May 3, 2010

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR BARBOUR

"Mississippi's revenue collections in April returned to their previous pattern of decline.  April revenue came in at 8.54 percent, or $45.1 million, below estimates.  These numbers confirm what we have known all along: the deep global recession continues to affect our state’s revenue, and it may take years for collections to fully return to pre-recessionary levels.  Including April, 19 of the last 20 months have seen revenue collections fall short of expectations.  April's collections do not require additional spending reductions at the present time."