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Commissioner Bryson presents FY27 budget priorities: education, roads, safety, technology
Summary
Commissioner Bryson told the Senate Finance committee the proposed FY27 budget prioritizes K–12 and higher education funding, adds troopers and Memphis safety grants, targets $400M for roads backlog, and requests technology, quantum and AI investments to modernize state operations.
Commissioner Bryson, accompanied by Director David Thurman and Assistant Director Alex Schumann, presented the administration's FY27 budget highlights and defended its structure before the Senate Finance committee. "This is my final budget presentation to you at least on a whole budget," Bryson said, then walked members through revenue assumptions, policy priorities and one-time vs. recurring choices.
Bryson described a conservative approach that balances education investments, public safety and infrastructure while highlighting a continuing reliance on sales-tax-driven receipts. He outlined proposals including a $339 million increase for public education (with $250 million for TISA), targeted investments in higher education and capital, $400 million nonrecurring for road backlog plus $25 million recurring, an $80 million Memphis safety-grants package, and technology modernization investments including a $70 million down payment for Edison replacement and a $50 million AI reserve to manage infrastructure, governance and risk. Members pressed on inflation versus funding growth, long-term sustainability of program expansions and details behind enrollment and per-student calculations; staff agreed to follow up with the requested breakdowns.
