Though it feels like a bit of a pile-on at this point, it’s worth pointing out just how crazy things at the state capitol have been recently.

First, there was the approval of $415 million in tax cuts. The House voted 73-44 Monday to approve a House-Senate agreement on Senate Bill 2858, with the Senate voting 36-14 to send it Gov. Phil Bryant for his approval or veto hours later, The Associated Press reported. “The agreement would phase out Mississippi’s $260-million-a-year corporate franchise tax, a long-held goal of manufacturers, bankers and other business groups. It would also cut $145 million in income taxes, raising the threshold for paying state income taxes to $10,000. Anyone making that much would get a $150-a-year cut. Those reductions would begin in 2018,” AP reported.

While we’ve advocated for the elimination of the franchise tax (it has nothing to do with franchises), doing so without replacing that money when state revenues are below expectations isn’t smart.  The elimination of the franchise tax and other tax breaks should have been balanced with an increase in taxes somewhere.

It seems lawmakers hope the state’s revenue picture is rosier in two years when the tax cuts take effect. But that’s wishful thinking — sort of like buying a car you can’t afford because you hope to get a pay raise in the future. Individuals do it all the time and end up buried in debt with a visit from the repo man. Why do lawmakers think the outcome will be any different for the state?

Lawmakers weren’t done being irresponsible, however. On Tuesday, the House voted down a bill that would have restricted personal use of campaign money.

“The unrecorded voice vote on House Bill 797 came after several House members complained about proposed restrictions, including ending the ability to take money for personal use to repay undocumented campaign expenses,” according to AP.

The bill came after media outlets questioned campaign spending, and described it as being very close to bribery. Media reports show that lawmakers have used campaign accounts to pay for all sorts of personal items — clothing, groceries, golf trips, dry cleaning, among others.

An Associated Press review found that of 99 elected officials who have left office in recent years, as many as 25 may have pocketed more than $1,000 when they closed their campaign accounts and five took more than $50,000. Former Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck took more than $261,000 from 2007 to 2013.

Not only did lawmakers effectively kill the legislation that would have curbed some of that, they did so in a way that hides their votes. House members used a voice vote, meaning there’s no record of how lawmakers voted.

At least this legislative session is almost over and lawmakers can go home before doing any more damage.