Mississippi legislators’ efforts to quickly pass more than $4 billion of spending bills on the first day of the 2007 session are irresponsible, Gov. Haley Barbour said in Natchez, Wednesday.

Tuesday, Mississippi lawmakers attempted to put to vote education and appropriation bills that passed through committees on opening day. A handful of Republican lawmakers blocked the vote on a procedural move.

Barbour who spoke to the Natchez Rotary Club Tuesday came touting his three-year record and criticizing legislators for what he called “political grandstanding.”

“Last month the legislative budget committee could not agree on a budget for the first time in its history,” Barbour said. “Yet, they vote on more than $4 billion dollars in appropriations bills that represent more than 80 percent of the entire budget on day one.”

Pointing out that during his administration the state budget moved from a $720 million shortfall to a $70 million surplus, Barbour said that Monday’s votes by legislators demonstrated the same mentality that had the state “in the worst financial condition ever” when he entered office.

“How easy it is to understand how we got into the $720 million budget shortfall that we were in,” Barbour said.

Barbour said that instead of spending wildly during an election year, legislators should wait for more specific revenue numbers in March when the budget is normally passed.

“Is it good politics to appropriate funds representing 80 percent of the budget now or is it good politics to be responsible and wait till you know how much money you have to spend?” Barbour said.

Despite his disagreement with legislators over the budget, Barbour did agree on one thing.

“MAEP will be fully funded,” Barbour said.

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program is a formula the state uses to fund K-12 schools in the state. The legislature has never fully funded the program in its history.

But just because this is the first year the program will be funded Barbour didn’t want constituents to believe that education has been neglected.

“I don’t want anybody to get the idea that we shortchanged education,” Barbour said.

“Funding for K-12 schools is up 19 percent since I came into office,” Barbour said. Funding for universities and community colleges is up nearly 28 percent Barbour said.

Other issues Barbour discussed Wednesday include successes during his administration to pass tort reform and lower medical liability premiums, the recovery of 38,000 jobs that were lost during the Musgrove administration and the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the state.

“What makes me confident is the spirit and character of our people,” Barbour said. “Disaster does not create character. Disaster reveals character. Katrina has revealed a character and a spirit and the nation noticed.”

“Are we going to seize that opportunity?” Barbour said.