Mark Your Calendar 2010 Annual Meeting Thursday, April 15, 2010 Jackson Convention Complex Also featuring: S.T.A.R. Student Education Celebration A Salute to Mississippi Scholars Join Business Leaders, Community Leaders and Education Leaders from across Mississippi at MEC's 61st Annual Meeting on April 15. For Annual Meeting Sponsorship and Registration  For a List of Current Sponsors  To Register for Salute to Mississippi Scholars Your Participation Needed in Moving Mississippi Forward Statewide Tour to focus on importance  of early learning in state A series of statewide meetings focusing on ways to expand early childhood education in Mississippi is planned for the week of March 22.. The Tour, organized and sponsored by MEC's Leadership Mississippi and the Committee for Economic Development will travel to 10 cities. The events, which will feature key national, regional and state early childhood policy leaders, are generously funded by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested. To Register for the Tour The Tour Stops include: Monday, March 22 Meridian 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, March 23 Brookhaven 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, March 23 Natchez 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 Biloxi/Gulfport 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 Hattiesburg 3:30-5 p.m. Thursday, March 25 Jackson 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, March 25 Greenville 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, March 25 Greenwood 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, March 26 Columbus 7:30-9 a.m. Friday, March 26 Tupelo 11:30-1 p.m. To Register for the Tour Generously Funded by a Grant From Dr. Marvin Hogan (center) of Friends of Children of Mississippi, discusses early childhood initiatives as Annjo Lemons (left) of Excel by 5 and Robin Robinson of Sanderson Farms listen. Michael Petro, Vice President and Director of Business and Government Policy & Chief of Staff, Committee for Economic Development, Washington, DC. was the keynote speaker. Forum brings leaders together MEC’s Leadership Mississippi's 2010-11 Class, along with about 200 other community and educational leaders gathered Jan. 22 to look at the next steps in creating a successful early childhood education in Mississippi. The event looked at the progress of Mississippi Building Blocks and other leading early childhood education initiatives and programs. For More MEC Priority Legislation Teacher Retention, Inventory Tax Reduction Bills Continue Through Legislative Process; Performance Based Budget Bill Dies in House There has been recent action on several MEC Priorities h. The House of Representative passed Senate Bill 3078 on March 3. The Bill, which passed the Senate earlier in the session raises the years of service retirement for new state employees to retire from 25 years to 30 years. It has been a long-standing position of MEC to increase the years of service, especially in an effort to retain the state’s most qualified teachers. MEC believes this change needs to be made, with the goal of future pay increases for teachers. The bill, was originally introduced for new teachers only, but was changed in committee to include all new state employees. MEC, working with officials with PERS offered a compromise for the change not to go into effect until July 1, 2011. Two years ago, MEC supported legislation that increased the number of years that teachers are given annual pay increases based on experience. Previously, the annual increases stopped at 25 years, but now annual pay for teaches increases each year until 30 years.   While the Senate passed the “Mississippi Strategic Planning and Performance Budget Act of 2010” last month, the bill failed to gain committee approved in the House by the March 2 deadline. This legislation, Senate Bill 2816, was crafted based on recommendations made by the Commission for a New Mississippi in a report issued in December 2009. The bill would have instituted Smart Budget, a performance-based budgeting system where resources are allocated based on results. This legislation would have required the creation of a statewide and agency-level strategic plans for services and the costs of those services. The plan focused on the key roles of government, necessary services, and the outcomes that are expected.   On Feb. 24, the Senate passed Senate Bill 3027, MEC-priority legislation designed to phase out the state’s inventory tax through a tax credit or refundable tax credit. This method would allow the counties, cities and schools to continue collected the tax, but allow business to begin getting the credit beginning in 2013. The legislation calls for a 20 percent tax credit the first year it is implemented and an additional 20 percent each year for the next four years. The key component to this legislation is counties, cities and schools will not see a reduction in their tax revenues. For More Details on MEC's 2010 Priorities For Daily Updates from The Capitol Lott Center Dedicated at USM Former U.S. Senator Trent Lott, Bill and Jane Crump of MEC member Viking Range and Anthony Topazi, CEO of MEC member Mississippi Power, during the dedication of the Trent Lott Center. Dr. Martha Saunders, President of the University of Southern Mississippi and Gene Carlisle CEO of the Carlisle Corporation during the dedication of the Trent Lott Center for Excellence. The Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship was dedicated March 5 at the University of Southern Mississippi. The center will serve as the hub of academic and outreach efforts for the institution’s ongoing focus on economic advancement. The event included comments from Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, Dr. Martha Saunders, President of USM and the building's namesake, former U.S. Senator Trent Lott. The building was designed by MEC member Albert and Associates Architects, PA and built by MEC member Finlo Construction Co. Inc. Both companies are based in Hattiesburg. The Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship at Southern Miss. For More  MTD announces expansion of operations in Tupelo Governor Haley Barbour, officials from MTD and the Lee County Board of Supervisors announced on March 2 the expansion of the company’s Tupelo operations into a 525,000-square-foot, county-owned building adjacent to its current facility in the Tupelo-Lee Industrial Park South. The expansion represents a $6.25 million investment by MTD, a lawnmower manufacturing company, and will create 107 new jobs.    For More Report: Funding needed to improve roads and bridges in state Mississippi's road and bridges faces a $6 billion shortfall, according to a report by TRIP, a national transportation research group. TRIP, joined Mississippi Legislative offices to on Wednesday to announce results of the report, which outlines what the group says will be a $6 billion transportation funding shortfall over the next 10 years. For news release For Future of Mobility in Mississippi Report MEC's A Capital Day A Capital Day draws more than 1,000 business leaders, legislators, officials Business and community leaders from across Mississippi converged on the State Capitol Thursday, Jan. 7, for MEC's A Capital Day.The day included a morning session at the Jackson Marriott, briefings at the State Capitol and a state officials luncheon. For A Capital Day Sponsors