JACKSON - Former Gov. William Winter says lawmakers may have to consider a tax increase to generate enough revenue to fund all state programs, including education.
"You can't cram a size 12 foot into a size 10 shoe," Winter said Friday in response to a reporter's question during a news conference at the Capitol. "I think that has to be a consideration."
He said it is up to the Legislature to determine ways to raise money for education and other programs. Mississippi, like many states, has struggled to meet needs amid a slow growth in tax revenue.
"We can't escape the fact that there are tremendous demands for resources in the next Legislature. We do feel it is important that funding education adequately is the number one priority," Winter said. "How those resources are going to be reallocated obviously is a problem of the Legislature."
Winter and Tupelo businessman Jack Reed are spearheading a statewide campaign to persuade lawmakers to fully fund K-12 public education. They have held meetings across the state and are gathering signatures for a petition to present to the 2005 Legislature in January.
Education officials say lawmakers underfunded the Mississippi Adequate Education Program by $79 million for the current fiscal year. They're asking lawmakers to fully fund a $381.6 million budget request for the next fiscal year. The funding request restores the $79 million for MAEP.
MAEP is an equity-funding plan aimed at giving all school districts the money required to meet midlevel accreditation standards.
State Education Superintendent Henry L. Johnson, who attended the news conference, said the funding shortage led to 900 job cuts throughout the state's 152 school districts. He said teachers made up more than half of those cuts. "That's a real issue," Johnson said.
Winter said education should be funded during the first days of the 2005 session. He is urging citizens to call their lawmakers to encourage them to support the move.
At the urging of former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, the 2003 Legislature fully funded education in the initial month of the session. The budget for K-12 education wasn't finalized until the last days of this year's legislative session.
Gov. Haley Barbour has said while education will be one of his priorities, he opposes any tax increases.
Many lawmakers ran in 2003 on a pledge of no taxes. Winter said they shouldn't fear a voter backlash if they approve a tax to fund education. "The people of Mississippi are not going to punish public officials who do the right thing," he said.
Winter, who was governor from 1980-84, said when he took office, the state had just come off a program of reduced taxes. He said the result was a huge deficit in the first three years he was in office.
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