Funding for TBED Programs Cut in Mississippi Governor’s Budget Proposal

Calling for shared sacrifice among all state agencies, Gov. Haley Barbour outlined his FY11 budget recommendations reducing most agencies by 12 percent below the FY10 appropriation, excluding the Mississippi Development Authority, which would be cut only 5 percent because of its role in job creation. Tech-based economic development programs funded by the Authority are zeroed out in the governor’s proposal, however.

Gov. Barbour recommends $22.6 million in state funds for the Mississippi Development Authority in FY11, $1.2 million less than the FY10 appropriation, which included federal recovery funds. No funding is recommended for the Mississippi Technology Alliance (MTA) or the Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, which received a combined $1.4 million last year. MTA is a nonprofit organization that assists emerging companies across the state through access to capital and entrepreneurial support, and the Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions works with industry and university research programs to support geospatial business development and research.

Gov. Barbour also announced a merger plan that would cut the state’s publicly funded universities from eight to five as a cost-savings measure. Under the plan, Mississippi University for Women would be merged with Mississippi State University and Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State – both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) – would be placed under the Jackson State University umbrella, which is the state’s only other HBCU.

The legislature will consider the governor’s recommendations when the 2010 legislative session convenes early next year. Gov. Barbour’s FY11 budget proposal is available at: http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2009/nov/2011ExecutiveBudget.pdf