| |
|
2010 MEC
Legislative
Priorities |
 |
The Mississippi Economic Council Board of Directors has listed five issues as
MEC Priorities for the 2010 session. Priority issues are established using MEC
member input through surveys taken during the annual fall tour. The results of
those surveys are carefully considered when determining priorities each year.
The Priorities are:
 |
Weathering the Challenges – Education at
the priority teamed with private sector job growth and cutting the
cost of government. MEC support pursuing monetary and fiscal policy
that puts education at the highest priority, while focusing on
stimulating workforce and private sector job creation and retention
while pursuing opportunities for reasonable consolidation of
entities, programs and services where appropriate and the
elimination of underperforming programs, to effect both immediate
and long-term cost savings.
|
|
|
Putting Mississippi in the Place of Greatest Opportunity –
MEC supports the elimination of the State’s Inventory Tax with a
phased-out approach taking effect at a FUTURE date, while using
rising general fund revenues to replace lost ad valorem tax revenues
so that cities, counties and school districts do not have any
reduction in revenue as a result of the elimination of this tax. Although the
inventory tax cannot be phased-out today because of Mississippi’s
revenue shortfalls, outlining a phase-out approach that takes effect
in the future sends a positive economic development signal that
Mississippi is committed to removing this tax, collected in only 10
other states. MEC only supports a phase-out of the inventory tax if
cities, counties and school districts are kept whole.
|
|
|
Improving Our Competitive Position – MEC supports the Teacher
Retention Act – raising retirement service requirements for NEW
teachers (those who start teaching after passage of the act) from 25
Years to 30 Years. Only 11 other states have service requirements
for teachers less than 30 years. We can stop losing teachers at the
peak of their careers, as we do today.
|
|
|
Making Government More Efficient – MEC supports the
recommendations of the Lt. Governor’s Commission for a New
Mississippi including creation of a strategic plan for government,
performance based budgeting and the creation of the merger of PEER
and LBO to provide continuous review and improvement for
governmental operations.
|
|
|
Boosting Performance – MEC supports continued improvement of
education accountability and management – including implementation
and strengthening of the Children First Act and an approach to
appoint superintendents of education, a long-held MEC position.
|
MEC will continue to monitor other legislative
issues during the session.
For daily updates
 For
09 Priorities
For
08 Priorities
|
|
