Gov. Haley Barbour didn’t paint a rosy picture Monday of what’s to come in Mississippi.

He anticipates further slips in sales tax revenue and a sagging economy for months.

The news from Natchez City Hall was in line Monday. Local sales tax revenues are still down, just as they have been for seven months.

For September 2009, the drop was 9.68 percent off the same time last year.

Barbour released a sweeping plan for cuts, consolidations and reorganizations.

City Hall still has us a bit confused.

In October, the city laid off five employees, including two department heads. Another department head quit after hearing she was to be fired.

The move seemed like the beginning of a budget-cutting plan.

But since that day the mayor has said a city planner will be hired. A public works supervisor has been hired. And grant-writing companies are being interviewed.

Are the savings left on the table enough to sustain us through continued sales tax revenue drops?

At least one alderman acknowledged that she was unaware of a recent city hire at Monday night’s meeting.

Does the board have a plan on which they’ve agreed?

Things aren’t getting better overnight in Mississippi. The citizens of Natchez need and deserve to hear a detailed plan of action from city leaders.

Barbour’s plan wasn’t rosy. But it was a plan.

What is Natchez’s plan?