JACKSON - Gov. Ronnie Musgrove wants an end to the Mississippi Legislature's preoccupation with the flag so lawmakers can get on to other things.
In a 32-minute speech Thursday to a joint session of the Legislature, Musgrove said lawmakers' swift action on the scheduling of a statewide referendum will allow them to return to "those matters of our common interest, of our common concern, and of our common destiny."
Musgrove, in his second state of the state address, described the anticipated statewide vote on the flag as a historic event akin to his election as governor by the Mississippi House, forced upon lawmakers when the Democrat could not win the 1999 election outright.
"One year later, we have yet another opportunity to listen to the voices of our people. Give them an opportunity to determine the destiny of Mississippi's state flag. The people of Mississippi are waiting. The world is watching. I urge you to put this issue on the ballot and let us move forward," Musgrove said.
In December, a Musgrove blue ribbon commission, after months of acrimonious public hearings, recommended a statewide election to settle the debate.
Lawmakers are poised to do just that.
Rep. Charlie Capps, D-Cleveland, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the issue will be voted on by his committee next week and placed before the full House.
"I think everybody wants to vote on it," Capps said. "It's important for the people of Mississippi to know they are going to get to vote and it's important for us to get it out of our business and get on with the state's business."
Musgrove's commission asked the Legislature to call an election before July to give voters a chance to endorse a commission flag design, which includes a grouping of stars where the Confederate emblem had been.
Musgrove has given no hint of his preference. He is not expected to until the Legislature gets through with its work.
Musgrove touched only briefly on the financial crisis facing the government. With revenue collections falling millions behind projections, lawmakers expect to struggle to meet the basic needs of state government and fund a commitment to the first year of a teacher pay raise.
"This governor knows more about the budget than any governor we've ever served with," Capps said. "He's very familiar with the budget. The fact that he didn't mention it is probably is because it is so ugly. There's nothing going to help us but tightening our belts, setting priorities for our spending and hope for some growth in the revenues."
Musgrove said about half the states are grappling with slow growth.
"We must remedy careless expenditures of one-time funding for ongoing expenses and carefully craft a budget to meet our people's needs without exception," he said.
Musgrove called on lawmakers to build on economic gains accentuated by Nissan's investment in a new auto production plant in Madison County. He said that cannot be achieved with a proposed 33 percent reduction in spending on economic programs proposed by legislative leaders.
He said the cut would "cripple our ability to expand economic opportunities, to work with local communities building infrastructure and to assist new and existing business alike."
"Such drastic cuts put our economic potential in a stranglehold," Musgrove said.
Capps was sympathetic but unmoved.
"All the programs the governor mentioned we're certainly for. I would love to give the Mississippi Development Authority back the money we cut. If he has the knowledge to tell us where that money is, we'll certainly do it," Capps said.
Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
