Category: News
[C-L]Major Economic Development Plan is a New Jet Engines Parts Plan in Batesville
According to the Clarion Ledger, General Electric is implementing a jet-engine parts plant in Batesville. Governor Barbour and Scott Donnelly will be announcing the plan in northwest Mississippi this afternoon.
Original plans called for the plant to be built by late 2007 or early 2008, but it was not known this morning whether that timetable has changed.
When complete, the plant will construct composite fan blade platforms for a new generation of jet engines.
Posted by kate at 10:37 AM on 05/29/07. Discuss (2)
[D-J]Steve Holland Advises Dipping in to the Rainy Day Fund, Not Increasing College Tuition
According to The Daily Journal, State Rep. Steve Holland suggested holding a special legislative session to discuss an alternative option to increasing college tuition prices to pay for operating costs. Holland advises dipping into the state’s Rainy Day Fund, which will hold nearly $300 million by the end of the summer.
“This tuition increase is nothing but a hidden taxes on students and their families,” Holland said. “We’re not opposed to the colleges getting their money. We just think there is a better way to do it.”
Posted by kate at 10:37 AM on 05/23/07. Discuss (4)
[C-L] Public and private colleges in Mississippi increase tuition
The Clarion Ledger reports that colleges in the Jackson area such as Millsaps, Tougaloo and Belhaven are increasing their tuition anywhere from 1.7 percent to 6 percent. Mississippi’s eight public universities are raising tuition an average of 6 percent. College tuitions are being raised to keep up with the increasing cost of campus utilities.
Posted by kate at 10:45 AM on 05/22/07. Discuss (0)
[S-H] Harrison County Goes Back to Paper Balloting
The Sun Herald announces that Harrison County will be going back to paper balloting because of problems with touch screen machines:
County supervisors on Monday voted to spend almost $240,000 for 85 optical scan voting machines and to sell some of the widely criticized touch-screen machines to offset costs.
Circuit Clerk Gayle Parker pushed for a return to the paper balloting system after a spate of problems reported with the touch screens used in recent elections. Some machines wouldn’t work and some had battery malfunctions. Several counties reported similar difficulties. The county must keep at least one touch-screen machine for disabled voters at each of its 68 precincts.
Posted by kate at 10:27 AM on 05/22/07. Discuss (0)
[S-H] Jamie Franks: I’m Conservative on Social Issues
The Associated Press is reporting that Democrat Jaimie Franks is saying that he is conservative on social issues such as abortionbut that his campaign will focus on economic issues:
State Rep. Jamie Franks, the only Democrat running for lieutenant governor this year, says that on social issues such as banning abortion and same-sex marriage, he’s at least as conservative as the two Republicans in the race. “The real issues that we are going to talk about once you set those aside, are economics, education and things of that nature that affect the everyday lives of the people of this state,” Franks, 34, said during a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol.
“You can count on Jamie Franks, when it comes to social issues, to be on the conservative side,” he said.
Posted by ladd at 11:47 AM on 05/16/07. Discuss (1)
[C-L] GOP Lt. Guv Hopefuls to Debate
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that the Republican candidates for lieutenant governor have agreed to have several debates before the Aug. 7 primary. State Sen. Charlie Ross has proposed seven debates; State Auditor Phil Bryant is looking at his schedule:
tate Sen. Charlie Ross challenged State Auditor Phil Bryant on Wednesday participate in forums across the state. Both men live in Brandon. “This race is going to be about who has the vision, the conservative vision for Mississippi, and who has the ability to implement that vision,” said Ross, who made his formal candidacy announcement in Brandon.
Contacted after the announcement, Bryant’s campaign manager agreed. “We’re looking forward to debating Sen. Ross across the state,” said Neil Forbes. “We’re looking forward to working out our schedules.
Posted by ladd at 11:15 AM on 04/06/07. Discuss (0)
[S-H] Lott Ready for Insurance Battle
The Sun-Herald is reporting:
[Lott] said insurers assumed they could mistreat Mississippians after Hurricane Katrina, as they have done to customers in Florida and Alabama.
“You may try it and you may get away with it, but you’re going to go through the wringer before you get there because we’re not going to take it,” Lott said as Rotarians applauded. He decried record industry profits and an 82 percent pay increase for State Farm CEO Edward Rust Jr. while the industry denies claims, cuts back on coverage and raises rates.
“We’re not looking for war,” he said. “We’re looking for peace and a solution. But sometimes, to get a good result, you have to be prepared to take on the fight and take some of the flak that comes with it. In Washington, if you take on the insurance industry, you better bring your lunch. I’ve got mine.”
Posted by ladd at 05:31 PM on 04/05/07. Discuss (0)
[Desk] Legislative Update, Feb. 7
by Adam Lynch
Feb. 7
The Senate had a busy day Wednesday, passing some bills that will likely be stomped down by the House in upcoming weeks.
The Senate passed SB 2617 this morning, a voter I.D. bill almost identical to a voter I.D. bill killed across the hall last year. The bill makes it mandatory for a voter to present a form of identification?with or without a photo?at the polling place in order to cast a vote.
Republicans and some conservative Democrats say the law will prevent identity theft at the polls and reduce voter fraud. Sen. Alice Harden, D-Jackson, says that the bill addresses a problem that isn?t there.
Posted by Brian C. Johnson at 10:54 AM on 02/08/07. Discuss (11)
[News] ‘Two Lake’ Developer McGowan Against Eminent-Domain Limits
The Northside Sun has a story about developer John McGowan’s opposition to the eminent-domain bill before the Mississippi Legislature, that would limit the government’s ability to take private land for use by private developers:
According to McGowan over 100 people own land that would be affected by the LeFleur Lakes project, and if a stricter eminent domain amendment or bill is passed, just one landowner, owning even the smallest piece of land in that area, could stop the project from being built by refusing to go along with the project.
?If we go in there and we get everyone but one person ? and we want to build an island and a downtown park and do it privately ? the way this law reads that?s impossible,? McGowan said. ?One person could fold his arms and say, ?I?m going to shut this whole thing down,? and there isn?t a thing a judge can do about it the way that law is written.?
Posted by ladd at 01:33 PM on 01/27/07. Discuss (13)
[News] Doctor: Low Cig Tax ‘Subsidized Stupidity’
Today at a rally in the Capitol, a doctor lit into?pardon the pun?Mississippi’s low cigarette tax level. The halcyon days of undying devotion between Barbour and the state’s doctors may be over. The Associated Press reports:
Keeping cigarette taxes low is “subsidized stupidity” that hurts Mississippi, the immediate past president of the American Medical Association said Wednesday.
“The public health implications of this are just horrendous,” Dr. Ed Hill of Tupelo said during a rally at the state Capitol.
Posted by ladd at 01:34 PM on 01/24/07. Discuss (3)
[News] Barbour’s Insider Status Became a Boon After Katrina
The New York Times has a piece today examining Barbour’s political bump off Katrina:
But in one of those remarkable and perhaps ironic turnarounds that happen from time to time in politics, Barbour?s politically burdensome Washington ties suddenly became a huge political plus ? in the wake of the natural catastrophe wrought by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast in August 2005. The contacts and alliances Barbour had built in the nation?s capital became major assets. He was able to secure a vast amount of funds from the federal government, working alongside well-placed members of the state?s congressional delegation ? including Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, then chairman of the Appropriations Committee; GOP Sen. Trent Lott, the former majority leader; House Appropriations Committee member Roger Wicker; and Rep. Bennie Thompson, then ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.
Posted by ladd at 11:08 AM on 01/24/07. Discuss (0)
[News] House Votes to Cut Rates on Student Loans
The Associated Press is reporting:
The Democratic-controlled House voted overwhelmingly to cut interest rates on need-based student loans Wednesday, steadily whittling its list of early legislative priorities. The legislation, passed 356-71, would slice rates on the subsidized loans from 6.8% to 3.4% in stages over five years at a cost to taxpayers of $6 billion. About 5.5 million students receive the loans each year. The Bush administration opposes the bill, and Senate Democrats plan to bring up a more comprehensive bill that could complicate its prospects.
Posted by ladd at 09:43 PM on 01/17/07. Discuss (3)
[News] Barbour Has $3.54 Million Campaign Cash on Hand
Gov. Haley Barbour’s war chest is already bulging. The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that the governor filed his campaign finance report today, which showed:
Barbour’s major donor was the Republican Governors Association at $1 million.
The RGA gave Barbour a total of $6.25 million in his 2003 race. Other major contributions that will be listed will include $200,000 from Ohio business magnate Carl Lindner, $25,500 from Netscape founder Jim Barksdale and $25,000 from the Mississippi Manufacturers Association political action committee.
Posted by ladd at 04:55 PM on 01/17/07. Discuss (11)
[News] Plea Agreement Issued in Beef Plant Mess
The U.S. Department of Justice released the news today that a plea agreement has been reached in the case of the beef-plant case (corporate welfare supported by both parties and the governor that went sour). Sean Carouthers pled guilty to one count of fraud and agreed to pay the state $250,000. The Magnolia Report posted a copy of the press release and agreement today.
Posted by ladd at 08:14 PM on 01/16/07. Discuss (0)
[News] Restaurant Association Will Support Statewide Smoking Ban … of a Fashion
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting:
The Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association says it will support a bill for a statewide smoking ban, in part, because it would allow smoking in age-restricted bars with closed-off areas. It also would prohibit new municipal bans, helping give all restaurants a level playing field. Given the current national trend ? which has communities adopting more and more anti-smoking measures ? the head of the association said it is better to look at a statewide bill now than deal with dozens of municipal bans. ?Given the current political climate, it?s in our best interest to look at a state ban,? said Mike Cashion, the association?s executive director. [...]
The smoking ban bill would amount to a compromise in which virtually every restaurant would be smoke free, but would have the option of closing off bar areas where customers could light up, Cashion said. [...]
The legislation also says that if a restaurant owner is following the law, he or she cannot be held responsible if a customer lights up in a smoke-free area.
Posted by ladd at 06:37 PM on 01/15/07. Discuss (3)
