JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is proposing most state agencies take a 1.5 percent budget cut during the fiscal year that starts next July 1.
Republican Bryant released his $5.8 billion spending plan Wednesday at the Capitol.
Legislative leaders release their own plan Dec. 11, and there's an April 1 deadline for the House and Senate to adopt a budget.
Bryant recommends level funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, the complex funding formula for schools.
He seeks an additional $24 million for specific education programs, including $15 million for literacy training for teachers. Bryant wants more emphasis on ensuring children can read by the end of third grade.
Bryant would exempt several parts of government from cuts, including public safety programs, the National Guard and University of Mississippi Medical Center.
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