Jackson Jambalaya

Governor Hood will be loving him some Tate

So just to be clear: We are draining the rainy day fund to provide a slush fund to pay for roads?

We cut our already-low taxes.

We cut our spending every single year.

We're dead last in growth because there's nothing to attract businesses.

And now we're emptying the rainy day fund to pay for something as basic as roads and bridges.

I'm sincerely asking --experts and MSGOPers-- is any of the above incorrect?

Tell us 11:00 Donkeycrat what you would do differently. Be specific.

Bryant and Gunn are getting rolled by Reeves. This plan is all smoke and mirrors. If it passes short term and long term the roads will not be better than they are today.

I don't know about 11:00, and I'm not a Democrat, but just for starters:

1. I wouldn't cut taxes when there are glaring deficiencies in education and basic services, and when there is zero evidence that taxes are what is deterring companies from relocating to MS.

2. I wouldn't raid the trust fund. But if I had to take from it, I damn sure wouldn't dump it into an unaccountable slush fund in a state where corruption is endemic and the party in power has handed out favors like Tammany Hall.

3. I'd outlaw lobbying by state agencies. I'd implement a revolving door tax requiring state officials who land at Butler Snow, or any other lobbying firm, to pay 70% of their income for the first five years. I'd prohibit "consulting" contracts between former public officials and the public entities they regulated.

4. I'd implement performance metrics to pay effective, efficient public officials more and fire the bad ones -- including those who really just wanted to be "consultants" one day.

5. I'd prioritize areas that can potentially attract businesses and families, like Southhaven, Madison, Oxford, and Biloxi, for major infrastructure and education improvements funded by a mix of tax revenue and bonds. I would tell other areas that we might not get to them. You may have to move, because not every little town has a future in the global economy, and we have to prioritize places that can produce ROI.

6. I'd start work on consolidating school districts and even look at eventually consolidating counties. I'd consolidate back office functions of all state agencies and universities.

7. I'd change the flag to something bland and boring that isn't a dealbreaker for 1/3 of the folks who'd like to move here. And I'd repeal the dumb gay marriage law that solves a non-existent problem but makes us look stupid. Not because I'm particularly liberal, but because we can't afford to have these stupid conservative temper tantrums define how we're perceived.

Damn, 11:30 ... all excellent points. Good luck being elected in MS with that sort of forward thinking.

11:30, just as in your #1 there is "zero evidence that" your #7 specifically "is deterring companies from relocating to MS".

Tate's "smoke and mirrors" BRIDGE program will be long forgotten after he is elected governor. He is just playing to Gov. Feel's folks and playing the voters. At the end of his first term, Mississippi would have continued its decline, and no one will care about anything but who wins the annual Egg Bowl.

It's going to continue to decline and will soon require a $4 to $1 match from the feds to keep the doors open.

Hey 11:00, we are not draining the rainy day fund, as the democrat talking points say. The rainy day fund presently has over $300 million in it, and will have more added to it at 6/30/18. The proposal uses the 2% of revenues that would be added to it for the next five years to be used on roads and bridges. This amounts to about $560 million. The other part of the package is bonded. If revenues grow, as they are presently doing, there are no budget cuts, plus you are paying for the roads and bridges. Tax cuts are spread out 10 years and have been considered in all projections.

Revenues are growing? What percent?

When taking out one time deposits from last year, Actual revenues are growing Over 4% YTD

1130...i was with you until #6&7. Consolidation of school districts is the least likely thing to happen, right behind consolidation of counties. #7 dont have a problem with a private business refuses whomever...they will end up out of business anyway, social crisis averted

So state road and bridge contractors have a fortune coming their way.

When McDaniels votes against his party, you damn right its smoke and mirrors.

He may be a closet bigot, but at least he means what he says and says what he means when it comes to fiscal responsibility.

He's one of the few Republicans I respect in the #msleg. He practices what he preaches.

9:15 - does that include his marriage vows?

@ February 26, 2018 at 10:53 AM

I don't know about his personal life that much. But in my opinion, his wife isn't that bad looking.

But I do give him credit for being consistent on wanting the state to be conservative with spending.

This infrastructure play by Reeves is something to say he tried to do before he became governor, god willing he doesn't get in the office.