Magnolia Tribune

Speaker-designate White talks priorities for Mississippi House of Representatives in upcoming term

Published

11 months ago

December 12, 2023

State Rep. Jason White, the Republican supermajority’s choice for Speaker, recently sat down with Magnolia Tribune to talk over his priorities as the new House leader when the gavel falls come January 2, 2024.

The official vote for the new Mississippi Speaker of the House of Representatives is expected to take place shortly after members gavel in on January 2, 2024. Jason White, the current Speaker Pro Tempore, is the heir apparent with Speaker Philip Gunn having chosen not to run for re-election.

The expectation that White would move into the role was further solidified in November when he was unanimously selected by the Republican Caucus as its nominee for Speaker. White has served House District 48 for 12 years. State Representative Manly Barton (HD 109) was also selected as Speaker Pro Tempore by the Caucus.

Republicans have a supermajority in the chamber, meaning any prospect of a challenge of White by a Democratic Party nominee would face insurmountable odds.

Continued Efforts for Further Tax Cuts

White told Magnolia Tribune the House position will be to continue to push for the elimination of the individual income tax, a move in line with attempts made in previous years and supported by Governor Tate Reeves.

Lawmakers passed the largest tax cut in the state’s history in 2022. The legislation, signed into law by Governor Reeves, resulted in the immediate removal of the 4% individual income tax bracket and a phased reduction of the 5% bracket to 4% over the course of three years. By eliminating the 4% bracket, Mississippians now have the largest tax exemption in the nation among states that collect income taxes. The total tax relief provided by the plan is estimated to be $525 million per year by 2026.

Rep. White said there could be an appetite to pass additional legislation that would knock another percent off of that phased reduction, pushing the flat income tax closer to two or three percent when the current reduction is complete in 2026.

“This is moving us closer to a full elimination of the individual income tax,” said White, who said he felt confident that lawmakers would be supportive of these continued efforts.

Improving the education system

White is also focused on reviewing the state’s education system and improving on the legislation passed in recent years that has led to Mississippi being recognized nationally for significant gains in literacy and graduation rates. White wants to start with a discussion on the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), the funding formula used to fund public schools, as well as how school and student achievement is measured.

“We are going to take a long hard look at the funding formula and accountability model and the way that we assess schools like the four big tests,” said White. “If we can get away from those and get closer to straight ACT to rate them.”

White, the son of a former public school teacher, expressed a desire to look at opportunities for the accountability model to begin incentivizing and rewarding those school districts that provide alternative tracks aimed at being career ready through certifications and other resources, outside of merely advocating for a four-year-college path upon high school graduation. He said he hopes to see more opportunities for students as young as ninth and tenth grade, who have other interests outside of a traditional college path.

“We do a tremendous job graduating our high school students as college prep ready. The problem is a third of those only go to a four-year university, and roughly half of that third receive a degree. The rest of them learn a trade or do something different,” said White.

Some schools in Mississippi do have robust programs for Career Technical Education, a curriculum for students interested in alternative educational paths. However, Rep. White said those opportunities are primarily within districts who are progressing on their own because of the support they have in their local community. He hopes to make this type of educational access available to high schoolers across the state, particularly in under-served districts.

“When we talk to businesses, whether it be existing or ones we are courting, we are a right to work state, it’s relatively cheap to live in our state, we’ve got some great things going for us. What is lacking is the workforce,” said White, adding that if young high schoolers were exposed to career options outside of what a college degree requires, it could help put them on a streamlined track for success after graduation.

When it comes to educational access, especially for those students in F rated districts, White said he plans to push for additional school choice options, or “parent’s choice” as he said. This could impact not only where students receive an education, but the curriculum provided to those students, particularly those young people who know they are on route for a trade-centered career.

Rep. White said school choice efforts will likely begin in failing districts but could also expand to children in A districts who desire to pursue these alternative tracks. In these scenarios, only state dollars would follow the student and admittance would still be up to the school where they are attempting to enroll. However, White hopes to remove the requirement that the school they are leaving has to release them in order to transfer.

“This isn’t something where you see people flocking away from their traditional schools. This is for parents who are taking the initiative and willing to make the choice on their part,” said White.

White also hopes to take another look at the funding model for public schools. Currently, MAEP remains the model used to fund Mississippi’s schools, but lawmakers have not “fully funded” the formula during the majority of its 20-year existence, instead choosing to appropriate funds for specific educational areas through direct funding. MAEP and its annual funding is an annual point of contention between lawmakers and public school lobbyists.

There was an attempt made by the House in 2018 to change the MAEP model but the effort did not pass in the state Senate.

Improving Healthcare

Going into the 2024 session, Speaker-designate White said lawmakers are still waiting to see whether or not the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) approves the Governor’s new reimbursement proposal for Medicaid recipients that Reeves announced in early fall 2023.

White said if it is approved, the plan will be a good thing, but it is not the only piece of the puzzle.

While White has said he is not in favor of a general expansion of Medicaid, he does see a gap for the working class of Mississippi who are still not able to afford coverage. Currently 1 out of 4 Mississippians are on Medicaid.

“There is no denying we have this gap in any type of coverage for those who work and make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. They are out here in ‘no man’s land,’” said White. “I don’t want to disincentivize them from working. They don’t make enough money to buy traditional insurance; their employers don’t provide it.”

Rep. White’s idea to fill the gap hangs on a partnership between businesses and providers to cover the state share for Medicaid coverage for those working individuals who remain uninsured. The current state share is a 9/1 ratio, meaning Mississippi pays roughly 10% and the federal government covers 90% of the expansion population.

In order for this to happen, CMS would have to provide a waiver with a work requirement for those individuals who qualify to receive Medicaid. White said safeguards would need to be put in place to prevent employers from removing coverage, as has happened in other states, if Medicaid is then seen as an option for their employees.

“I want to force us to have a real conversation, put the smartest people we’ve got in the room and say, ‘Figure this out,’” said White.

He hopes to see business leaders, hospitals, providers and doctors come together to find a solution.

“I just think we are being foolish to try not to find a way to fix this,” White said.

Addressing PERS, the State’s Retirement Program

A recent report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) from PERS Director Ray Higgins indicated that change was needed in order to maintain the fiscal health of the program.

PERS, the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi, currently provides retirement accounts for 114,000 public retirees, with 144,000 active members. However, over the last 10 years, the number of active members has declined by 10 percent while the number of retirees has increased by 26 percent.

In the JLBC budget meeting, Higgins presented the PERS Board’s request for adjustments in order to offset the financial strain on the program.

The recommendation by PERS was to move forward with a 2 percent employer rate increase each state fiscal year starting in July 2024. This increase would occur until the rate reaches the recommended level approved by the board which is expected to be close to a 10-point increase over time.

In addition, the current rate of 17.40 percent of a state employee’s pay would increase to 19.40 percent at the start of the next fiscal year. This plan was previously approved.

“Either the rate has to go up or the benefit has to change, that would be my assessment or recommendation,” said Higgins in October. “We fund it, change it, or eventually risk it. I wouldn’t say it’s not sustainable, because if we fund it, it is sustainable.”

The request of a direct appropriation was also made, which could come from the Legislature. The PERS Board’s recommended amount has not been determined at this time, but Higgins said he estimates it would be close to $350 million a year.

Rep. White said he hopes the legislature is able to tackle the issue come January. However, he does not anticipate that all of the PERS requests will be met outright. Possible solutions could include a cash infusion from the state, a new tier creation, and a possible employer rate increase.

“I don’t know exactly what the answer is there, but I know that it is broken as it is,” said White, whose wife is a PERS retiree. He said his family is directly impacted by what happens with the state’s retirement system.

The post Speaker-designate White talks priorities for Mississippi House of Representatives in upcoming term appeared first on Magnolia Tribune.

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By: Sarah Ulmer
Title: Speaker-designate White talks priorities for Mississippi House of Representatives in upcoming term
Sourced From: magnoliatribune.com/2023/12/12/speaker-designate-white-talks-priorities-for-mississippi-house-of-representatives-in-upcoming-term/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=speaker-designate-white-talks-priorities-for-mississippi-house-of-representatives-in-upcoming-term
Published Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:49:18 +0000

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Magnolia Mornings: December 12, 2023

Magnolia Tribune

Staring mortality in the face at Christmas

Published

11 months ago

December 16, 2023

Staff Editor

My friend Jarrod is dying after an eight year battle with cancer. He’s lived a life worth celebrating, one that has drawn people to Christ.

I was going about my business this week when I received a text that stopped me in my tracks. A college friend was being moved to hospice care.

Jarrod Egley was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in early 2017. In the fall of 2018, tests revealed the cancer had spread to his lungs and Jarrod’s cancer was classified as Stage IV.

For almost eight years from the date of the original diagnosis, he’s fought. Through surgeries, radiation, endless rounds and cycles of chemotherapy, and experimental immunotherapies, he’s fought.

Last year, I flew out to California and spent some time with Jarrod and his wife, Emily. We sat outside one night. He acknowledged to me that it was not a question of ‘if’, but ‘when’ the cancer would claim his life. I told him I was sorry, because what else is there to say?

We talked about our faith, about the trials of Job, about Jacob wrestling with God, about Paul’s affliction. But mostly we reflected on our time together in school, on the good things, and the mundane things, that happened since.

Jarrod and I met at Tulane University. One Sunday morning in the Spring of my freshman year, I rose from my dorm room bed, dressed, and began walking down Saint Charles Avenue in New Orleans with no particular agenda. I walked until I came across First Baptist Church and the thought flickered in the vacuous recesses of my brain to enter.

Some would say it was a lark. The Calvinist in me says providence. The walk that morning changed the trajectory of my time at Tulane and my life on the whole. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry became central to my life and put me in regular league with Jarrod. I met him first at the BCM and we ultimately ended up attending church together.

Jarrod was a faithful servant on and off campus. He helped organize a group of us that would weekly make our way down to the Esplanade seawall on the backside of the French Quarter to feed the homeless. On Friday nights, he could be found at chapel with a small cadre of students foregoing Bourbon Street for early 2000s worship music.

Jarrod was a loyal friend in those years. Never rude or biting. Not prone to an insult for an easy laugh. Persistently encouraging. An engineering student, his mind worked linearly and was oriented to problem solving. There were never a lot of wasted words — always a lot of deliberative questions when he disagreed or did not understand a point. He exhibited intelligence, empathy, and the kind of moral conviction that sets someone apart.

He also had a wry and dry sense of humor and a penchant for beating people at Madden football. He was fair-to-midland on the ultimate frisbee pitch. Along the way, there were crawfish boils, Mardi Gras outtings, poorly attended Tulane football games, and more than a decent amount of wing eating.

After college, I lost touch with Jarrod. He moved back to his home state of California. He got married to his college sweetheart, who could not have anticipated her husband’s journey, but has been a steady and constant helpmate throughout. Jarrod became a very successful engineer and a bourbon connoisseur. One of his bucket list trips took him to Kentucky, where he got to meet and became friends with bourbon “Hall of Famer” Freddie Johnson of Buffalo Trace acclaim.

Jarrod at Buffalo Trace Distillery (Spring 2022).

Sitting in his backyard nearly 20 years after graduating from Tulane, I saw many of the same qualities I had grown to admire when we were students together. I saw a husband who doted on and supported Emily’s passions. But I also saw someone whose body had been beaten to hell and back, who was tired, and who, like Jacob, had been wrestling with God. We quickly fell back into friendship, which perhaps is the mark of good friendship.

We all have aspirations in our youth — for the kind of spouse or parent we might be, for what we might accomplish, for what we might experience. Along the way, dreams are satisfied, modified, or they die on the vine. The clock inevitably works against all of us. That night in Oceanside, California, Jarrod, a numbers guy, saw that time was not on his side. He believed, as we all would, that he still had more to give, more impact to be made, and more things to see and experience.

After that trip, Jarrod and I stayed in touch, most frequently triggered by news of his cancer. It has been mostly the bad variety in recent months. Now spread throughout his body, down to his bones, he has lived in constant pain for months. Not even a steady diet of morphine and an implanted pain pump solve for it. Jarrod’s been hospitalized twelve times just in 2023.

But his matter of fact sense of humor and way of seeing the world remains in tact. So too does his faith that despite these trials, he has always been safe in the hands of Christ.

There are people in the world who believe that life is random, disordered, and without reason. I am not among them. I think my friend is staring mortality in the face at Christmas for a reason.

For thousands of years before Christ came, there was darkness and despair. Sin and shame gripped the hearts of men. Until one holy night, God, in His infinite love, mercy and wisdom, sent His son to save. Jesus is the light of the world and the hope of man. He has won victory over death and Jarrod’s will not be the exception. Jesus came for Jarrod, and for you.

For thousands of years since Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, His disciples have been used as divine instruments to point the way to God. Jarrod is among them. If life expectancies were the measure, Jarrod would be at the midway point for most people. He’s made a lifetime of impact for the Kingdom and on other people.

So, to my friend Jarrod, you were placed here with a purpose. You have run your race. You are loved. And when this chapter closes, you will hear “well done, my good and faithful servant.” There is no greater evidence of a life well lived.

While Jarrod and Emily have been fortunate to have health insurance, their portion of the medical bills so far in 2023 have eclipsed $30,000, and Emily is facing additional uncovered expenses during Jarrod’s hospice care, including a night nurse that costs over $400 a night. If you would like to help defray the cost, a contribution can be made at their Go Fund Me page.

The post Staring mortality in the face at Christmas appeared first on Magnolia Tribune.

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By: Russ Latino
Title: Staring mortality in the face at Christmas
Sourced From: magnoliatribune.com/2023/12/16/staring-mortality-in-the-face-at-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=staring-mortality-in-the-face-at-christmas
Published Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:05:22 +0000

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Magnolia Tribune

Magnolia Mornings: December 15, 2023

Published

11 months ago

December 15, 2023

Staff Editor

Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.

In Mississippi

1. Laurin St. Pe’ named CEO of Singing River Health System

The Board of Trustees of Singing River Health System announced the immediate appointment of Laurin St. Pe’ as the Chief Executive Officer on Thursday.

“We are thrilled to announce Laurin St. Pe as the new CEO of Singing River,” said Steve Ates, Board President in a statement. “His wealth of healthcare experience and proven track record make him the ideal leader to steer our health system toward its next phase of growth and success.”

St. Pe’, who has been serving as Interim CEO since July 2023, said he is honored to assume the role of CEO at Singing River. He has worked at Singing River as Administrator of Singing River Health System’s Pascagoula Hospital and Gulfport Hospital, in addition to overseeing program service lines throughout the entire system to his subsequent appointment as Chief Operating Officer of Singing River.

The health system says St. Pe played a crucial role in the financial revitalization of Singing River Health System while steering the organization toward financial stability.

2. Gulfport-Biloxi airport, Stennis evacuated after threats

The Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport was evacuated on Thursday morning “out of an abundance of caution,” airport officials said, after receiving an emailed threat to certain transportation entities across the state.

The airport was thoroughly security swept, cleared and reopened in just over two hours. Gulfport-Biloxi is now operating regularly.

The threat was also sent to Stennis International Airport. Their staff and personnel were also evacuated until the facilities could be swept and cleared.

Any passenger whose travel was affected by the evacuation is encouraged to contact their respective air carrier.

3. Cassidy arrested in Iowa for beheading Satanic Temple statue

Former Mississippi congressional and legislative candidate Michael Cassidy was arrested this week in Iowa for beheading a statue at the state’s Capitol erected by The Satanic Temple.

Cassidy reportedly decapitated the statue and turned himself to police on Thursday. He was charged with fourth degree criminal mischief. He then started an online legal defense fund where he’s raised upwards of $20,000 as of Thursday night, according to his X account.

4. “Serial fraudster” ordered to cease offering investments into companies

According to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office, on October 26, 2023, Secretary Michael Watson and the Securities Division issued an order against Stephone N. Patton. The SOS says Patton is a serial fraudster with multiple criminal convictions in Mississippi and Florida.

Through business filings with the SEC and Mississippi, Patton has held himself to be the CEO of various companies, including Star Oil and Gas Company, Inc., North Gulf Energy Corporation, Inc., Patton Oilfield Services, Inc., and Patton Farms, LLC.

The SOS says using these business filings and company websites, Patton claimed to have raised hundreds of billions of dollars through investment opportunities. Through investigative efforts and collaboration with the SEC, the SOS discovered none of Patton’s companies are operational, have any assets, or generate any revenues. Account records show Patton spent investors’ funds almost as soon as he received them on personal expenses. The total amount of known investments made to Patton’s fraudulent companies is over $80,000. Further, none of Patton’s investment offerings have been registered or notice filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.

The SOS order requires Patton to cease and desist from offering investments with his companies, requiring Patton to permanently deactivate his companies’ websites to prevent any further dissemination of his false or misleading information. Patton is also ordered to pay an administrative penalty of $25,000 to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office for these violations, in addition to restitution owed to all his Mississippi investors.

National News & Foreign Policy

1. Congressional retirements mounting as 2024 election cycle nears

Retirement and departure announcements are piling up ahead of the start to the 2024 election cycle. The New York Times has developed a Retirement Tracker that currently shows 22 Democrats and 11 Republicans who are in Congress now will not be seeking re-election next year.

“Dozens of members of Congress have announced plans to leave their seats in the House of Representatives, setting a rapid pace for congressional departures, with more expected as the 2024 election draws closer,” the NY Times reports. “Given Republicans’ razor-thin House majority, the wave of exits has the potential to lead to a significant shake-up next year.”

You can find the tracker here.

2. Texas, Daily Wire, The Federalist sue U.S. State Department over media censorship

The U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center has come under fire as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton along with The Daily Wire and The Federalist have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the department funded technology that could “render disfavored press outlets unprofitable.” They claim that the department has helped social media – Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) – to censor free speech while funding technologies used to censor right-leaning news outlets such as theirs.

New Civil Liberties Alliance is representing The Daily Wire and The Federalist. Paxton and the outlets claim the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a British think tank, received a $100,000 grant from the State Department in 2021, and NewsGuard, which rates the “misinformation” levels of news outlets, received $25,000 from the State Department in 2020, according to the lawsuit.

According to the State Department’s website, the Global Engagement Center’s mission is to direct, lead, synchronize, integrate, and coordinate U.S. Federal Government efforts to recognize, understand, expose, and counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining or influencing the policies, security, or stability of the United States, its allies, and partner nations.

As reported by Reuters, the lawsuit cited a GDI-produced list from December 2022 that ranked The Daily Wire and The Federalist as among the 10 “riskiest sites” for news while the least-risky included The New York Times, Associated Press and NPR. Reuters notes that the lawsuit alleges such “blacklists” are reducing revenues to The Daily Wire and The Federalist along with their visibility on social media and ranking results from browser searches.

Sports & Entertainment

1. SEC releases 2024 schedules

Wednesday evening, the Southeastern Conference released the 2024 football schedules for its member schools, including of interest in the Magnolia State the schedules for Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

It is the first schedule that includes new conference members University of Oklahoma and University of Texas, bringing the conference to 16 schools. Each SEC team will play eight conference football games plus at least one required opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 12 or major independent, each team will have two open dates.

The 2024 season will be the first year the SEC will play a schedule without divisional competition since 1991. The top two teams in the league standings based on winning percentage will play in the 33rd SEC Football Championship Game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, December 7.

2. White, Jesiolowski, Jones honored by MAIS

The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) in Mississippi, comprised of non-public schools, announced this week that Madison-Ridgeland Academy’s senior quarterback John White was named the 6A Player of the Year while Hartfield’s Reed Jesiolowski and Hartfield Chris Jones were named the MAIS 6A Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.

All three have committed to play college football at the University of Mississippi.

White is Mississippi’s all-time leader in career passing yards with 15,259 yards, a record he broke during the 2023 season.

MAIS, like the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) for public schools, is broken down into classifications, from 1A to 6A. However, MHSAA added a 7A this season.

Markets & Business

1. Consumer retail sales up as energy, gas prices move down

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week that the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% in November after being unchanged in October. Retail sales rose 0.3% in November after rising 0.2% in October, meaning consumers continue to spend at the start of the holiday season.

The CPI or inflation rate is 3.1%, higher than the Federal Reserve target of 2% but below the 9% peak in 2022 which reached a 40-year high.

As for the energy index, BLS reported that it fell 2.3% in November after decreasing 2.5% in October. The gasoline index decreased 6% in November, following a 5% decrease in the previous month.

The index for fuel oil fell in November, decreasing 2.7%. However, the natural gas index rose 2.8% over the month after rising 1.2% the previous month. The index for electricity also rose 1.4% in November, after increasing 0.3% in October.

The energy index fell 5.4% over the past 12 months. The gasoline index decreased 8.9%, the natural gas index declined 10.4%, and the fuel oil index fell 24.8% over this 12-month span.

2. Week’s market rally continues into Friday

At close of trading on Thursday, the U.S. markets continued the week’s rally, pushing the Dow up 158 points to 37,248 while the Nasdaq and S&P also made gains, 27 points and 12 points, respectively, to close at 14,761 and 4,719.

The record high for the Dow on Thursday moved futures up 102 points.

According to CNBC, the major averages are headed for their seventh straight positive week. As of Thursday, the Dow is higher on the week by 2.8%. The S&P 500 is up by 2.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.5% this week.

Stocks rallied after the Federal Reserve left rates unchanged this week while members look towards cuts in the new year and beyond.

The post Magnolia Mornings: December 15, 2023 appeared first on Magnolia Tribune.

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By: Magnolia Tribune
Title: Magnolia Mornings: December 15, 2023
Sourced From: magnoliatribune.com/2023/12/15/magnolia-mornings-december-15-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=magnolia-mornings-december-15-2023
Published Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Magnolia Tribune

New water rates expected in Jackson come 2024; those who don’t pay face shut off

Published

11 months ago

December 15, 2023

Staff Editor

Interim Third-Party Director Ted Henifin said this week that only about 59% of the City of Jackson’s water customers are paying their bills.

JXN Water has announced new rates and fees coming in 2024. Those who are not paying will be at risk of shut offs.

The company, which was established by federal appointed interim Third-Party Director Ted Henifin, has been overseeing the city’s water system for the better part of a year.

Officials estimated that the average cost for water in the city was $76 per month for residents. Henifin clarified that JXN water will not attempt to recoup any charges prior to November 29, 2022, and will work with those who have failed to pay since that time.

He said only about 59 percent of the city’s water customers are paying their bills.

“You can’t forgive bills, so we have to be creative in how we part that,” said Henifin in reference to Mississippi’s laws that prevent giving away water.

According to a release by JXN Water announcing the rate changes, residents in single family households with small meters that use up to 748 gallons daily would see a bill increase of roughly .30 cents per day. Research indicates that the average U.S. family uses 300 gallons per day.

SNAP customers will have a new rate tier that could lower their bill by up to .69 cents per day, on average.

“Those who need to save the most benefit from saving money by drinking tap water. This new rate structure makes water affordability possible for 12,500 JXN Water customers who receive SNAP benefits,” said Henifin in the release.