Commission Faces Budget Shortfall After Funding Source Changed

Mississippi lawmakers' decision to restructure how agencies are funded to patch holes in the budget has left the state Workers' Compensation Commission with a shortfall despite bringing in enough money to remain self-sufficient. Facing about $1 million in budget cuts between this year and next, the MWCC announced its first cutback last week. The agency will no longer reimburse a portion of claimants' expert medical witness fees, a move expected to save about $15,000, according to MWCC senior staff attorney Alan Goodman. "We're putting our heads together to see where we c...