the discord, the real magic was happening over the Mississippi Development Authority’s budget, where the partisan bickering reached new heights. It’s hard to tell whether they were voting on budgets or auditioning for the next big reality TV show.
As the dust settled, lawmakers wrapped up with a budget that proposed flat funding for most agencies, though several will experience a sharp decline starting July due to drying up “one-time” federal pandemic funds. Who knew budgeting could be so exciting? And with plans to leave a staggering $1 billion unencumbered, it seems like prudence has become the name of the game—though some are left wondering whether essential services may suffer as a result.
So, what do we have? A budget breakdown theater rife with Democrats and Republicans acting out their best roles while employing a range of procedural antics that would make chaos theorists proud. The final tally looks something like this:
- Medicaid: $969.9 million, a 6.69% increase
- K-12 education: $3.34 billion, a .4% decrease
- Universities: $838.4 million, a .4% decrease
- Community colleges: $299.4 million, a .22% increase
- Department of Corrections: $438.2 million, a 4.4% increase
- TOTAL GENERAL FUND BUDGET: $7.135 billion, a 1.57% increase
And there you have it, folks. A budget born out of chaos, featuring special sessions, public spats, and legislative performances that crescendo under the bright lights of Mississippi politics. Who needs entertainment when you have our fine lawmakers delivering this theatrical masterpiece?
Published by Mississippi Today, republished for your amusement.
