Wright: legislators will agonize over Medicaid issue

No one is saying much officially, but the House is looking carefully at proposed cuts to the state Medicaid program.

"We don't have anything to release yet," said state Rep. Billy Pat Wright (R-Dexter) "But we are discussing Medicaid, First Steps program for our children, and all I can say is that there are a lot of things to be analyzed, to apply those dollars to the most needy."

Wright acknowledged any decision on such funding reductions would not be easy, whichever way the state went. "We don't take these steps lightly," he said, "and there are going to be some people agonizing over them."

Not that there was any suggestion the legislature would shy away from what might prove to be an unpopular decision. "We're sent up here to do our job," Wright said. "And we will do it.

"But it'll be tough."

Even so, he said, the House and Senate would "do our best to make sure those dollars are applied to those that are the most in need of them."

xlb@dailystatesman.com