JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says a House budget proposal would spend too much from the state's financial reserves, and he believes that could hurt long-term economic development.

Barbour told a business group Thursday that it's important to keep hundreds of millions of dollars in reserve for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

He says business leaders look for stability in state finances because they don't want to face the possibility of future tax increases.

No tax increases are proposed now, but the Republican governor says Mississippi could put itself in a precarious situation if it depletes its reserves.

Leaders in the Democratic-led House say they're trying to avoid deep cuts in state services.

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