Mississippi Today

Governor, legislative leaders deadlock on how much money the state has to spend next year

Published

1 year ago

November 15, 2023

Recently reelected Gov. Tate Reeves and legislative leaders could not agree Wednesday on an official estimate of how much money will be available as they begin setting next year’s state budget.

Reeves said he supports a higher revenue estimate because that would make it easier for legislators to approve his proposal to eliminate state income taxes during the 2024 session.

“For those of us very interested in cutting taxes during this legislative session, arbitrarily lowering the number for no apparent reason hurts our ability to justify those tax cuts,” Reeves told the legislative leaders, including newly reelected Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and outgoing House Speaker Philip Gunn. “I am a very strong proponent of cutting taxes during this session. I am going to be regardless of what this number is.”

Normally, the fall meeting of the governor and the 14 members of the Legislative Budget Committee is a routine event and adopting an estimate is pro forma. But such was not the case Wednesday morning as it soon became apparent Reeves was blindsided by his Republican legislative colleagues. They wanted to adopt a revenue estimate $117.8 million less than recommended by the group of five state financial experts whose recommendations are normally rubber-stamped by the politicians.

Reeves said he believed he was attending the meeting to adopt the recommendation of the experts of projected revenue $7.64 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. Instead, the committee members approved the lower number, the same estimate as for the current budget year.

“I guess I am kind of caught off guard. I did not anticipate there would be a change,” Reeves said.

Rep. Angela Cockerham, I-Magnolia, was the only member of the Budget Committee not to vote for the lower estimate.

Mississippi law mandates that the governor and members of the Legislative Budget Committee agree on a revenue estimate as a starting point in developing a state budget during the upcoming session. In 2002, then-Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and the committee did not agree on an estimate.

It is likely legislators will start work on a budget based on the estimate adopted by the budget committee members Wednesday. And importantly, state law allows committee members to meet at the end of the session to revise the estimate from the fall meeting they have with the governor.

In other words, the impact of Wednesday’s deadlock is most likely symbolic, highlighting the focus Reeves plans to place on eliminating the income tax during the 2024 session. In 2022, the Legislature passed a $525 million income tax cut phased in over four years. Reeves wants to fully eliminate the income tax, which accounts for about one-third of the state general fund revenue.

House Pro Tem Jason White, R-West, who is expected to succeed Gunn as speaker, said he was supporting the lower revenue estimate, but that did not mean that the House would not be working to cut taxes during the 2024 session.

“I think that (cutting taxes) is the aim of most of the people around this table,” White said. “… I anticipate the House will be back with an income tax cut plan sometime in the very near future.”

Reeves told Hosemann he would support the lower estimate if he would say he anticipated the Senate passing an income tax cut during the upcoming session. Hosemann presides over the Senate.

“We anticipate there will be tax relief this year,” Hosemann responded. “Now whether that is grocery tax (sales tax on food) income tax or other taxes, I can’t tell you that because … I don’t vote. They (senators) all vote. Whether I say it doesn’t make much difference.”

Hoseman said the Senate has passed tax cuts in the past and said there is no reason to think that will change going forward.

But he did say the lower estimate should be adopted because revenue for the past two months has been lower than the official estimate approved for the current budget year. If revenue falls too far below the estimate, the governor and-or Legislature would be forced to make cuts or dip into reserve funds to make mid-year adjustments.

State Economist Corey Miller, who is on the group of five state financial experts who provide a consensus estimate to the politicians, testified at the meeting that the anticipation is that the state economy will slow in 2024 and 2025, though, chances of a national recession are low.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.