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The two presiding officers of the Mississippi Legislature have formed special committees to further their goals of providing additional tax cuts during the 2025 legislative session.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Jason White, who earlier this year formed a special tax cut study committee, announced a day-long policy summit on tax cuts for Sept. 24. Also on Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, announced he has formed a special committee to study the state’s fiscal policy.

The committee will be led by the chairs of the Senate’s two money committees, Senate Appropriations Chairman Briggs Hopson and Finance Chairman Josh Harkins.

“Our ultimate goal is always to lower the tax burden and ensure taxpayer dollars stay in taxpayer pockets,” Hosemann said in a news release. “This requires Appropriations and Finance leadership to be at the table looking at all income and expenses to ensure we are being as efficient as possible while fully funding necessary services.”

Both Gov. Tate Reeve and White have advocated eliminating the state’s income tax, which accounts for about 30% of the state general fund revenue, while White also has spoken of reducing the state’s grocery tax.

Hosemann has voiced support for at least reducing the 7% grocery tax, which is the highest statewide tax on food in the nation.

Hosemann has said that ensuring the fiscal integrity of the state should not be ignored when looking at tax cuts.

The income tax generates about $2 billion a year while it has been estimated, based on a 2019 study, that the grocery tax generates about $325 million a year. But the grocery tax would generate much more now than in 2019 because of the significant increase in grocery prices. Since the 7% sales tax is imposed on the cost of groceries, state Economist Corey Miller has said that inflation has provided significantly more revenue from the grocery tax in recent years for the state.

In 2022, the Legislature passed and Reeves signed into law a $525 million income tax cut that is currently being enacted. When fully enacted in 2026, income in Mississippi will be taxed at a rate of 4%.

In addition, a business tax cut enacted in 2016 is still being phased in — $42 million annually through 2029 before fully enacted.

The clamor for additional tax cuts has been intensified in large part because of the unprecedented growth in revenue collections in recent years. Most states have experienced similar growth thanks primarily to the large influx of federal funds provided to states primarily to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, revenue growth has been aided by Mississippi being so heavily reliant on the sales tax for its revenue. As prices of retail items have increased during the inflationary period, that has resulted in the 7% sales tax being levied on more expensive items generating more revenue for the state.

Still, during the past year, revenue collections have been slowing. For the past fiscal year, which ended June 30, the state collected only $18.4 million or .24% more than was collected the previous year.

And if not for collecting $68.7 million or 84.4% more in interest earnings than the previous fiscal year, the state would have been in the rare situation of collecting less revenue than the previous year for only the sixth time since 1970. Higher interest rates have spurred the increased earnings on the unprecedented surplus funds the state currently has.

Multiple speakers are scheduled for White’s tax summit at the Sheraton Refuge in Flowood, including Gov. Reeves, legislative leaders, other state officials and legislators from Arkansas who have worked on tax cuts in the neighboring state. National tax cut proponent Grover Norquest also is scheduled to speak.

“It is exciting to be assembling this policy summit that will be free to the public to encourage engagement from all interested parties so lawmakers, tax experts, and any Mississippian can partake in robust conversation that will lead to a better, brighter Mississippi,” White said in a news release.

Other members of the Hosemann study group include Sens. Andy Berry, Bradford Blackmon, Rod Hickman, Chris Johnson, Dean Kirby, John Polk, Derrick Simmons and Daniel Sparks.

The post Mississippi lawmakers to study tax cuts with committees, summit appeared first on Mississippi Today.

With the general election three months away, Mississippi is running low on one essential resource: poll workers.

While Secretary of State Michael Watson couldn’t quantify the shortage in Mississippi, he said county circuits and election commissioners around the state had told him they were having problems recruiting poll workers.

Poll workers have been in short supply across the country since 2020. Among the several reasons for the current shortage are low and inconsistent payments, lack of interest, experienced poll workers retiring and others leaving due to harassment. 

“When we meet with our circuit clerks and our election commissioners, one of the most common questions has always been, from us, ‘what are your larger businesses around this county?’ We’re gonna start working on getting those businesses to, hopefully, entertain the idea of encouraging their younger workers to get involved with working the polls, maybe incentivizing them to do so,” Watson said.

Watson created a simplified application portal for people to become poll workers. They’ve had at least 12,605 new poll worker registrations since the new application came out in 2020. 

Poll workers are paid volunteers who help run state, local, and general elections. Their responsibilities vary, but can include setting up polling locations, assisting voters, checking identification, acting as bailiffs, and more. 

The Election Administration and Voting Survey collected data in 2022 on how difficult it is for jurisdictions to recruit poll workers. The majority of election officials that responded, 54.1%, said it was somewhat or very difficult. Just 22.7% said it was somewhat or very easy.

Cynthia Jones, a poll worker in Hinds County for six years, said the state needs to resolve logistical issues with elections. 

“If it’s not enough materials and enough things to make sure we stay safe…and making sure all the materials are there, we’re doomed to fail, so they can at least make sure those things are taken care of,” she said.

Numerous Hinds County voting precincts ran out of ballots during last year’s gubernatorial election. Many voters had to wait in line for hours, causing others to give up and go home.

The state implemented changes to make the job of poll worker more attractive. In 2023, the Legislature raised poll workers’ maximum pay to $200 depending on the county. 

Watson emphasize the need for poll workers to serve their communities and ensure fair elections. “Those are the unsung heroes of election integrity, making sure we have folks who are properly trained who can help run elections,” he said.

The post As presidential election nears, efforts pick up to recruit poll workers appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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Mississippi is one of the most progressive states in the US when it comes to gambling laws, with many forms of the activity being legal, from dozens of retail casinos to slot machines and social games. There have even been moves in recent months for the state to pass a bill that would legalize online sports betting. In the first quarter of 2024, the Magnolia State has seen a huge revenue increase in comparison to the latter end of 2023.

Reports from the American Gaming Association (AGA) have revealed that casinos across the region have brought in $622.1 million in the first three months of the year, which is an increase of almost $20 million. As well as the obvious positive financial gain that gambling brings to MS, as of December 2023 nearly 42,000 jobs were supported thanks to the industry. As the market grows, and other forms of gambling are introduced, this number will only continue to rise.

It’s not only Mississippi that is presenting these upward trends; the AGA also shared that gaming institutions brought in a record-breaking $17.67 billion in 2024 so far in the USA, which shows a continuation of the year-on-year growth for the 13th quarter in a row! These numbers are very impressive but do not show the entire picture.

The revenue recorded does not account for any profit made from real money online casinos, offshore options, or no KYC casinos, many of which can be found at business2community.com/gambling/best-no-id-verification-casinos. There are hopes among many in Mississippi that all forms of gambling will soon become legal, namely online casinos and sports betting. When this time comes, there are no doubts that the AGA will be reporting exponentially higher figures.

At the beginning of the year, steps were taken to introduce online betting to MS, with the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act. The act would have made the practice legal, on the condition that any mobile operators were to partner with a pre-existing retail gambling institution. The House passed the bill 97-14, but has died in conference.

Whilst it is clear that approving the act would pave the way for a new mobile gaming industry, there is hesitancy amongst lawmakers. Advocates are continuing to lobby for the change to be made, and for Mississippi to follow in the footsteps of states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

A closer look at the Mississippi casino industry reveals what’s going well, and what could do with some improvement. Bricks-and-mortar casino gaming continued to go from strength to strength, as did table games and slot machines. The growth was modest, which was to be expected by the AGA, as it was pointed out that January had been “sluggish” and “impacted by severe weather”.

Again, this led proponents of online casino games to argue for legalization, as those who did not want to travel to a physical casino could still have engaged in their favorite games from the comfort of their own home, and generated revenue whilst doing so. If we look at all of the US states with legal online gambling, they also all have legal online (and in-person) sports betting. In-person sports betting is currently permitted in Mississippi, which gives hope to many that the next logical step will be the legalization of digital sports betting and casinos.

There are currently 29 casinos in the state of Mississippi, and if online gambling was passed, each mobile operator would partner up with one of those retail locations. The financial impact and the economic boost this would result in would be monumental.

Not only are online options more convenient and accessible, but they provide just as immersive and exciting an experience to users as their physical counterparts. Graphics have evolved dramatically in the past five years alone, resulting in lifelike gameplay and even live dealers and multiplayer options in the majority of online casinos.

Overall, the casino industry in Mississippi is booming and shows no signs of slowing down. However, the revenue would increase significantly if online casinos were legalized by lawmakers. The benefits for mobile operators, retail casinos, and users alike are clear, but first the state embraces the change that it would bring about.

With the current state of play in Mississippi, the likelihood is that this progression will still take a year or two to be implemented. Luckily, in the meantime, there are still options for MS residents. Offshore online real money casinos are available, which offer a range of bonuses, sign up offers, and fast withdrawals.

The post The Mississippi Casino Industry: Analyzing the 2024 Trends appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The Associated Press today announced three new content sharing agreements with U.S. nonprofit news newsrooms: Deep South Today, The Maine Monitor and The Nevada Independent.

The new content collaborations follow arrangements AP announced in May with CalMatters, Honolulu Civil Beat, Montana Free Press, Nebraska Journalism Trust and South Dakota News Watch, along with a content sharing arrangement between AP and The Texas Tribune announced in March.

Each nonprofit news outlet will share AP content with its audience. AP will offer stories from the nonprofit newsrooms with its members and customers, supplementing the news agency’s own coverage of Mississippi, Louisiana, Maine and Nevada.

“As we gear up for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, AP’s efforts to expand access to factual, nonpartisan journalism are more critical than ever,” said AP U.S. News Director Josh Hoffner. “By working with nonprofit news outlets in Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi and Nevada we are able to reach local audiences and deliver the facts and information they need about issues that matter.”

“Deep South Today is pleased to begin this content sharing agreement with The Associated Press through our newsrooms in Louisiana and Mississippi,” said Warwick Sabin, president and CEO of Deep South Today. “As we meet the need for local news in the communities we serve across two states, this collaboration with AP will make the most of our collective strengths and assets to maximize our impact.”

“We are excited to work with the AP and expand the reach of The Maine Monitor’s nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative reporting on issues impacting people in Maine, many of which, rural health care, impacts of climate change, opioid recovery, judicial accountability, care for aging citizens, are national, and solutions being tried in Maine can inform discussions elsewhere,”  said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, executive director of The Maine Monitor.  

“We at The Indy are thrilled to collaborate with the respected Associated Press to share content,” said Jon Ralston, CEO and editor of The Nevada Independent. “We have the same mission as the venerable AP: To provide readers with breaking, reliable and in-depth news in a world awash in misinformation and disinformation. Never has this been more critical.”

About AP

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day. Online: www.ap.org

About Deep South Today

Deep South Today is a nonprofit network of local newsrooms that includes Mississippi Today and Verite News. Founded in 2016, Mississippi Today is now one of the largest newsrooms in the state, and in 2023 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. Verite News launched in 2022 in New Orleans, where it covers inequities facing communities of color.

About The Maine Monitor

The Maine Monitor is the nonpartisan, independent publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to delivering high-quality, nonpartisan investigative and explanatory journalism to inform Mainers about issues impacting our state and empower them to be engaged citizens. 

About The Nevada Independent

The Nevada Independent is a statewide, reader-supported, digital-only nonprofit newsroom committed to illuminating the state’s most pressing issues, fostering insightful conversations and holding those in power to account. They tell the story of the Silver State and its people in a timely and nuanced way that promotes civic engagement and empowers Nevadans to improve their communities and quality of life.

The post AP announces 3 new content collaborations with nonprofit newsrooms appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Mississippi members of the Communications Workers of America are continuing their strike after the union entered federal mediation with AT&T Wednesday..

The strike began last Friday after contract negotiations between the union and the company stalled. The Communications Workers of America accuses AT&T of not bargaining in good faith. This included sending representatives who did not have the authority to bargain to the negotiating table. They also filed an unfair labor practice complaint against AT&T.

Over 17,000 CWA members are on strike across nine states in the Southeast. In Mississippi, strikers set up pickets across the state.

“Everybody wants to work for an employer that’s fair,” said Jermaine Travis, the local president of the Mississippi Communications Workers of America and a facility technician. “Everybody wants to be treated with respect in every regard in terms of how we’re paid, in terms of our health care, that’s it basically.”

AT&T has denied the CWA’s accusations.In a statement, it said “We’re disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike at this point in the negotiations, rather than directing their energies toward constructive discussions at the bargaining table. This action needlessly jeopardizes the wages and well-being of our employees.”

Since then, the union has also accused AT&T of creating a safety hazard by sending undertrained managers and contractors to work on repairs. They claim union members have seen safety violations at these work zones.

The post Mississippi AT&T union workers continue weeklong strike appeared first on Mississippi Today.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson took the stage on night three of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday night to urge Americans to cast their November presidential vote for Kamala Harris.

Thompson, Mississippi’s longest serving member of Congress and the state’s only Democratic delegate in Washington, led the congressional special committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol.

READ MORE: ‘An attempted coup’: Rep. Bennie Thompson tells the world what happened on Jan. 6, 2021

Touching on his time as chairman of the Jan. 6 committee and also as a longtime champion of civil rights in Mississippi, Thompson issued a direct plea to voters ahead of the November presidential election.

“In this country, we settle our differences at the ballot box, not through violence,” Thompson said during his DNC speech. “It took a long time to get here, and we’re not going back. I remember that dark history. It’s my own history. In this life, my father never cast a vote because of Jim Crow, so I dedicated my career to protecting the vote against violence and discrimination.”

WATCH: Congressman Bennie Thompson’s full speech at the DNC

Thompson continued: “You can imagine what I felt on Jan. 6, when I saw with my own eyes those insurrectionists trying to take that away. They did it to rob millions of Americans of their votes. They did it because Donald Trump couldn’t handle losing. He lied about the election fraud, he called his conspiracy-led mob to Washington. He would rather subvert democracy than submit to it. Now, he’s plotting again … elections are about choice. Choose democracy, not political violence. Choose the America we always taught our children to love. Choose Kamala Harris.”

Thompson was the only Mississippi official to take the stage during primetime of either the Democratic National Convention or the Republican National Convention in July, though U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler, a Democrat representing California who spoke at the DNC on Tuesday night, is a native of Magnolia in Pike County.

The post ‘Choose democracy, not political violence’: Rep. Bennie Thompson talks Jan. 6 during primetime speech at DNC appeared first on Mississippi Today.

As part of the expansion of its Local News Initiative, Grist is excited to announce a new local partnership with Deep South Today, a nonprofit news network that includes Verite News in Louisiana and Mississippi Today.

Grist has added Verite’s senior climate and environment reporter Tristan Baurick as the newsroom’s fifth local reporter. In addition, Grist and Deep South Today will work together to develop a similar new reporting position that will work in both the Mississippi Today and Grist newsrooms.

Before joining Verite in 2024, Baurick was a coastal and environment reporter at The Times-Picayune | Nola.com. His special projects included an in-depth look at the potential for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico; a long-form story about the relocation of a Louisiana tribal community; and a series with New Orleans Public Radio about water management in the Netherlands and the lessons it holds for Louisiana.

Baurick’s work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, National Association of Science Writers, and National Headliner Awards. He was part of a reporting team that won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ top overall award and its investigative reporting prize. He was awarded a year-long Ted Scripps environmental journalism fellowship at the University of Colorado – Boulder and was an MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative fellow in 2021. He previously worked for newspapers in Washington state, where he covered government affairs, the outdoors, and public lands. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, ProPublica, and Audubon magazine.

“Verite News’ partnership with Grist allows us to expand the footprint of Baurick’s award-winning  reporting on climate issues affecting Louisiana and Mississippi. It also provides us with invaluable resources to do the work that is needed to highlight these important environmental issues,” Verite Editor-in-Chief Terry Baquet said.

“I’m a big fan of Grist and the work they do,” Baurick said. “I look forward to teaming up with their talented staff.”

The new partnership marks the continued growth of Grist’s Local News Initiative, which aims to bolster coverage of climate change in communities across the United States through partnerships with local newsrooms. Grist already has reporters embedded with WABE in Georgia, IPR in Michigan, WBEZ in Illinois, and BPR in North Carolina.

“Climate change impacts every community, every region differently,” said Katherine Bagley, Grist’s executive editor. “Tristan’s work has long exemplified the best environmental reporting showing these impacts specific to the Gulf. Combined with Verite’s sharp, in-depth reporting and growing audience, it is a powerhouse partnership that Grist is honored to join and strengthen.” 

ABOUT GRIST

Grist is an award-winning, nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to highlighting climate solutions and uncovering environmental injustices. Since 1999, we have used the power of journalism to engage the public about the perils of the most existential threat we face. Now that three-quarters of Americans recognize that climate change is happening, we’ve shifted our focus to show that a just and sustainable future is within reach.

ABOUT DEEP SOUTH TODAY

Deep South Today is a nonprofit network of local newsrooms that includes Mississippi Today and Verite News. Founded in 2016, Mississippi Today is now one of the largest newsrooms in the state, and in 2023 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. Verite News launched in 2022 in New Orleans, where it covers inequities facing communities of color. With its regional scale and scope, Deep South Today is rebuilding and re-energizing local journalism in communities where it had previously eroded, and ensuring its long-term growth and sustainability.

The post Grist announces local partnership with Deep South Today appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The University of Southern Mississippi has removed the word “diverse” from its mission statement and “inclusiveness” from its vision statement, surprising many faculty who did not know an update was in the works until it was approved without public discussion by the university’s governing board last week. 

The changes have nothing to do with the political headwinds facing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, a university spokesperson told Mississippi Today.

Instead, the administration made the updates as part of the university’s new strategic plan ahead of re-accreditation, making USM the only public university in Mississippi to not include the word “diverse” in its mission or vision statements, according to a review of strategic plans for all eight institutions.

“The vision and mission statements had not been updated since 2015 and 2017, respectively, and much has changed at Southern Miss since that time,” Nicole Ruhnke, the university’s chief communications officer, wrote in an email. 

USM, which has called its student body the most diverse in Mississippi, will still count the following among its updated strategic values: “An inclusive community that embraces the diversity of people and ideas.” 

While the administration did take into account a report from a faculty-led strategic planning steering committee, it did not seek campus feedback before submitting the changes to the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, the governing board of Mississippi’s eight universities. 

The steering committee did not know the administration was working on changes to the university’s mission and vision statements when it wrote the report, according to its co-chair, Eric Powell, a professor in the School of Ocean Science and Engineering. 

“We had absolutely nothing to do with that,” Powell said. “It was not part of our mandate, and we did not make any recommendations to the president with respect to it.” 

“Whatever happened subsequently after they had our report, that’s the administration’s business,” he added. “They get to use our report in whatever way they wish.” 

Jeremy Scott, a physics and astronomy professor who leads USM’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said the changes did not seem substantive, though he was concerned about the university becoming a tool for political grandstanding.

More troubling, Scott said, was the process. 

“It was an affront to shared governance,” he said, referencing the idea in higher education that faculty and the administration collaborate on significant decisions. “I have to say that as the AAUP president.” 

Scott pointed out that the university has agreed to as much in the faculty handbook, which states: “The University recognizes that the faculty should be consulted and with respect to such matters as long-range plans for the institution, the allocation and use of fiscal and physical resources, and the selection of academic officers.” 

As of Wednesday, the faculty senate executive committee was still working to learn more about the changes, according to a statement provided by its president, creative writing professor Josh Bernstein. 

“The Faculty Senate does maintain that diversity must remain a core value of USM and that any decisions about changes in the mission, vision or values of USM need to be made with faculty, rather than for them, as the traditions and norms of shared governance require,” the statement reads. 

It’s rare for faculty to complain about issues like the administration failing to seek feedback on a change to the university mission statement, signaling it doesn’t happen very often, said Mark Criley, a senior program officer in the AAUP’s department of academic freedom, tenure and governance. 

“When you’re dealing with an organization that has so many different parts, and people who have different and distinct responsibilities, it just doesn’t lead to good management when any one part of an institution makes decisions without substantially involving the other,” Criley said. 

Universities across the state, including USM, have renamed and revamped their DEI offerings over the last year, Mississippi Today has reported. Earlier this summer, USM renamed its diversity office the “Office of Community and Belonging.” 

READ MORE: ‘Goals nobody can argue with’: Mississippi universities rebrand DEI to focus on access, opportunity and belonging

USM’s new mission statement reads: “The University of Southern Mississippi engages students at all levels in the exploration and creation of knowledge. Our hallmark is a fully engaged lifelong learning approach integrating inspired teaching, collaborative research, creative activity, and service to society. Southern Miss produces graduates who are ready for life; ready to succeed professionally and as responsible citizens in a pluralistic society.” 

The final sentence used to state: “The University nurtures student success by providing distinctive and competitive educational programs embedded in a welcoming environment, preparing a diverse student population to embark on meaningful life endeavors.” 

The vision statement, which previously described USM as a “community distinguished by inclusiveness,” now reads: “The University of Southern Mississippi is distinctive among national research universities in adding value to our students’ experience, uniquely preparing them to be ready for life.” 

The post USM removed the word ‘diverse’ from its mission statement. Faculty reps weren’t consulted appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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