Bryant Orders New Round Of Budget Cuts

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says he’s making another round of budget cuts and will take $10 million out of the state’s rainy day fund.

This is the round of cuts since fiscal 2016 started last July, because state revenues are falling short in a sluggish economy.

Republican Bryant says he is making across-the-board cuts to of less than one-half of 1 percent to budgets of most agencies on Wednesday. He did not immediately have a dollar figure.

He says a few programs won’t be cut – veterans’ affairs, the state Military Department, student loans and schools for the blind and deaf.

Bryant also says he expects to call a special session in June or later to allocate $110 million the state will receive from the BP oil spill settlement.