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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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dbaria@house.ms.gov

June 20, 1016

Via email and US mail

Governor Phil Bryant

P.O. Box 139

Jackson, MS 39205

Email: Phil.Bryant@governor.ms.gov

Dear Governor Bryant:

I understand that you may be considering calling a special session to address FY 2015-

2016 budget concerns. I certainly hope that you will as Mississippi law requires the

budget to be balanced and it clearly will not be based on insufficient revenue collections.

My understanding is that tens of millions of additional dollars will be needed to fund the

FY 15-16 budget and that as governor you are limited to taking only another $4.8 million

from the Budget Contingency Fund without legislative action.

I also understand that the FY 16-17 budget is built on the same revenue estimates, plus

anticipated growth. The amount of current shortfall is likely to be similar next year, or

perhaps worse. It seems prudent to call the Revenue Estimating Group together to assess

where we will be in terms of revenue for FY 16-17 with a view towards addressing that

budget before we are in similarly dire financial straits. Thus, I ask that you consider

including in your call for a special session a provision allowing the legislature to address

the FY 16-17 budget as well.

You have expressed concerns over the Budget Transparency and Simplification Act

eliminating inter-agency transfers/billing and the Attorney General has opined that

portions of the Act are not legal. Clearly the impacts of the legislation are largely

unknown and are causing great concern across state agencies for various reasons, not the

least of which is the anticipated loss of substantial federal funds. Accordingly, I ask that

you include in your call for a special session a provision allowing the legislature to revisit

and perhaps repeal the Budget Transparency and Simplification Act.

Finally, should you decide to call a special session I ask that you provide 4-5 days notice

to the members of the legislature as many of us have made summer plans to spend time

with our families traveling. Also, if you can provide details of suggested legislation in

NEW CAPITOL P.O. BOX 1018 JACKSON. MISSISSIPPI 39215-1018

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advance of a special session I feel that it would greatly improve the chances that

agreement can be reached expeditiously. I feel sure that you would agree that we ought to

make the effort to avoid conflict in resolving the budgetary issues to the extent that we

can.

Thank you for your consideration of these matters. I know that you, like my legislative

colleagues, have the best interests of the State of Mississippi as your foremost concern

and will act accordingly.

Sincerely yours,

Rep. David Baria

House Minority Leader