Sunday, March 16, 2025

Bill Crawford: Legislature Wants More Government

The latest effort to reduce the overwhelming number of state agencies, boards, and commissions fizzled. So, we’re headed up again, not down?

Last fall Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann called for the legislature to formulate a plan to reorganize state government and consolidate several state agencies, boards and commissions.

"We in Mississippi have over 200 boards and commissions," Hosemann told the Clarion-Ledger. "This has been on my agenda to get to, but we had education and roads and tax cuts and a lot of other things that were also on our agenda. We're laying the predicate here for a really strong look at Mississippi government. We want to have a very efficient government."

After the session started, the Senate unanimously passed SB 2275 to establish a task force that would “make recommendations regarding the reorganization of state agencies to improve governmental efficiency.”

Double-referred in the House, which appears to have less interest in shrinking government, the bill died in both the State Affairs Committee and the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee.

Passing both the Senate (43 to 8) and House (117 to 2), however, was SB 2573 introduced by Sen. Mike Thompson of Gulfport. The bill creates a new state agency, the Mississippi Department of Tourism. Basically, the bill moves personnel and programs from the Mississippi Development Authority to the new agency. If approved by Gov. Tate Reeves, the new agency will stand up on July 1, 2025, and will begin the journey to grow its bureaucracy.

As I wrote in my book, historic efforts to rein in government agencies, boards, and commissions have accomplished little. Rather, growth in Mississippi government resembles kudzu, which spreads rapidly and is difficult to prune.

“In 1932 the Institute for Government Research of the Brookings Institution studied Mississippi government. Its Report on a Survey of the Organization and Administration of State and County Government in Mississippi recommended a maximum of 12 agencies. A study by Highsaw and Mullican, The Growth of State Administration in Mississippi, suggested 17 agencies in 1950. A group of state CEOs said 32 agencies in 1971. These thoughtful recommendations got nowhere with the Mississippi Legislature which wielded the power over agency creation and dissolution. In 1817 the state started with eight administrative agencies, by 1932 there were 80 and by 1950 just over 100, and in 2023 over 140.”

The Lt. Governor said there are now over 200 and his Senate, with support from the House, wants to add one more.

Hmmm. Cut taxes but add agencies – that makes sense, right?

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise” – Ephesians 5:15.

Crawford is the author of A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hard to argue with this.

Anonymous said...

Hard to believe Lefty Crawford wrote this.....perhaps he's "moving to the center" like so many liberals are doing to save their dumb asses.

The MS Legislature will eventually be illuminated to be as corrupt as the U.S. Government has been discovered to be.

Anonymous said...

We need a DOdGE agency to help cut waste fraud and abuse in MS. They can start with the legislature. We do not need 174 legislators.

Anonymous said...

I predict no taxes will be cut.

Anonymous said...

The structure of Mississippi state government was set in the Mississippi Constitution of 1890. That constitution had the primary purpose of disenfranchising, terrorizing, and forever oppressing the black citizens of the state. The framers admitted that. Since we supposedly have left that purpose behind, is it not about time to consider a new constitution whose purpose will be to efficiently organize this state for a better future? Or is 1890 too wonderful to actually leave behind?

Anonymous said...

Citing studies from 1932, 1950, and 1971 on the recommended number of state agencies doesn't really do much to support his argument.

There is a separate board/agency to regulate each profession, from architects to message therapist, so just looking at the number of agencies doesn't really reflect the "size of government."

Anonymous said...

It would take the MS National Guard to lock it all down to investigate, but Trent Kelley - who's in charge of them - IS one of the good ole' boys himself, and would never allow the uncovering of the grift, graft, and flim flam in the Legislature.

Anonymous said...

Of course WE need more government help. THEY need to be cut.
That's how it works.

Anonymous said...

More spam to make Democrat Delbert Hosemann appear better than the actual results.

Anonymous said...

Cut the number of counties by 2/3. The idea that every little shithole town, former railroad stop, or geographical area needs it's own court system, law enforcement, and school system is profoundly backwards and fosters corruption.

Anonymous said...

3:09 nailed it. That simple. Same with school districts. Don’t need several hundred superintendents in a sparsely populated state.

Anonymous said...

If a State Department of Tourism survives the dream and does not include state parks, it will be a shame.

Management of state parks can be visually evaluated. Tourism is imaginary and absent metrics.

A rubber-tube, counting the number of cars and 18 wheelers turning in to an interstate 'roadside park', will tell us *nothing* about tourism.

And an age old, testosterone-laced Wildlife and Fish agency will never properly manage a park system of which we can be proud.

Anonymous said...

Excellent point. Consolidate the the school districts next. Mississippi could get rid of at least 50% of it's deep state along with their bullshit regulations, and watch the state launch.

Anonymous said...

If they cut the number of agencies what will the friends and relatives of politicians do for a job? Every single agency in both the state and federal could be cut by 50% and still have too many free loaders left.

Anonymous said...

3:09 It's a throwback to the time when every white man who owned more than one horse could be a superintendent, supervisor, judge, tax collector etc. The good ole days. Do we want to change that?

Anonymous said...

I have every confidence that our politicians and bureaucrats will work together to eliminate some of their positions. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for my rain dancing lesson.



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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


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There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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