Some South Mississippi lawmakers say given the state's current budget troubles, any option to save money should be on the table, but some of Gov. Haley Barbour's recent proposals are unlikely to pass.

Barbour said Monday he wants to merge the historically black institutions Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University into Jackson State University. He also wants to merge Mississippi University for Women with Mississippi State University and move the Mississippi School of the Arts from Brookhaven to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, which is at MUW. Barbour also wants to decrease the state's 152 school districts to 100, with districts that are doing well academically and financially having the best chance to continue teaching. Lawmakers said they were still digesting the proposals Tuesday.

Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, said all options should be considered, but merging colleges is going to be difficult. He also wonders if some campuses were consolidated into others but still teaching students, how much would really be saved.

"This whole thing would be very, very complicated, there is no doubt about it," Baria said. "It would be a political bloodbath. We need to make sure we are going to achieve a significant cost savings before we consider something like that. Having said all that, I think everything needs to be on the table."

Baria and other South Mississippi lawmakers don't believe the K-12 consolidation plans will affect the Coast much, based on the governor's criteria, because Baria said most Coast schools are doing well both financially and academically.

Baria is also worried about what would happen to patients who need mental health services if some of those facilities are closed, which is being talked about under the plan. Baria also worries about job training that may be lost if some community college campuses are closed or programs there are scaled back.

Rep. Herb Frierson, R-Poplarville, a member of the House Education, Universities and Colleges and Appropriations committees, which will be heavily involved in any proposals, thinks merging some schools might help and should be studied.

"I am open minded about it because if we are going to cut 12 percent in state funding, then we are going to need to look for ways to make up for that loss," said Frierson, who was a teacher and coach before being elected. "If it is going to be big savings, there needs to be a good argument other than politics not to do it."

Frierson said some districts, especially those that have under 1,500 students may need to be consolidated, but likely those issues won't effect South Mississippi.

"I don't understand paying the superintendents and the staff a large amount of money for that small a school," Frierson said.

Frierson said he could go with the governor's higher education proposals, but doesn't believe a majority of the Legislature will.

Rep. Roger Ishee, R-Gulfport, who serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Universities and Colleges committees, said he believes the higher education proposals also face long odds and that it may be too much for the state government to take on all at once.

Ishee and other lawmakers also wonder how much cost would be associated with upgrading campuses at MUW to accommodate the students from other programs. Barbour's proposals could come out of the Legislature not looking like they did going in and costs could go up under those proposals, and other changes could be made when lawmakers are finished.

"If we bring one out, it may be unrecognizable to the governor and he may veto it," Ishee said.

Rep. Diane Peranich, D-Pass Christian, said she still advocates a later start to the school year to save some money.

Like Baria, she questioned how much would be saved if some campuses remain open, but merged with others. She also wonders if certain facilities are closed, how many jobs would be lost.

Peranich wonders if the economy won't recover quicker than the projections the governor's proposal uses and questions if it's really time to make big changes.

"We're just in a downturn, but I think we have to get through this year and we have a tight budget next year, but when every economist predicts that we are on the move, I think to predicate Draconian measures, I think you should be vigilant and conservative, but you certainly don't throw the baby, the bath water and the tub out, because with some of these cuts we are talking about some people's jobs."

Like Baria, Peranich said she worries about mental health care and state jobs under the proposals.

Rep. Brandon Jones, D-Pascagoula, a member of the House Education Committee, said the state needs to look for savings, but should be very careful.

"I would say given the economic realities we are facing in Mississippi, we can't afford to be obstinate to the governor's proposals," Jones said.

Jones is worried about the size some school districts might become, because some studies show achievement goes down when districts become larger.

"We're not Wal-Mart," Jones said. "It is not just about slashing prices and moving product. We want to have students who are ready for jobs and who are ready to enter college."

Several other Coast lawmakers did not return phone calls seeking comment on Tuesday afternoon.