Mississippi News Notes: Week Ending Mar 12, 2015

Both of these bills are now dead:

House Bill 738 would have required Attorney General Jim Hood to get approval from an oversight commission before starting cases that would seek more than $250,000 in damages and legal fees. The bill previously passed by a margin of one vote but was held for more debate.

House Bill 1386 would have set aside more than $50 million for road and bridge improvements. The money would have come from a settlement with British Petroleum for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill passed by a margin of 81 votes but was held as lawmakers debated where in the state to focus the repairs.

The Governor of Mississippi announced he is supporting Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

This endorsement comes on the day Cruz visited the Magnolia state before Mississippi’s primaries.

Cruz made a stop at Berry’s Seafood in Florence, MS Monday afternoon. Cruz was scheduled to speak in the Pine Belt on Monday but canceled that appearance Sunday because of an illness.

Gov. Phil Bryant has ordered for flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Former First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Reagan died Sunday at the age of 94 from congestive heart failure at her Los Angeles home. Former President Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004.

The executive order on the flags was issued Monday.

He said the First Lady was known for her elegance and her “Just Say No” to drugs campaign.

Bryant asked for all U.S. flags and state flags to be flown at half-staff on all buildings belonging to the State of Mississippi and other areas under its jurisdiction. The flags should be lowered immediately and will remain that way until Sunset on the day she is laid to rest. http://wjtv.com/2016/03/07/gov-brya...

The Mississippi Department of Education has awarded a $1.2 million grant for math teachers in public schools.

The grant has been given to the University of Mississippi Center for Mathematics and Science Education. It will fund a development initiative that will help 120 math teachers across the state over the next three years.

The initiative is called Creating Continuity and Connections across Content of C4 Project. The goal is to improve students achievement in math from kindergarten to eighth grade

- See more at: http://www.newsms.fm/math-teachers-...

Jackson County supervisors on Monday afternoon voted to keep flying the state flag on county property and at county buildings.

The vote was 4-1.In a resolution, they referred to a previous statewide vote 2001 to keep the flag and said that until the state addresses the issue, the county will continue to fly the flag.

Board President Melton Harris, who is black, strongly opposed the vote. The others, who are white, Barry Cumbest, Troy Ross, Ken Taylor and Randy Bosarge voted for it. Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/news/local...

Pearl River County: Where Do My taxes Go:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...

Melanie Sojourner:

Republicans in MS Congressional District 3...

We've all been so focused on the presidential race we haven't discussed the House races.

Harper has one of the worst conservative scores of all House Republicans. He has not been fighting for us.

He'll win by a landslide today because, everyone knows he's name and no one has discussed his record. It's time we do so! He is a part of the DC problem! https://www.facebook.com/sojournerf...

 

 

Last week the Mississippi House passed a bill that would allow any licensed U.S. physician who has examined a child to grant a medical exemption from the vaccines required for school and licensed day cares.

To stay alive, the bill must pass out of Senate health committee by March 22 and be considered by the full Senate by March 30.

Current law requires exemptions to be submitted by Mississippi-licensed pediatricians, family physicians and internists, who have examined the child, and approved by the health department’s district health officers, who are licensed physicians. The health department has said it is willing to work with out-of-state physicians.

Mary Jo Perry, co-director of Mississippi Parents for Vaccine Rights, said that the state’s laws are out of step with practices in the rest of the country and add unnecessary hurdles for parents and physicians. http://djournal.com/news/docs-vacci...

The latest fascination by the Tupelo City council with the possibility of a downtown entertainment district would likely stir relatively little concern or controversy did it not include legal strolling around with alcoholic beverages in certain areas.

Tupelo, in various guises, has flirted with that idea for many years, but has never fully embraced the concept.

A bill in the Mississippi Legislature, if approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Phil Bryant, would allow Tupelo to have an entertainment district.

The bill passed the state House last week, and it must pass the Senate in identical form before it goes to the governor for his signature.

If approved, the designation of a leisure and entertainment district would allow customers to walk out of establishments with alcoholic beverages. It also could foster the sale of liquor and mixed drinks at festivals. http://djournal.com/opinion/our-opi...

Crews are working across the city of Jackson, making repairs on streets that have been backlogged since 2007.

The utility cut repairs are part of the Operation Orange Cone initiative that addresses problem areas on roads in the city.

“This is Jackson’s 1 percent dollars at work,” said Mayor Tony T. Yarber. “In coming weeks, Jackson citizens will see the City break ground on a number of projects included in the City’s infrastructure improvement plan.”

Operation Orange Cone was launched in 2015 as part of the Yarber Administration’s push to address the condition of the city’s streets and eliminate the presence of orange cones throughout the city where potholes exist.

While this initiative was first discussed in relation to the 1% Sales Tax program, it is part of the City’s Bold New Infrastructure Improvement Program. http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/3141...

The Department of the Navy and Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, broke ground March 2 on a large-scale solar facility at Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport.

The facility will have roughly 13,000 panels, providing enough electricity to supply the equivalent of 450 homes. To be installed on 23 acres of base land, the facility will generate up to four megawatts of direct current power once operational. Mississippi Power estimates grid connection by the end of 2016. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display....

Mississippi

MS01: Incumbent freshman Republican Congressman Trent Kelly defeated challenger Paul Clever 89-11. Kelly will meet Democrat Jacob Owens in the general election.

MS02: Neither party's candidate was opposed. Incumbent Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson will face Republican John Bouie in the general election.

MS03: Incumbent Republican Congressman Gregg Harper defeated challenger Jimmy Giles. Democrat Dennis Quinn defeated Nathan Stewart 66-34. Unofficial results show Harper, who was first elected, with a wide lead over Giles (89-11), a beekeeper. Giles is also a white supremacist and supporter of Donald Trump. Both men are Pearl residents. In November, Harper will face the winner of a Democratic primary Tuesday between Dennis C. Quinn and Nathan Stewart, as well as Reform Party member Lajena Sheets. http://www.wapt.com/politics/gregg-...

MS04: Neither party's candidate was opposed. Incumbent Republican Congressman Steven Palazzo will face Democrat Mark Gladney in the general election.

A South Carolina lawmaker, who should stay out of Mississippi’s business, is joining other black leaders in calling for Mississippi to change the last state flag that includes the Confederate battle emblem.

Democratic Rep. Justin Bamberg spoke Tuesday to more than 200 people at a change-the-flag rally outside the Mississippi Capitol — an event organized by attorneys suing Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant in federal court. The suit asks a federal judge to declare the flag an unconstitutional vestige of slavery.

"If your governor needs to see an example of what it means to lead as governor, maybe he should look at South Carolina's very own Republican governor, Nikki Haley," said Justin Bamberg, who is from the same hometown as Haley. http://www.gulflive.com/news/index....

A bill that would cut state revenues by $575 million over the next 15 years is on its way to the House.

S.B. 2858, otherwise known as the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act of 2016, eliminates the corporate franchise tax, reforms the state’s self-employment tax and creates a five percent flat individual income tax.

The bill is aimed at cutting the state taxes by about 575 million dollars over the next 15 years and was passed by the Senate by a vote of 38 to 10, yesterday.

Republican Senator Joey Fillingane of Sumrall is the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. He says cutting the taxes would allow for greater state revenue growth in the form of sales taxes. http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news...

The Mississippi state flag no longer flies at the Oregon Capitol.

The flag was removed from the Capitol's Walk of Flags display, which included all 50 states and the flags of Oregon's nine federally recognized Native American tribes.

The presiding officers in the Oregon House and Oregon Senate sent a letter to their counterparts in Mississippi to notify them of the action this week. http://www.wlox.com/story/31442495/...

Local legislators are working on bills that focus on the area they represent and are facing a legislative deadline in April.

Both Sen. Sally Doty and Rep. Becky Currie have bills and efforts concerning the new baseball complex in Lincoln County. The deadline for local and private bills that are not revenue bills in the Mississippi Legislature is April 15. Sen. Sally Doty said local and private bills have extended deadlines to allow action to be taken throughout the session. Generally, Doty said, these types of bills are handled in the last week or two of session. Doty said she is working on bills to do with tax credits affecting historic efforts downtown, King’s Daughters Medical Center and the new baseball complex.

Rep Trent Kelly: We cannot destroy terrorism by solely playing defense.

In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, I understand how the debate has veered into discussing Syrian refugees but I think it is important to discuss our overall national security strategy. Currently, this administration refuses to even acknowledge we are at war with radical Islam and has no strategy to eliminate ISIS. On the day of the violent attack in Paris, President Obama said in an interview that ISIS was contained and their efforts had been stalled in Iraq and Syria. This administration has consistently underestimated the fight against ISIS and it is long overdue for the United States to lead the world in a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to eliminate radical Islamic terrorists. We cannot destroy terrorism by solely playing defense.

In order to address these threats, Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act which requires the administration to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to eliminate ISIS. It also includes language that specifically requires a strategy for Syria. Acts of terrorism seek to disrupt our way of life, destroy critical infrastructure, and target our people. Each time they strike, the American people are unified and stand in solidarity against acts of such depravity and violence. Terrorists do not understand our humanity, independence, or strength and that is why we will not fail. The world is safer when America leads and our commitment to eliminate the threat of ISIS or any other terror organization that seeks to do us or our allies harm must be steadfast.

 https://trentkelly.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=QI4C3LRVXHU6A

-------------------------------

MEME REPORT:
THE WHITEHOUSE HAS PICKED A TURKEY TO PARDON

Ag Committee Chairman Michael Conaway Announces New Agriculture Committee Member, Rep. Trent Kelly

From Press Release:

This week, Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway announced Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-1) will join the committee. Rep. Kelly will serve on the Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee as well as the Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit Subcommittee.

“Agriculture is vital to the economy in the State of Mississippi, and I am proud to have the opportunity to represent the First District on the House Committee on Agriculture,” said Congressman Kelly.  “I look forward to being a voice for Mississippi on the Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, and the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittees to promote policies that encourage rural development and allow the agriculture industry to grow. I thank Chairman Conaway for this opportunity and I look forward to working with him and the members of the committee.”

“I look forward to Rep. Kelly joining us on the Agriculture Committee,” said Chairman Conaway. “With more than 37,000 farms in Mississippi covering 10.9 million acres, Trent will be a strong voice for agriculture in his home state. We have a very diverse team with unique backgrounds and districts, and I know Trent’s distinguished experience as a District Attorney and Mississippi Army National Guard Colonel will be a great asset to this committee.

Trent Kelly Wins Mississippi US House Seat

“We ran a very simple campaign. It was about who I am and why I want to be a congressman. I will work every day to honor the people of this district and my Lord Jesus Christ..............My priorities are exactly what I’ve said throughout the campaign, which is to do what I can to maintain a strong national defense and take care of our veterans and do what I can to reduce regulations on our small businesses so they can prosper. I’m honored. I’m very humbled that the people of this district and God have allowed me to serve the people of Mississippi.” --Trent Kelly 06.02.15 [Election Night]

Salter: Mike Tagert & Trent Kelly seem to be the leading contenders to make the runoff

 Mississippi syndicated columnist Sid Salter, in a column about the District One Congressional race offered this observations:

• While Tagert and Kelly seem to be the leading contenders to make the runoff, there are several candidates with "county cluster" strategies who would break out. Others, like Pirkle, have gained ground with innovative marketing strategies. Republicans should watch the special election in the state's First District as a dry run for the looming 2016 presidential and congressional races in Mississippi. Expect to hear the same basic themes from GOP candidates fighting to emerge from primaries.

Henry Ross should be the next Representative for Mississippi's 1st Congressional District

Lots of good candidates in the bunch. It will be interesting to see the numbers each of the candidates can pull from the state. 

Starner Jones, who contributed $475,000 of his own money into his campaign, seemed to imply his support of a flat tax or fair tax. Though I am not sure of Jones' plan to put either of those in place, the scenarios I have seen so far on either of them have not sold me on them (yet). Though I support the repeal of Obamacare, replacing it with "patient-centered reforms" seems OK but a little vague. The main problem with our health care system is the insurance companies themselves and federalizing them like Obamacare is not helpful in the least. The government has become so big it cannot even police itself and adding the health insurance to their bureaucracy is recipe for disaster.

Boyce Adams is former Bush White house aide and though I think his goals were right (repeal Obamacare, balancing budget, getting rid of regulations, etc) I did not hear a plan to get to those goals and the "liberal Obama agenda" was undefined. I believe the liberal Republican agenda needs to be dealt with also.

Sam Adcock's highest priority is to preserve our relation with Israel. Though I agree that it is important, with all the other things we face in the country right now I can't really see it as a top priority. I think a top priority for the US would be one that when addressed would be so pivotal it might affect several other issues. I would place the health care/insurance reform and the economy right now in the high priority spot, though national security because of ISIS may overtake those priorities. . I think "job creation" is a red herring and the Fed shouldn't be involved in trying to create jobs as part of any goal. Address the economy and jobs problems will begin to resolve itself.

Ed Holliday has stated his highest priority is to abolish the IRS, does not support amnesty, and wants something in  place of Obamcare if  it gets repealed. Abolishing the IRS, though a worthy campaign cry, is so intertwined with our tax structure that it would require a new tax plan also. Though I will always support abolishing the IRS, I also need to see the plan that gets us there. Elimination needs to be the plan and not just some form of rebranding.




Mike Tagert signed the Taxpayer protect pledge which is put out by Americans for Tax Reform. Though I am not suggesting Tagert does not believe in what he has signed, I have seen too many examples of this "pledge" being nothing more then an election ploy. It should be naturally assumed that any congressmen elected at any time should have the needs of the people in mind and over taxation should be a given. 

Trent Kelly seems to be very big on military support which is not a bad thing and probably explains his endorsement by VetsStrong Political Action Committee. In April he said one of his highest priorities is "jobs and the economy" and to work to stop the out of control regulations that are being placed on small businesses. But, "work to stop" isn't a well defined plan the way I see it it.




And there are others, like Greg Pirkle, Daniel Sparks, Chip Mills, and former Jackson City councilman Quentin Whitwell

• He (Whitwell)  is running on a traditional conservative platform, emphasizing what he calls "traditional marriage" and "protecting the life of the unborn." Whitwell also wants to shrink the size of government and repeal Obamacare. In his newest campaign ad, posted May 4, Whitwell focuses on strengthening national security by invoking the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and images of the so-called Islamic State organization.[Jackson Free Press]

Wakter Zinn, a Democrat among the large filed of Republicans, is charismatic and very likable.

• Zinn is a 34-year-old native of Pontotoc, which also happens to be the hometown of both Mississippi's representatives in the upper chamber of Congress—U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker. Zinn counts both his service to Jackson, as governmental-affairs director to former Mayors Lumumba and Harvey Johnson Jr., along with his growing up in blue-collar northeast Mississippi, as his chief qualifications. During his time in the Lumumba administration, Zinn helped the 1-percent sales tax referendum pass with 90 percent of the vote and says he helped manage major infrastructure crises in the state's most populous city.[Jackson Free Press]

 And then there is current state Senator Nancy Collins who has also signed a tax pledge, and endorsed Tate Reeves for reelection right out of the chute. Name recognition will help her and her authoring the special ed voucher bill which passed this year.








And then there's Henry Ross who has run for this office two times before. Maybe three times is a charm as when it comes to laying out the issues and explaining plans, Ross far outweighed the other candidates. Just a summary: 

• The first step is to impose a widely targeted freeze on federal spending and keep the freeze in place as revenues grow. Dismantling unneeded federal department and agencies should follow, with real cuts in federal spending, not reductions in inflated future federal baselines. Lowering federal taxes rates will cause the economy to grow and tax revenues to increase, as Americans, enjoying more of their earnings, work and invest more.

• Insurance reform is needed, but the approach should be far different. We need legislation that cuts insurance costs through tort reform, by allowing health insurance purchasing across state lines, insurance portability and competition, and rewarding healthy lifestyle choices. These and other common sense solutions do not require new taxes and spending.

• We need Conservative fighters in Congress who will restore Biblical values and personal responsibility by preserving traditional marriage, reforming welfare to encourage marriage and the presence of fathers in beneficiaries’ homes, and protecting the unborn. We need bold leaders in the U.S. Congress, who aren’t merely concerned about their career and the next election, in order to change the course of our nation.

• The evidence of our Christian heritage is irrefutable. We need conservative fighters in Congress who will join the battle to restore our religious freedoms and protect them from further assault. We need conservative fighters in Congress who aren’t afraid to have us once again honor God as a nation. We need conservative fighters in Congress who will hold U.S. Supreme Court Justices accountable when these Justices render decisions which clearly do not follow the Constitution as written or as discerned by the founders’ original intent.

• Here at home, our borders must be secured immediately to eliminate the entry of ISIS or other terrorist groups into the United States. Visas allowing entry into the United States should be severely limited for those from countries or areas where terrorist activity is supported or for those whose profile suggest they may be suspected as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers.

• Our nation’s founders understood that ownership of arms is fundamental to our freedom as American citizens. This is a right that cannot be surrendered. We need conservative fighters in Congress who will hold U.S. Supreme Court Justices accountable when these Justices render decisions which clearly do not follow the Constitution as written or as discerned by the founders’ original intent.

It is for these reasons that I think Henry Ross would be the best candidate for Mississippi's Congressional seat and good for America in the larger scheme of things.