House panel approves casino tax increase, a shot over bow on blockage of online sports betting

by Geoff Pender, Mississippi Today
February 25, 2025

In an obvious shot at the Senate and at least part of the casino lobby for the state not legalizing online gambling, the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday approved a tax increase on casinos.

Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar said his bill, which would increase taxes on Mississippi casinos from 12% to 16%, is to recoup the tens of millions of dollars a year Mississippi is “losing” from not legalizing online betting. He said, “if everybody’s honest with themselves, online sports betting is already going on” illegally, but the state is not generating any taxes from it.

He said his bill, which now heads to the full House, is also aimed at shedding light on why the online betting bills the House has passed in recent years die in the Senate. Some Mississippi casinos, particularly smaller ones that might struggle to contract or build online betting infrastructure, have opposed the move.

“The goal post continues to be moved on the other end of the building (the Senate),” Lamar told committee members. “We’re going to tax it appropriately. There needs to be some further light shed on this topic … (Illegal online gambling) has reached pandemic level … It’s my understanding that a small handful of casinos are standing in the way of that legislation. “

Lamar said he’s been given estimates ranging from $26 million a year to $80 million a year the state could generate in revenue from online gambling — so he estimates it at about $50 million. Neighboring Tennessee, which legalized online gambling, is making about $140 million a year.

Currently Mississippi casinos pay 12% in taxes, 8% going to the state and 4% to local governments and schools. Lamar said increasing the state’s share to 12% would generate an estimated 50% a year.

Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount criticized Lamar’s tax increase on Tuesday, and the House’s major tax overhaul proposal, which would eliminate the income tax, but raise gasoline and sales taxes.

“The House is fixated on raising sales taxes, increasing the gasoline tax and raising taxes on Mississippi businesses,” Blount said. “I don’t support a 50% tax increase on Mississippi businesses (casinos) that are vital to our state. The House wants to raise taxes on everything Mississippians buy and every time they go to the gas station, and they want to raise taxes on one of the largest employers in our state.”

The move marks the first time in at least a decade that there’s been serious talk of raising the casino tax in Mississippi. The state’s relatively low and stable tax rate on gambling has been credited with helping the industry grow over years. However, some in the industry say gross gambling revenue growth has been stagnant in recent years because of illegal online gambling in Mississippi or legal online gambling in neighboring states.

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

Handling of child care revisions ‘alienates’ providers, one owner says

by Simeon Gates, Mississippi Today
February 25, 2025

Members of the Child Care Advisory Council and child care providers, who had raised issues earlier about new proposed regulations, are voicing more concerns after the state Department of Health shared revisions.

Over 200 child care providers attended a meeting Friday of the Child Care Advisory Council along with members of the advisory council and Nicole Barnes, director of the child care bureau at the Health Department, to discuss the new proposed revisions to child care regulations in the state.

The advisory committee had a week to review the new proposed revisions, which have not been released to the public. They also weren’t shown during the meeting.

Advisory council members Vincent Burke and Roberta Avila spoke on the need for a clearer process for discussing and passing changes to child care regulations. Burke suggested giving council members at least 30 days to review regulation changes. “We feel uninformed as an advisory board,” he said.

Avila explained her point in an email after the meeting. “There is a need for clarity of the process in discussing and approving changes to the Licensure Regulations,” she said.

The council voted to meet again in March to further discuss the new regulations.
During the open comment period, several providers raised concerns about the licensing agency’s conduct. Debbie Ellis, who owns and operates The Learning Center in Greenwood, criticized the licensing agency’s handling of the regulation changes, saying that it was “disrespectful” and “alienates” child care providers.

Two other providers who are also part of the advisory council, Regina Harvey and Lesia Daniel, spoke before the meeting about the advisory council’s role.

“Regulations should not be released to the public until the advisory board has had a chance to read them and advise,” said Harvey, who runs SMART Beginnings Preschool in Ocean Springs. “This is what the board is supposed to be — made up of industry leaders and providers. My experience so far is that this is not happening.”

Daniel, owner of Funtime in Clinton, said that having a week to look at all the new revisions wasn’t practical. “The document is hundreds of pages and so taking the time to compare each section to the current regulations to identify the proposed changes is a waste of everyone’s time. To me, that communicates a lack of respect to providers.”

Barnes explained in the meeting that the revisions were done to comply with the Child Care and Development Block Grant’s health and safety standards. There are no federal child care regulations.

The licensing agency filed its first round of proposed regulation changes in November. Many child care providers criticized the previous revisions and how the licensing agency debuted them. They also felt the licensing agency wasn’t considerate of their perspectives.

The licensing agency acknowledged they did not get input from the Child Care Advisory Council or the Small Business Regulatory Committee. Providers said they were not notified of the revisions until weeks after they were filed, when they should’ve been notified three days after they were filed. The licensing agency maintains that it followed the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Act. 

The controversy over regulations comes at a crucial time for the child care industry. Labor shortages, high prices, and more are contributing to a child care crisis in the U.S.

The licensing agency is set to bring the proposed revisions to the Board of Health in April, as well as all public comments from providers. According to Barnes, the new regulations would take effect in May if the Board of Health approves them.

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

Editor’s note: Linda Williams-Short, the mayor of Mayersville, leads one of Mississippi’s smallest towns. This piece is part of an ongoing Mississippi Today Ideas series showcasing perspectives of mayors across the state.

When you think about the Mississippi Delta, you might not always think about Mayersville.

But this small but mighty town I’m proud to lead is as important as any in the Delta, and we are making great strides. We like to think of Mayersville as being a small town with big dreams. We live by that motto.

Perhaps these strides we have made would be considered baby steps in larger cities, but in Mayersville, population 433, according to the 2020 Census, these steps can be considered monumental to our town’s survival.

We strive to follow the lead of former Mayersville Mayor Unita Blackwell, who was the first Black woman mayor of a Mississippi town. She was a leader for all of us in Mayersville, and she inspired me to enter politics.

And today we still follow her lead in working to improve housing in Mayersville and the overall economic condition of all our residents.

We have faced the adversities of other small Delta towns. Through the decades we also have faced natural disasters, including barely missing a direct hit from the awful 2023 tornado that reaped destruction on many of our south Mississippi Delta neighbors.

The natural disasters Mayersville have faced go way back including the historic and devastating 1927 flood that resulted in the levy that separates our town from the direct access to the Mississippi River that was key to our economy decades ago.

Despite the obstacles, town leaders and I are committed to improving the health and well-being of our constituents. As part of this effort, the town of Mayersville became the second smoke-free community in the state of Mississippi.

Since being elected mayor in 2001, we have worked, following in the tradition of Unita Blackwell, to build seven new homes within Mayersville. That might not seem like a big deal, but in a town of our size and with the housing issues we face, we are proud of this accomplishment.

We have strived to repair the town’s failing infrastructure and to bring healthy food options to the community through a partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. We also are working with the Delta Health Center to provide a clinic to assist residents who have limited transportation options.

And like other small Delta towns, tourism is critical. To that end, I helped found the Mayersville Annual Homecoming Festival. This festival brings former and current residents together annually from all over the United States.

These efforts are important to me because Mayersville, which is the county seat for Issaquena County, is important to me. I am a lifelong resident.

I am the youngest daughter of the late Saul & Edie B. Williams. For 29 years I have been married to Larry D. Short. He is my lifelong partner and love of my life. I am the mother of James Jr., Jeremy, JaSona, Kiara, Katerri and the late Jercelle and proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren. I have been a member of one of our great and impactful churches — Rose Hill M.B. Church — for 49 years, and I currently serve as the senior choir director. In addition to being mayor, I am a small business owner operating as Tony’s Grocery and Celle’s Estate Housing complex.

I am passionate, dedicated, driven in terms of my job as mayor of Mayersville.

But my story is not unique. In Mayersville, we all pitch in for the betterment of our town and its residents.

In Mayersville, we live by the motto, “Always service over self.” I am proud to take that motto to heart every single day.

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