Jim Bryson, commissioner of Finance and Administration, at left with Jeff Holmes, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, has urged state department heads to trim their budgets. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

In the wake of business tax cuts and dried-up federal stimulus funds, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower is predicting a tough budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

Mumpower, who chairs the funding board that sets the budget growth rate each year based on economic forecasts, told the Lookout he believes it will be “the tightest budget year the Lee administration has experienced” in nearly eight years.

“There’s so many demands for money and resources,” said Mumpower, a former Republican lawmaker. “Prioritization is going to be the word of the year.”

Yet

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