It may be too soon to declare a new era of cooperation at thestate Capitol, but there were positive signs last week that Gov.Haley Barbour, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck and House Speaker Billy McCoy mayall be on the same page – at least to a point – when it comes tothe state budget for the next fiscal year.

Barbour proposed a $4.7 billion budget plan for the upcomingyear that focuses much of its spending power on recovering from thedevastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina and would do so without atax increase. We wholeheartedly agree with the governor’s reasoningthat raising taxes on Mississippians trying to recover from theworst natural disaster in recent memory is just plain wrong.

To hold the line on taxes, spending for most programs in thegovernor’s budget would remain steady from this year, with moremoney directed toward debt repayment and prisons.

The governor’s next priorities, he said, would be universitiesand community colleges – provided the state economy is performingwell – along with raises for state employees.

Tuck and McCoy agreed that state employee raises and educationat all levels must be priorities in the upcoming budget year.

“Happens to be, we’re beating the same drum there,” McCoy toldThe Associated Press last week.

With the acrimony that has surrounded the budget process inrecent years, any agreement between the Republican governor andlieutenant governor and the Democratic speaker of the House iscommendable. If this is a sign that the state’s leadership is trulypulling together in the wake of Katrina to rebuild our our state’sinfrastructure and help its residents rebuild their lives, thenkudos to them all.

The priority now must be rebuilding, and as little bickering aspossible is precisely what is needed to speed the effort along.