Governor Barbour has vetoed Senate Bill 2688, the bill that uses a total of $79-million from various reserve funds to restore $37.6-million (18%) of the $204-million that has been cut from this year's K-12 education funding and to restore $41.4-million to other state agencies.  The Legislature will now have an opportunity to override the governor's veto and get this desperately needed funding restored to our schools immediately.  The Senate will have the first opportunity to override the governor's veto, and 34 votes will be required to do so.

Last week, Governor Barbour issued a statement saying that he would veto the bill because
1. it used too much money, and
2. it did not put enough into the Department of Corrections. 

In a radio interview today, Governor Barbour acknowledged that it is reasonable to spend even more than the $79-million used in this bill to restore some funds to agencies that provide critical state services, saying that he would agree to use $82-million from various reserves to restore cuts to some agencies.  Yet, in his veto message, Governor Barbour states that he has vetoed the bill because it spends too much.

On February 5th, Governor Barbour announced at a press conference that he would use his discretionary stimulus funds to restore $16-million (57%) of the $28.12-million that has been cut from the Department of Corrections.  He has not restored those funds, and he is now saying that he vetoed SB2688 because he wants the Legislature to use different reserve funds to restore the cuts to Corrections. Governor Barbour could have restored those funds to Corrections, as promised, weeks ago.

As an educator said recently, "This is not a game."  Schools are facing a crisis situation, and the quality of education provided our children is threatened.  Click here to see how schools are being affected by budget cuts.  If the governor's veto is sustained, there will be a significant delay in getting any funds at all restored to our schools, and the amount of funds restored to schools will likely be reduced.  The Legislature should override the governor's veto, get this desperately needed funding restored to schools now, and work with the governor to get funds restored immediately to the Department of Corrections - all of which can be accomplished much more quickly with a veto override than could be accomplished by dealing with yet another bill in a conference committee.

Please ask your senator to vote to override Governor Barbour's veto of Senate Bill 2688 so that $37.6-million can be immediately restored to K-12 education. 

It will be important to get the support of Senate Appropriations Chairman Alan Nunnelee and Lt. Governor Phil Bryant, both of whom have resisted restoring funds cut from education. 

You can reach Senator Nunnelee at the Capitol at 601-359-3250.

You can reach Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant at 601-359-3200.