The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, along with other state agencies, is concerned about budget cuts.

Two-year colleges were included in the governor's call for 2% budget reductions this year, and next year.

Even so, executive director, Eric Clark, said community colleges area great value for those seeking an education or workforce training.

"Community colleges are the folks that are getting people off welfare and out of minimum wage jobs into good paying, high tech jobs and that's what will move our state forward," said Clark. "Our message is we know it's tough economic times, but the community colleges are the closest thing we have to a silver bullet in Mississippi to make our citizens and our state more prosperous. And that means more tax revenue."

The board usually meets each month in Jackson, but a couple of times a year takes the meetings to a community college. It met Friday at Meridian Community College.