NATCHEZ — Over plates of biscuits, bacon and eggs, four state legislators briefly reviewed the extended 2009 session during the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Breakfast at the Natchez Eola Hotel on Monday.

Sens. Bob Dearing and Kelvin Butler, and Reps. Sam Mims and Robert L. Johnson III, all representing portions of Adams County, explained the state’s $5 billion fiscal year 2010 budget was responsible for the extended stay in Jackson.

“All that matters is that we came out with a balanced budget,” Dearing said.

Federal stimulus funds totaling $877,231,179 kept the budget balanced, Dearing said. Approximately $354 million of those funds were allocated to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for road and bridge work. In addition, $111 million was allocated to Mississippi Adequate Education Program, the primary funding formula for local schools, $256 million was allocated to Medicaid and $37 million was allocated to the Department of Mental Health.

“I’ve had several people stop and say where did we spend our stimulus money, so I wanted to share those numbers,” Dearing said.

However, on Sept. 3, Gov. Haley Barbour ordered cuts to state agency spending totaling $171.9 million after 12 consecutive months of revenue collections were lower than expectations. Dearing said the action was necessary to meet the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget and avoid future cuts.

The cuts fall mostly on education, which received funding increases in FY 2010 while most agencies experienced significant cuts. Even after cuts totaling $158,256,543, education at all levels — K-12, community colleges and universities — will receive more money than it did last year.

Locally, the cuts translate into a $820,000 loss for the Natchez-Adams School District and a $500,000 loss for Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

“This was the most challenging legislative session I’ve been involved with in six years and it was simply because of the budget,” Mims said. “We’re in a recession, and we’re seeing our revenues decrease at this point.”

Mims likened the state’s stimulus funds to a Band-Aid on a serious wound, saying the funds temporarily solve the state’s revenue decline.

“In January, (the budget) may be even more challenging than this last session,” Mims said. “In 2011, the stimulus money is gone. If revenue doesn’t pick up, it’s going to be a challenging session in 2011.”

Johnson said the stimulus funds are meant to jump start the state’s cash flow.

“Stimulus means just that,” Johnson said. “All of this is one time money. It’s not money to lure people into a false sense of security.

“Everybody’s gonna have to bite the bullet a little bit, but this is what’s happening across the country,” Johnson said. “I think the recovery we’ll have will be less of a steep climb than the rest of the country.”

The legislators later fielded questions from the audience, ranging from establishing a veterans’ nursing home in Natchez to their thoughts on President Obama’s health care plan.

“This is a federal issue, but it’s our state’s responsibility to make sure our congressional district is aware,” Dearing said of the veterans’ home. “We really need one in southwest Mississippi and we’re going to work really hard with our congressional district to get one.”

On Obama’s health care reform plan, Johnson and Butler agree something must be done to reel in costs.

“When you have 75 million people who are uninsured, that’s costing you more money,” Johnson said. “We have to have something to take care of the large population that’s uninsured.”

Johnson said taxpayers foot the medical bill for the uninsured, and hospitals are reimbursed for treatment by the federal government.

Dearing said Obama is on the right track with plans to prohibit the denial of health coverage for pre-existing conditions, allowing people to keep their current health insurance plan and drawing attention to people who “keep misrepresenting what’s in the bill.”

Mims opposes the plan, which he thinks is in need of serious reform. He urged to audience to stay abreast of the issue.

“I think it’s crossing the line,” Mims said. “We must take responsibility for our choices, and some people are choosing to be uninsured.”