JACKSON - Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and a number of state legislators are patting themselves on the back on the campaign trail regarding their fiscal management of state government during the last four years - and are blaming any lingering fiscal problems on a stagnant national economy.
But a USA Today study of the financial problems gripping most state governments rated Mississippi as the second worst state in the country in terms of wise management of taxing and spending.
The national newspaper study rated California as the state with the worst fiscal management in the country, followed by Mississippi and Montana in a tie for second-worst.
Using a point-system that took into account spending restraint, the state's bond ratings and an analysis of the state's tax system, the newspaper rated the state's fiscal management as "poor" and pointed to rapid Medicaid program expansion as the key fiscal culprit.
USA Today isn't the only source of that is providing documentation to the extent of Mississippi's state government fiscal morass. According to a preliminary report by state College Board economist Dr. Marianne Hill, the numbers tell the tale quite nicely.
Hill's research documents that between FY1997-2002 in Mississippi, total governmental spending increased 9.2 percent. At the same time, State Tax Commission gross collections of tax revenue increased 4.6 percent.
In other words, the state is spending at almost twice the rate that tax revenues are collected. Debt service increased 64.2 percent for the same period - the fastest growing expenditure category in state government.
Go ahead and book it. Mississippi taxpayers will be paying higher state taxes in 2004.
Despite the rather constant gubernatorial campaign rhetoric, taxing and spending is something a Mississippi governor can do precious little about.
The 1890 Constitution dictates that the Legislature authorizes the ways and means that tax revenues are collected and then in turn appropriates or spends the proceeds of those collections.
From a constitutional standpoint, the governor stands over in the corner and mumbles during this process. Can't raise a dime of revenue. Can't appropriate a nickel to spend.
Gov. Musgrove's talking smack about taxing and spending. So is leading Republican challenger Haley Barbour. Everybody's against raising taxes and nobody's talking specifics about cutting spending.
Musgrove frets about conflicting revenue estimates, blaming lawmakers. Barbour offers vagueries about priorities in spending, blaming Musgrove.
But nobody's talking turkey about the state's looming fiscal crisis.
Which programs don't get funded? Who's getting CHIPS or Medicaid now that won't be getting it next year? How many prisoners will be turned out of the cash-strapped Department of Corrections?
Who will pay the new taxes that will be raised in 2004 regardless of who is living in the Governor's Mansion? What taxes will be raised - sin taxes, income taxes, property taxes, use taxes?
Any way you slice it, Mississippi has spent like a drunken sailor, and the only solution proposed by either the current administration or the current Legislature has been to raid every trust fund, special fund and governmental cookie jar available and keep spending to avoid discussing taxes during an election year.
It's time that the voters hold the candidates - incumbents and challengers alike - accountable for some straight talk on taxing and spending. So far, it's been all blue smoke and mirrors.
