@ISSUE
The 2017 Legislative Session
Special | 26m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
Lawmakers will soon get back to work at the state capitol.
Lawmakers will soon get back to work at the state capitol. Education, infrastructure, and the budget are expected to be at the top of the agenda.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
@ISSUE is a local public television program presented by mpb
@ISSUE
The 2017 Legislative Session
Special | 26m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
Lawmakers will soon get back to work at the state capitol. Education, infrastructure, and the budget are expected to be at the top of the agenda.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ >>> HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I'M WILSON INSTRSTR DEBATE THE ISSUES THAT ARE EFFECTING MISSISSIPPI.
AND ON TWITTER OR HANDLE IS MPD.
>>> AND WE SPOKE WITH TEXAS LAWMAKERS TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE UPCOMING SESSION.
>> AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STATE HAS BEEN A HOT BUTTON LOOKING FOR ANY COST SAVINGS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND DOLLARS THAT IS FACING OUR STATE.
THERE'S FOLKS THAT WANT TO DO EVERYTHING FROM RACING TAXES AND WE HAVE THE BP MONEY THAT EFFECTS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE.
>> WELL, I HOPE THAT WE CAN FUND THE BUDGET.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME CUTS HERE AND THERE BUT EDUCATION K-12 AND MAKING SURE OUR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGE ARE FUNDED.
MENTAL HEALTH, MAKING SURE THOSE THINGS ARE FUNDED.
>> MY THING IS FIGHTING FOR EDUCATION AND PUBLIC FUNDING SO THAT IT'S NOT TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE GIVING MONEY TO LEGISLATURES DURING THE TERM.
I THINK IT TAINTS THE SITUATION.
>> I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT DEBATES AND CONFLICTS ON ANY ATTEMPT TO GIVE PUBLIC FUNDING.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO ENTER THIS SESSION WITH A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET DEFICIT.
THAT'S NOT BEING NEGATIVE BUT THE NUMBERS ARE JUST NOT THERE.
AND WITH ALL THE TAX CUTS THAT ARE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED.
>> AND THEY PUT THE BUDGET UNDER A MICROSCOPE AND WENT TO WORKING COMMITTEES TO DISCUSS BUDGET NEEDS AND QUESTIONS FOCUSING ON TRAVELING AND CONTRACTS.
>> COMBINED, THE AGENCIES ARE AGENCY FOR A 10% BUDGET INCREASE.
REVENUE GROWTH IS PROJECTED TO BE AROUND 1-1.5%.
>> LAWMAKERS WANT TO WAY TO SAVE ON THE BUDGET AND HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STREAMLINE.
>> AND WE'RE IN THE TIGHT BUDGET TIME JUST LIKE WE WERE LAST TIME.
>> AND WE ALWAYS HEAR OF HOW THERE'S SOME FAT IN GOVERNMENT AND WE BLEELIEVE WE'VE FOUND A LITTLE BIT.
>> THE GOVERNOR LIKES TO POINT OUT THAT WE FOUND $6.2 MILLION THAT OUR AGENCIES HAD TAKEN.
SOME HAVE EXPANDED THAT.
>> WHEN WE'RE IN A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR -- AND A LOT OF THESE TRIPS ARE VALUABLE BUT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO RESORTS AND THE TAXPAYERS SEE THIS, IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF HEARTACHE.
>> AND WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT WAYS AGENCIES CAN JOIN TOGETHER AND DO SOME CONTRACTUAL BUYER AND SAVE MONEY.
>> STATE BUDGET IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS AND WE SHOULD GET EXPOSED AND THE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE CHECKBOOK.
>> WE WERE LOOKING AT SOME PURCHASING THE OTHER DAY AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH AGENCY IT WAS BUT THEY HAVE A PURCHASING CARD.
AND THE PRINTOUT THEY PROVIDED US HAD A LIST OF EVERY CHARGE MADE ON THE CARD AND DID NOT SAY WHO THE VENDOR WAS.
>> AND THE SENATOR I WAS SITTING BY, HE SHOWED THAT TO ME AND I SAID ASK HIM WHO THE VENDORS ARE.
>> AND SENATOR WILLIAMS ASKED WELL, WHY DON'T WE -- THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANY VENDORS AND WHO ARE YOU PAYING THIS TO?
>> AND THEY ADMITTED IT'S NOT IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, IT'S JUST WRITTEN DOWN IN A LOGBOOK.
AND THEY ADMITTED THAT'S ANTEQUATED AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO WRITE CHECKS AND THEY WERE NOT DOING THAT.
>> LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT DO GET EXPOSED AND NOT TO SAY THERE'S ANY WASTED MONEY.
BUT WE AS LEGISLATORS AND TAXPAYERS COULDNT EVEN TELL YOU WHERE THINGS WERE SPENT ON.
>> WELL, WHAT CONCERNS ME IS WE PASSED SOME MAJOR TAX CUTS THAT WON'T BE IN PLACE FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF.
>> WE SPENT THE SUMMER EXAMINING THE OVERALL TAX STRUCTURE IN THE STATE.
BUT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO SAVE WHICH WAS FINE AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STEWARDSHIP.
>> BUT BEING BUDGETERS IS ANOTHER THING BUT PROVIDING SERVICES IS ANOTHER THING.
AND I THINK WE'VE SAVED MONEY BUT WE NEED TO PROVIDE BETTER EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
>> LET'S GET TO BOTH SIDES OF OF THE AISLE.
BRANDON JONES IS AN ATTORNEY WITH THE BARION JONES LAWFIRM AND IS A FORMER MISSISSIPPI SENATOR.
>>> AND AUSTIN, WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE ISSUES FOR NEXT YEAR?
>> I THINK IT'S BEING TRYING TO GET TO THE FORMULA THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GETS IN TERMS OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
AND ROADS AND BRIDGES.
ROADS AND BRIDGES IS A BIG ISSUE AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A PARTIZAN ISSUE.
THERE ARE DEMOCRATS, THERE ARE REPUBLICANS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO SEE SOMETHING DONE.
>> AND IF I HAD TO ADD A THIRD ONE WHICH IS IMPORTANT, I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD NEWS THAT REVENUES ARE UP FOR NEXT YEAR UP TO $5 MILLION GIVE OR TAKE AND I THINK THE LEGISLATION IS GOING TO BE COSTLY WITH HOW THEY BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
>> WE'LL DIVE DEEPER INTO ALL OF THAT.
>> AND OUR LEGISLATOR IS NOT ONE TO TELEGRAPH THEIR PASSES.
BUT IT'S BEING HELD CLOSE TO THE VEST AT THIS POINT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE TAX PROPOSALS WILL BE BUT YOU CAN CLICK ON LINK THAT SHOWS YOU A POWERPOINT AND YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TREATING.
>> BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE AGITATED WITH TREATING.
>> AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PROPOSAL OF SOME KIND.
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TYPE OF COMPREHENSIVE BILL AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF WE LEFT IT LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
>> AND LAST YEAR THEY PASSED THE LARGEST TAX CUT AND THEY GOT RID OF THE 3% INTEREST RATE CUT.
AND THEY MAY LOOK AT SOME SMALLER THINGS BUT I THINK THAT LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDS, LET'S GIVE THIS SOME TIME TO WORK AND HELP RAISE THE GDP AND BRING BETTER JOBS TO MISSISSIPPI.
I DON'T THINK THEY'LL BE SOME KIND OF MASSIVE TAX PLAN.
I COULD BE WRONG LIKE I WAS LAST YEAR.
>> WE DID LAST YEAR WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
>> AND PERHAPS LAST YEAR THEY HELPED WITH UPKEEP.
>> DO YOU THINK WE MIGHT SEE THAT, BRANDON?
>> I THINK SO.
AND I THINK ANYBODY THAT USES OUR BRIDGES RECOGNIZES THAT THERE'S NEED THERE.
YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS.
YOU CAN DO NOTHING WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
OR YOU CAN FOLLOW WHAT I THINK DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO PROPOSE AND ROLL BACK THE PROPOSAL.
>> AND IT WILL PRODUCE OVER $6.5 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD FOR A STATE OUR SIZE.
AND I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS RAISING THE GAS TAX.
ONE OF THE MESSAGES IS THAT PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING TO GET INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS.
I DON'T THINK CUTTING A CORPORATE FRANCHISE TAX WHILE RAISING A GAS TAX IS CERTAINLY A WAY TO GO SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMPETING IDEAS AT THE STATE CAPITOL.
>> YES, BECAUSE SOME WOULD CALL IT A USER TAX.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON THE ROADS AND YOU'RE GOING TO USE THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY A LITTLE MORE.
>> AND I THINK LAST YEAR, THERE WAS ABOUT $300 MILLION ANNUAL, THAT'S A LOT.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THEY'LL DO BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO THIS.
>> AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A NUMBER TO PUT TOWARDS ROADS AND BRIDGES.
>> IT'S BEEN PART OF THE BOND PACKAGE WHERE THEY HAD MONEY FOR SPECIFIC ROADS AND BRIDGES BUT MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
>> AND WE HAD A PROGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURE IN THIS STATE.
AND THESE ARE TAXES THAT ALL PLAY IN ALL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
AND WHILE DOING THAT WHILE CUTTING BACK THE CORPORATE TAX, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE BECAUSE IT EFFECTS MITTS MISS.
MISSISSIPPI.
>> AND THESE TAX CUTS HAVE NOT TAKEN EFFECT YET.
AND YOU'LL HEAR SENATORS AND DEMOCRATS SAY IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO LOOK AT KANSAS, TO LOOK AT LOUISIANA AND SEE WHERE THIS TAX CUT GOT THEM AND DIAL BACK A LITTLE BIT.
>> I HAVE TO PUSH BACK ON MY FRIEND ACROSS THE TABLE, YOU SAID CORPORATE TAX.
THERE ARE A LOT OF BIG BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE IT BUT THERE ARE SOME SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
>> AND FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME IS IF YOU MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR BUSINESS IN MISSISSIPPI, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY AN ANNUAL TAX ON THAT.
>> AND MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, AND WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST TOYOTA, NISSAN AND THEY'RE MAKING I INVESTMENTS IN HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT MISSISSIPPI AS MUCH AS IT EFFECTS SOME AREAS.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY, IT EFFECTS THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR TOYOTA.
>> BUT WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE COMPANY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NOT CHOOSE US BECAUSE YOUR TAX BREAK IS NOT THAT GREAT.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A SELF-ESTEEM PROGRAM.
AND THAT MATH HAS NEVER COME OUT THAT WAY.
WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM THAT A LOT OF OTHER STATES DO.
WE'RE JUST DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER AND IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE FRANKLY YOU AND I HAVE BEEN ALIVE.
SO THESE TRIED AND TRUE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE REVISITED.
>>> AND WILL THEY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION EARLY NEXT YEAR?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL.
BUT THEY'RE A NONPROFIT COMPANY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM BUT I TRUST PHILLIP GUN TO HIRE THE BEST GROUP.
UNDER THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, WE'VE MADE MASSIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT STUDENT NEEDS AND WHAT IS THE REAL COST FOR A SPECIAL NEED STUDENT OR A STUDENT THAT LIVES IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA.
OR A STUDENT WHO LIVES IN A LOW-INCOME AREA LIKE JACKSON.
OR A GIFTED STUDENT.
WHAT IS THE REAL COST TO EDUCATE THAT CHILD THE WAY THAT CHILD NEEDS TO BE EDUCATED?
>> NOT JUST CHICKASAW COUNTY NEEDS TO GET THIS MUCH MONEY.
I LIKE THIS PLAN.
BRANDON WILL NOT DISAGREE WITH ME ON THIS.
>> WE WANT AS MUCH MONEY TO GET TO THEM AS WELL.
WE DON'T WANT FAILING SCHOOLS, WE WANT SCHOOLS TO GO TO MADISON AND WE DON'T WANT THESE KIDS TO BE TRAPPED IN BAD SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
>> WE WANT A GIFTED STUDENT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE AT MORRA HIGH SCHOOL AND ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT STARTS WITH AN M SHOULD GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY BECAUSE THEY'RE A GIFTED STUDENT.
I LIKE THAT.
I LIKE THE FACT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT LIKE THEY'RE A GIFTED STUDENT.
>>> AND YOU CAN BUY A NEW HOUSE BUT IF YOU DON'T INVEST IN UPKEEP, YOU HAVE AN EMPTY INVESTMENT.
SO WHATEVER WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO FUND IT.
>> AND THEY'RE HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT DO YOU REURING THE COUR THIS WEEK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A YOUTUBE VIDEO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS.
>> THEY CONSIDERED ALL THEIR CONTRACTS PRIVATE AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE TEACHERS AND PARENTS WEIGHING IN ON AN EDUCATION PLAN.
THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD BLINDLY TRUST AN EDUCATION PROCESS AND HERE WE ARE BEFORE WE ENTER IN HOW CAN YOU EXPECT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM PARTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.
THERE'S NO WHITE PAPER ON IT.
THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TRULY ENGAGE IN IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT.
>> I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE.
DURING THE 42 INITIALIVE, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE VOTED TO FUND A PROGRAM.
>> WE'RE REEVALUATING A PROGRAM THAT MISSISSIPPIANS ARE SAYING THEY WANT AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS.
SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T WANT TO FIGHT THE PARENTS CAMPAIGN AND DON'T WANT TO FIGHT 42 ANYMORE.
SO IF THEY CAN MESS AROUND WITH THE FORMULA ENOUGH, THEY CAN PUSH IT ASIDE.
BUT I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN IT AND I THINK OUR LEGISLATION IS RIGHT TO SAY WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>> AND IT NOW REQUIRES OR STREN STRENGTHENS THE SECRECY.
THAT'S WHAT SOME SAY IT IS.
AND THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE COPIES OF THE BILL OR TAKE PICTURES BUT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SEE THE BILL.
>> IT'S HARD WHEN NUMEROUS AMOUNTS EDUCATION HAS TO BE AGREED UPON IS THAT NO ONE CAN SEE THE BILL AND THESE ARE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND GREG SNOWDEN DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY YOU CAN'T SEE THE BILL.
>> AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY SAID YOU CAN'T SEE THE CONTRCONTRACT.
>> AND I TEXTED FIVE LEGISLATORS AND THEY SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE COMMENTING ON?
>> AND THEY ALL SAID NO.
>> BRANDON IS RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO KNOW SORT OF IT A CHECKLIST OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED.
AND I THINK AT WHAT VOTERS LOOK AT IS A CHECKLIST THAT THESE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR HAS HAD WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ELECTED SUPERINTENDENTS OR SPECIAL NEEDS STU STUDENTS THAT'S BEEN FUNDED.
THIS IS A PROCESS.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BECOME LAW ON DAY ONE OF THE NEW 17 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WE DON'T KNOW YET THAT IT WILL EVEN BE A BILL THAT WILL BE BROUGHT UP.
>> WE DON'T KNOW THAT.
>> AND I HAVE TO ALSO MENTION, EDUCATION K-12 ONLY, $2.5 BILLION IS SPENT ON THAT.
THE NUMBER ONE EXPENDATURE OF THE GENERAL FUND.
>> WE'LL AGREE TO DISAGREE ON HOW MUCH MONEY IS SPENT ON THAT.
WHAT I WANT TO SEE IS A GROUP COME IN AND LEDGISLATORS AND OTHER TEACHERS AND PARENTS WILL GET TO BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS THAT IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE ON THE CAPITOL.
AND ALL STUDENTS, GIFTED, RURAL, SUBURBS, WHAT IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THAT STUDENT?
>> I LIKE THAT.
>> I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THE IDEA OF HAVING A READING GAME.
THAT'S A SMART IDEA.
AND TEACHER PAY RAISES.
>> WE NEED TO RAISE THEM MORE.
>> AND I THINK YOU AND I AGREE ON THEM.
BUT THE READING GAME, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW CHARTER SCHOOL, WE CAN'T SAY IT'S WORKED YET.
BUT ALL OF THAT STUFF IS NOW A MANDATE.
AND THEY HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
WE'RE NOT FUNDING ANY GREATER.
BUT BY THE TIME YOU CONSIDER THESE MANDATES AND THESE OBLIGATTIONS, WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING OR CURRENT PROGRAM.
BY THE TIME YOU DO THAT REAL ECONOMIC MATH, A DOLLAR SPENT IN THE MISSISSIPPI GOVERNMENT GOES A LONG WAY THAN IT DID YEARS AGO.
>> I THINK WE'RE TAKING A VICTORY LAP THAT'S NOT QUITE CREDITED YET.
>> I AGREE.
HEAR THE THINGS THAT THIS REPU REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR HAVE DONE.
>> THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS AND WE'LL SEE IF THEY WORK.
THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER STATES.
WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AS A STATUS QUO AND CONTINUE TO DO NOTHING OR WE'LL BE LEFT BEHIND EVEN FROM ALABAMA.
>>> AND HAS CHARTER SCHOOLS REALLY HELPED SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
>> AND WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT KEEPING THIS IDEA UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
HE BELIEVED IN OPEN JUDGMENT AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO JUDGE WHAT THE HOUSE OF LEGISLATORS WAS DECIDING TO DO.
>>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TONE OF THE CAPITOL WHEN WE ENDED THINGS LAST YEAR.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PARTIZAN POLITICS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DIGGING INTO THEIR HEALS AND TOWING THE PARTY LINES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, BRANDON?
>> WELL, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THE LEGISLATOR.
IT'S A TOUGH JOB.
IT'S VERY HANDS ON.
AND IT COMES WITH SACRIFICE.
AM THESE PEOPLE DO SACRIFICE AND I THINK THEY WORK HARD.
>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE A PRETTY DEDICATED BODY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THESE THINGS WITH CLEAR EYES.
BUT I DON'T GET THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY LIKE THE FIGHTING AND GRIDLOCK ANYMORE THAN THEY DO.
I THINK MORE TIMES THAN NOT, IT'S A SELECT FEW THAT GIVES OTHER AS BAD NAME.
AND I THINK THE MOVE OF MANAGEMENT WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GO BACK AND EXPLAIN TO SOME OF THEIR MEMBERS AND THAT CREATES FRUSTRATION.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF EVERY REPUBLICAN.
IT'S ONE THING DO GREAT UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS UNDER THE MISSISSIPPI ECONOMY.
>> I AGREE WITH BRIAN.
I MEAN THE STAFF THAT'S UP THERE, THEY WANT TO GET STUFF DONE.
THEY'RE NOT THERE TO PICK A FIGHT WITH DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE OPPOSING PARTY.
HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE SUCH A BUDGET CRUNCH.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS AND THAT'S COMING IN FROM BP AND I HOPE THAT MAKES IT EASIER BUT I HOPE THEY'LL MAKE IT A POSITIVE TONE.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CARRY ON AND WE'LL HAVE MAKE GREATER DECISIONS IN THE SESSION OF 2017.
>>> GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS.
AND WE'LL FOCUS NEXT WEEK ON FOCUSING ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
UNTIL THEN, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

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