JACKSON -- It could be a long night at the Mississippi Capitol.

The 2009 legislative session is scheduled to end at midnight Wednesday. It is certain that by midnight there will not be a budget passed to fund state government for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

There could be a budget agreement hashed out by the leadership by midnight. After not talking for two days, House and Senate budget leaders started negotiating again, starting Wednesday afternoon.

Early on Wednesday, the House leadership tried to garner the two-thirds majority to extend the session. They got 71 votes, but needed 78. Most Republicans voted against extending the session.

If the session is not extended, that means the work done earlier this year to provide money to local governments to hold down the cost of car tags will die. It would have to be taken up again in special session.

If a budget agreement is reached, the House leaders could try again to extend the session. If the session is not extended, and the Legislature goes into special session, the 174 members will receive an extra $75 per day from the taxpayers.

JACKSON -- At midnight Wednesday, it is likely that the Mississippi Legislature will by not extending the 2009 session get an additional $20,000 or so per day from the taxpayers.

More than likely the 2009 session will end Wednesday night without the Legislature passing a budget to fund state government. Gov. Haley Barbour will have to call a special session where legislators hopefully will reach a budget agreement before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

A special session costs roughly $20,000 more per day -- almost double what it is costing taxpayers for legislators to remain in regular session. By a two-thirds vote of both chambers, the Legislature could remain in regular session.

But it is likely some key Republicans will block  that effort because they believe a special session will give their fellow Republican governor more control of the process. Perhaps it will, but ultimately it will be up to the Legislature to pass a budget, and the governor has limited control of that -- even in special session. Yes, Barbour can demand they take up legislation to increase a tax on hospitals before they take up the budget.

But if they don't pass the tax increase he wants, would he be willing to let the clock run out and state government go unfunded?.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, one of the negotiators, says he probably will favor going into special session. He also said the Senate members might vote not to accept their special session pay in an effort to save taxpayer money.

Some might. But all won't. Plus, there are  expenses other than direct legislative pay that make the special session more expensive.There is the simple fact that in special session legislators will have to start the budgeting process from scratch. That will take more time. Time means money. Members are paid for each day they are in Jackson during special session.

But don't worry. We are only talking about thousands of dollars in taxpayer money.

No big deal.

Right?

JACKSON -- After Gov. Haley Barbour gave his opening remarks and before taking questions at a Wednesday news conference, he looked at me and said, "congratulations, Bobby."

"For what," I asked. The governor said he understood I had accepted a new job.

"Not true," I told him.

He apologized, and did so again after the news conference where he explained he had heard the information from three  sources. It was obvious to me the governor was only repeating what he believed to be true and had no intent of making my life difficult.

After all, the rumor that I had accepted the post of state House information officer spread like wildfire through the ornate halls of the Capitol.

It is true that Mac Gordon, the long-time House information officer and a good friend, is retiring -- in October.

The rumor that I had accepted the post as public relations officer for the entire 122-member House was spread by people with no concept of simple journalistic precepts of fact-checking. 

I have no intention of going anywhere. Essentially, I have worked for the Daily Journal my entire adult life. Through the years people have approached me about  possible  job changes. I tell them I like what I do and work for and with a great group of people.

JACKSON -- Gov. Haley Barbour recently made some opening comments at a forum that brought together business and government leaders from Changzhou, China, with Mississippi business leaders and economic developers.

The forum, sponsored by the city of Changzhou and the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce, was designed to try to develop trade and business ties.

It is not unusual for a politician to attend such an event and make a speech. Politicians like to do that. But Barbour stayed for the entire program.

And he wasn't there to shake hands and politick. He was there to listen and learn. At one point, he got up from the head table and went out in the audience where he could get a better view of the presentations. He did take a break to go to the food table where he stood for a few minutes sampling the offerings, but even then he was paying attention to the speakers.

Barbour has a healthy curiosity -- a real quest for knowledge. He can assimilate a lot of information and communicate it to the public in an easy-to-understand manner.

That is his great strength as a politician.

When Barbour first ran for governor in 2003, I was amazed at his depth of understanding of state government. Here was this guy who spent the bulk of his time working in Washington, but he had a knowledge of state government that would rival most any politician who was involved in the complexities of state government on a daily basis.