Jackson Free Press

Bizarro NAFTA logic

Sid Salter often reminds me of George Will: Clearly, he has a good mind, which shows up sometimes in his columns, but he's so busy using it to shill for …

Online Tax Debate Looming

Sidewalks, busy sidewalks. In the air, there's a feeling that the economy might finally be picking up momentum if trends during the holiday shopping season are any indication.

AG Sues Barbour Over Veto

Citing case law that restricts the Mississippi governor from selectively vetoing the purpose of an appropriation and redistributing its funds, Attorney General Jim Hood filed a lawsuit against Gov. Haley …

State Budget in Limbo

Mississippi lawmakers are still deadlocked on a budget agreement for the upcoming fiscal year after spending last week in fruitless negotiations. With state revenues down $350 million to $400 million …

[Dickerson] Civil Rights Ain't Just History

Gov. Haley Barbour did the right thing by lobbying for a civil-rights museum.

Legislature Week 4: Money and Meth

The House and Senate were up against deadline yesterday for committees to either approve or reject proposed bills. The next deadline is a Feb. 11 end-date for the House and …

Barbour Vetoes Tobacco-Grocery Tax Bill

Following is Gov. Haley Barbour's statement today vetoing the popular effort to raise the tax on cigarettes and lower the tax on on groceries. Note that he is repeating his …

Mississippi Tourism to Benefit from Tax Incentive Bill

On Tuesday, one of the bills Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour signed into law expands tourism sales tax incentives to casinos for developing resorts and tourism projects unrelated to casino activities. …

State Universities to Get Broadband Boost

Mississippi's research universities and other state research centers will be able to communicate much more efficiently, thanks to expanded broadband technology.

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Helicopter'

When you get down to it, if anyone in Mississippi could procure a helicopter on short notice, it's one of the most powerful and best-paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C.

Transparency and Head Trips

State agencies will have to put their spending and contracts on a website for public scrutiny if the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate work out their differences with a …

House Dems Cave, Then Flee

House Democrats caved in to pressure the first day of the special session, passing a bill to temporarily reauthorize the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

Barbour Files Campaign Finance Report

The following are details of the report for the period of July 1—July 26, 2003:

Speed Returns to MDA

A familiar face is returning to the Mississippi Development Authority. Jackson real-estate developer Leland Speed is temporarily taking the reins of the MDA as executive director until January 2012, the …

Lawmakers Deadlocked on Budget

The Mississippi Legislature is taking another two weeks off before returning May 26 to grapple once again with the state's $5 billion budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July …

Schools Short on Pay Roll?

The latest round of state budget cuts has many Mississippi school districts facing difficult budgetary decisions. Gov. Haley Barbour announced $85 million in cuts to K-12 education last Wednesday, $76 …

Today is D-Day for Controversial Bills

The Mississippi Legislature has one of its busiest days today as committees scramble to pass most general bills. State lawmakers have until midnight tonight to get committee approval for any …

Dim Prospects for House Plan to Restore Cuts

The Mississippi House of Representatives approved a plan yesterday to restore recent state budget cuts, but the proposal is unlikely to gain much traction in the state Senate or the …

No. 22, February 14 - 21

<b><em>Thanks Where Thanks Is Due</b></em>

Following, Rep. Billy Broomfield, D-Moss Point, said that he was "grateful for the federal funds that Gov. Barbour's contacts in Washington" brought to South Mississippi in the wake of Katrina. …

University Mergers Loom?

Rumors of university consolidation gave way to outright threats Monday when Gov. Haley Barbour released his executive budget recommendations for the 2011 fiscal year. Painting a dismal picture of the …