Lawmakers grill health directors as they seek savings
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday asked pointed questions of state agency leaders about their spending, and chided a couple for bellyaching about their budgets to the media.
"You've been in the news a lot lately," Reeves told state Department of Mental Health Director Diana Mikula. "Your communications director is doing a good job. I would tell you to give them a raise, but you probably already have."
New special panels of lawmakers held hearings with agency leaders Monday and Tuesday, looking for ways to overhaul state government and cut spending. The panels an idea promoted by House Speaker Philip Gunn are expected to recommend "comprehensive reform" of state taxing and spending to the full Legislature next year.
Two panels on Tuesday tackled health-care agencies and spending, which accounts for a huge chunk more than $1.4 billion of the $6 billion state budget.
Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2016/08/23/legislative-health-panels/89196742/