Less than two months from the start of a new fiscal year,lawmakers and the governor appear to have made little progress innegotiating a budget solution to keep state government running.

As anyone who pays attention already knows, lawmakers adjournedlast month without passing a budget for fiscal 2006, which beginsJuly 1. For months, the Senate, House and governor were at oddsover a spending blueprint for the state, primarily over funding forelementary and secondary schools.

At its core, the impasse is a game of politics.

The state House, controlled by Democrats playing to theeducators who typically support them, favors funding nearly all ofthe state Department of Education’s $2.06 billion budget requestand has proposed a tobacco tax increase to cover some of the cost -the most effective, least painful way to generate additionalrevenue, we believe. On the other side, Republican Gov. HaleyBarbour, and the state Senate (led by Republican Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck)are sticking to the governor’s no-new-taxes pledge and appealing tothe will of many fiscally conservative voters.

It’s fairly clear that the state’s budgeting process has to be agive-and-take operation with neither side fully achieving all itdesires. So far, Barbour and the Senate leadership refuse to give,and we can only hope they will be a bit more pliable in theupcoming special session the governor says he will call (no dateyet given) to address the state’s budget mess.

At some point, the political grandstanding must end. Thegovernor must call the session, and lawmakers of both chambers andboth parties – as well as Barbour himself – must come to the tablewith open minds to hammer out their differences.

Sure, there have been closed-door meetings between Barbour andkey lawmakers (a troubling move away from open government), in thehopes a deal can be reached before the governor calls a specialsession to address the budget. But a House leader involved in thelatest round of talks last week lamented the lack of progress.

“It was not a real productive meeting,” said state Rep. CecilBrown, D-Jackson, chairman of the House Education Committee.

Well, it’s high time to get productive.

The political gamesmanship is tiresome, and for the teachers,students, other state employees and Mississippi residents whodepend on state services, the delay in passing a state budget isplaying havoc with their lives. That such posturing could have suchgreat negative impact on so many Mississippians is just unfair.

No longer can the state hold out, hoping a back-room deal willend the budget standoff. It’s time to fish or cut bait.

An important aside, it’s interesting to note that, thus far, theeducation and budget debate has focused solely on finances. It begsto be asked what any plan – touted by the governor or any lawmaker- will do to improve education, not just fund it.

So far, educational quality seems to have been lost in thedebate.

Lawmakers and the governor must remember they were electedto safeguard the interests of all Mississippians. The currentclimate of political posturing and refusal to compromise sadlysuggests that many have forgotten.