JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The Latest on the Mississippi budget (all times local):
7 p.m.
Gov. Phil Bryant will have to call a special session for lawmakers to set a budget for the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
The House on Monday tried to force the Senate to hold discussions about a long-term plan to fund repairs for highways and bridges. But, that effort failed in a rare public disagreement between Republicans who lead the two chambers.
The new budget year begins July 1.
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves says House leaders were pushing what he called an “unconstitutional” internet sales tax.
Speaker Philip Gunn and other House leaders said there’s nothing unconstitutional about the tax that Amazon and some others are already paying voluntarily. They propose setting aside some of the tax collections to pay for infrastructure.
Gunn says the House has sent multiple plans to the Senate to try to address a serious issue, but Reeves and other Senate leaders have ignored them.
3:06 p.m.
Mississippi House members want to reopen discussions over state transportation and construction money.
Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday to send two transportation spending bills back for more negotiations with state senators. The immediate source of complaints was more than $45 million in special projects inserted in the bill. But House members say they also want a last-minute resurrection of a borrowing plan for bridges and other government construction projects.
The annual borrowing plan died at a deadline Saturday in a dispute over earmarking some taxes on internet sales for transportation work.
The transportation drama flared Monday as lawmaker pushed through dozens of budget bills that will significantly cut state spending. Rep. Sam Mims, a McComb Republican, tells House members cuts to the Mental Health Department will likely spark hundreds of layoffs.
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