Quorum

Good evening and welcome to quorum rebill your host tonight encore and we focus our discussion on matters dealing with money. Specifically we will address how revenues generated for the state and those legislators who help make those financial decisions are our guests tonight. They are leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. Now a brief introduction of tonight's guests we have with us from the Senate Senator Bill miner who is chairman the Senate Finance Committee Senator miners from Holly Springs and represents District 2 which includes Benton Marshall into sort of counties. He's serving his 18th year in the state legislature. Senator Allen not only as vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee this is Senator not only his eighth year as a state lawmaker. He's from Tupelo and represents District 6 and Leean Potok counties. Over the house we have the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Representative Billy McCoy representing McCoy serving his 22nd year in state legislature is from and represents District 3 in all corn and Prentice counties. And Representative Leonard Morris is vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Representative

Morris has eight years of legislative experience he is from Batesville and represents of folks in district 11 in Panola and Quitman counties. Now before we begin tonight's discussion with our guests let's remind you that your phone calls as always are a very important part of this program. We have a toll free number shown at the bottom of your screen. So from anywhere in Mississippi you can begin calling us with your questions for guests. But General let's talk about the revenue situation because it's your it's your job in the legislature to come up with revenue to fund the states. Many programs say in the revenue situation as we all know has been rather dismal for the last number of months. Let's start with you Senator miner and explain how bad things are in and your outlook for the next several months. Well left you must have been pretty bad we've been short some of you out in today's revenue and we have twenty six million dollars short of our estimate again today and corporate taxes down. A lot of attacks down

I think a gaming taxes part of that will allow landed but I don't think we saw good today at least sales tax seemed to be. Maybe headed back in in the right way. But all the other taxes are basically down and for the last few months we've been from 20 to 30 million dollars each month down. Senator not only prospects for the future you see any encouraging signs. I think that if we're looking to good prospects for the future we will wait to see it turn around. But you know one thing that I don't think that the general public fully understands is that we're taking in more money now than we were this time last year when we say revenues are down it's not that revenues are below what they were. They're up. What's noun is that we're under what we had projected would come the end and we're under the commitments that we had made. So that's the problem right. Representative Morris what do you think this recovery is going to kick in you have any prognostications. Well I mean estimating that it would take at least another 18 months to two

years before we see the economy turn around especially in Mississippi with the Nissan plant another economic development ventures that are taking place in the state. Hopefully the game will pick back. I think some of the gaming doll over there but with the 2003 when the economic development project in the Nissan operation come online I think you and doing the construction of that plant I think you're going to see some of these say a Texas pick up and of the corporate dollars begin to come in. Represent McCoy Mississippi's not the lone ranger in this situation a lot of our neighbors are are suffering too some of them much more than we are. That's correct. Across the nation there's a litany of problems like we have now that concern our economy here in Mississippi we've tried to outlast what has caused us to be below our estimates are Senator not only says we do have more revenue than

last year but our our rate of increase is not in what we thought. We think many of us think the farm economy two years of drought the house has something to do with it we also know that our temper prices are down and so we don't have as much growth revenue from tambour. And again as has been mentioned construction is down a bit over the state and gamey has leveled off. And so we have about three or four big items that we think of have made a difference. We are very optimistic about the future. And again we've done some very progressive things in the areas of economic development that are already beginning to show Mr. Marson I would tell him coming over here he's just Mamta conference today. We have several states that are coming. Businesses from other states that are looking at what are the opportunities that we have. We're having inquiries every day concerning our new economic package economic development package. And we think that the things that we've done in economic development in

education in health care. Are going to make a difference in our economy. The thing that really gets as a problem just the built ins that we've had that we've done over the last four five years and they've built in just where you know it would not reach nationally if we didn't have the built ins and we would have a problem doing a lot of things we'd like to do with instability and that's part of the stuff that we have and to catch up. That's that's what's here. That's what we have to do over the next couple of years to get a bill to rent. When I met with representatives from several southeastern states today and it was one of the things that they are about is looking at Mississippi the economic development initiatives that we pace in and along with the educational opportunities that we have a legislation that we passed. They look at that and hopefully that we can we we have to have an extreme age on other states and I think with the economic incentives that we paste in the PE session of the legislature to do the special session it was going to give us that we got a lot of people looking at us right now.

Let's take our first question tonight Don is on the phone from Brookhaven I believe Don has a question about the use of the rainy day fund to maybe help us out in the situation. Don go ahead. Yes my question is that yes I realize. It was the rainy day for on his visit a sadness one time money. And I understand the governor can pay at the end of it every year for about 50 million dollars at a time. And here's my question is there a rainy day money put in a camp where it can draw interest so that it wouldn't deplete squeak and if it's not in an interest bearing account why is it not in their interest. They can but I will wait. It's a yes we would get interest on it. The government has already to buy 15 million of it and he's going to take 50 million hits. That's what he's allowed to do each year it takes between you now for the in this year because the economy some more cuts but will get the interest on it and it is one time a lot of people like you going to get part of the rainy day fund. You've got to spend the right day

fun. The funding that you just can be safe in worse shape than what we have right now. You know the rainy day fund will be being years and will be used to a certain extent during this first this current fiscal year. We should not try to use it to appropriate from forms from the upcoming fiscal year. So it's designed to to deal with the current year and it's being used and of course we have several months yet to go when it will be used even more probably And I think to important that years ago this state was almost broke and we were not able to pay some of our bills and that's when leaders that were here before me. So we've got to do something about this and they put in some very conservative prudent management of our money put in practices that would do that. And one thing we did was establish that rainy day fund. And I certainly want to be very cautious at taking money out of that to continue to pay the bills. When we talk about built ins that may not resonate with the viewer that

well what what what kind of programs we're talking about well you have a lot of what what is like adequate education and what it got what this year like weird like 20 million maybe 20 million but I think it was gold but we have gotten that million money. And when Eric education and that sort of thing is Jad given the built ins own the major penalty that this is of last year the maze of it that we passed as Medicaid is going to increase 30 million dollars or more this time. We have online new corrections facilities that have to be staffed we have online you know the hail him he'll sail facilities that have to be staffed and so it's not just the teacher salary increase for the coming year. It really is very small compared to some of these other larger built ins but those are some of the main ones that we could you could mention insurance for our public employees both in our public schools and public

employees and all of the other agencies whether it be the Department Transportation Department corrections our health insurance is up considerably this year for our employees and so these are the buildings we have to face. There's been some talk about tapping in perhaps to the states tobacco money to help with the state employee insurance increase perhaps is that a feasible idea or not. Well I'm not I'll say it you know I know there's a bill over and I don't think should be brought up this year because I talk about putting doing it next year but I think you know way to look at it and that would you know be some of buying to do it but I want to be. You know if you tap into it and you start paying now you gotta go get some money somewhere else to take your Medicaid what did it was just talking about me. And they see most of the three biggest things we have to do is you know we're trying to do teacher salaries which they the the prisons is killing us. You know how much money we spend in prison Honey more people is in prison now and since we've had say 5

percent it was not like people won't say that that they people ever stay in about a year longer than they used to that costs us a lot of money when it's 25 and 30 dollars a day for each person that's out there and this causes a lot of money and we had to add a lot of money to the prison industry and a lot of money to Medicaid and all the stuff that we that we have to the Human Services that has to be to match funds it comes from Washington to the to our people and I really think that's going to eat up most of the interest that comes in. Oh on the back of on our next call comes from Columbus tonight. Robert joins us Robert what's on your mind. Yeah but I'm interested in finding out what percentage increase the revenues are coming in from over the last year. And also is there a when you do your budget projections and you come up with how much you're hoping nerves go up and do you budget at the rosiest. Projections are do you dread it.

Miller wrote earlier but for us we have about four different entities that that help us make the budget projection and these are experts in their own different fields and we pay an awful lot of attention to them. What we shoot for is the absolute truth not not over not under but the absolute truth. And of course the print projections are not an exact science we get awful close to them. Most of the time. But again the first room and good budget in so far as the state's concern is to try to find what the revenues going to be for the for the next year and budget accordingly to it. And again we try to be rad i want. Representative Morris you've mentioned the Nissan plant and the impact that that's going to have on the state's economy clearly it's going to be a major impact particularly in this part of the state but even statewide as you get all these suppliers involved

how quickly do you think that's really going to come around and impact the problems we're having. I think you're going to see the construction phase of it very quickly. I suspect that the number of jobs in the construction projects to be lit as you go up and then you will see some construction taking place in Dunedin and what have you. So it's going to bring in a number of employees doing the construction part of it in the U.S. We hope that it would generate a number of sales taxes. And then also with the. They supply you with that you know we tend to look at the Nissan plant but I think when you really look at the net effect of the jobs that will be generated from the supplier it will be even greater. They say it will be over $6 for the FAA 4000 to be least 24 more thousand dollars or more. Almost the jobs it comes in and I think they don't have what six or seven plants around that for digital they get right to their products right quick.

Another source of money and it's a subject of debate some difference of opinion between a governor and and legislative leaders on how it ought to be used We're talking with the tax commission settlement money and the governor's desire to use a lump sum settlement as opposed to monies over a course of several years. Some thoughts on that and I'm opposed to it. I don't know where the governor is yet you know we talked to some people we taught at a G. I don't know what we can do it or not but your taken one time money and you're going to spend it on and what are some of the things he's going to do is to go from 20 million on medical education to 39 million that's part of funding. He may they may say it's not but that's part of the fun. And you don't take this money and still be one time money. Now he says 93 million something he says it'll be about 80 million when you get through it but I don't know if we can do it even if we do it we're going to go back to court and get the lawyers to settle the whole thing you can't go and decide to do it and take the 93 million radio has money that he has but I'm opposed to it and so all our groups are

mine I won't cut for that. It's like a family who gets a one time check mate maybe an inheritance maybe a bonus and it's a pretty good chip. And that family goes out and says OK we're going to buy a brand new house and make payments over the next 30 years. But the only money we have to pay these privates we can pay this year cause we got that check in the mail. But what are we going to do next year and the year after that. So I think would be a lot better off did you spend that money as it comes in rather than attempt to settle it and use it to patch up our problems this year. Let's light years been very prudent with large figures fees the tobacco money is a good example and we put that in you know in a trust fund we're spending the interest we're spending it on on health care one way or another and I think we all follow probably the same so so far as this tax commission settlement is concerned there's an awful lot of questions as Senator Manar pointed out to be answered

before we can really make a final decision on that. And I have made up my mind completely on it look to just look at the numbers the numbers will work right now. You know if you take that earlier certainly I think we'd be better off when you look at the numbers to take it over a period of time. But it is something that is worth looking at the. But I think we've got to be carefully weighed in numbers and make sure that we're doing the best thing with the money and the constituency we represent. All right we have another call tonight 8:00 from Jackson joins us now. Yeah thank you. I was wondering couldn't we help but get a lot stop and some of the wasted that I see. Like the hat way DeMint this does have ways applying it to where the damage occurs from the trucking industry. Also do we need the SUV

vehicles do we need sales phones What's that Carlos and M C and welfare for all of this. Just out of control doesn't seem to be anybody that that look at that after that would you please address these Adams. I would say if you will tell each one of us I'm sure have a thought on it and you. You've given us some some very good thoughts and one way or another we have addressed to Margaret. So far it's welfare fraud if you or any other individual knows about the as quickly as possible you need to report this to the attorney general because he has a division of people to look specifically at they at. And of course we can all talk only yes I would. Senator minors on a budget committee along with me and he can tell you some of the things we've done in dealing with vehicles were very stringent with vehicles right now. Well I think we can cut out a lot of vehicles not them by this time for good but it really got to be hectic when somehow call out the agencies with agencies coming

in. They said they had one or two expeditions and come to find out a lieutenant governor. She was she was pretty bad on these because we found some expeditions out there that we didn't think I would not do the other in cheaper automobiles in expeditions they were buying and some of the vision they probably I was going back and forth to home and it cost us a lot of money in the bank thing is how much gas they use and what it costs us now. So one thing at the end major Not probably. It was brought up in the Budget Committee. It was talked about from every agency that come in there and you're going to see some tightening down on the vehicles in the state of Mississippi. These are the tax writing committees when it when it comes to that. Since we're in this situation with the budget and the revenue the T word is it is being seriously considered. Not at all and so if we had one bill that we looked at I went out and said I used to be able I did interviews and the others want to we looked at in the Finance

Committee about that any come from highways where we started but looking to try and get some money to maintain roads. But when we talk about it in highway and we talk about in the Finance Committee and Senator Nunn there was there there was no doubt that you just waste your time because they were and you want to raise your taxes they are they want to go out here and make sure that the money that we had was spent and spent right and they were you know raising taxes so that you can see. Well I know you're not going to see that be on our side either with the N word taxes. I think we're going to look at trying to use the funds we have in a better way and not that we've spinning the money that was that was wasted. You know the thing that we did a mill here the things that we do in our universe is and institutional hard to learn the things that we've done in community colleges. You know I have no regrets for me at all. One thing that it is I have a hand in I think we've got it addressed it is on of the public record. You know basically we passed 85 percent Rupe people said you know we want to

block that I think we're going to possibly have to look at that. What is the as far as the taxes go at some point though you can't rule out the possibility on down the road you things don't turn around as quickly as as you hope that you have to look at it at some point probably can't. We don't want to overreact our present situation. Look all over this state progressive things are happening. No matter what area you're in and we have an awful lot of progress taking place and we're very optimistic that we'll have an upturn in the economy. It's not that bad now and again we're going to prioritize. We're going through a little period of prioritization and we really feel active within the next few months we'll be able to very effectively deal with our situation. Well how'd it without a tax increase. The whole division of course said that a lot of states in that situation this gas

tax in this bit up here. Gas prices have been what 40 to 50 percent higher than there was what a year and a half ago and that way for about a year and a half and that hurts things. And now that the interest rates the waters right now have been lowered that was raised it just cut out the whole bill in this stuff and there's no construction like it was in the past and I think Representative McCoy hit the key word is priority. And I don't think any of us would choose to go through the budget crunch that we're going through and I don't think anybody would would say that that's good but I do think that there can be some good things to come out of it and one of those good things this is probably a Thai's ng and there will be some budgets that will be squeezed that need to be squeezed. We need to refocus let's look at what we're doing and prioritize and let's focus on the important things. Is it maybe time and I think there was a bill in one of the committees that that died calling for us a task force to be created to study the whole taxation issue is that something we need to be looking at is a little

premature. Well I don't know about started the tax we have some on the air about taxation but it dealt with the Internet when things bought the internet and it was in my committee last start to bring it up and went on top of the task mission and I think roughly if it introduced and not told Rob that that I've been interested in because the Internet sales that those get to be big things that hurt a lot of our sales tax when you bomb out of state on the Internet. But right now there's a group of people they're looking at Nationwide and our tax rates and involved in it and they told me they'd rather wait until next time because they felt that they would have a right after we could sit down and do something I think I think you have to be something that happens in the whole USA and trying to collect is internet sale because you know you've got state you ordered. All of the credit cards are sitting in and there's no taxes on weight constantly making adjustments we're in a final phase of the so-called marriage penalty tax getting getting rid of it and of course married couples are going to be able to see the benefit from it

fully this year. We do this year and get away from state getting away from state taxes go into local taxes. We're looking at the local and the low in the taxes especially on our homes and personal property at the local level at below in taxes. We're beginning a the tax commission and the local taxing authorities have started reappraisal across the state we have about 10 to 25 counties in that have done this and we're saying true values of homes going up about an average of 30 percent. So we're going to suggest this year through legislation that will pass and send to the governor a overhaul of our Avallone tax tables. We especially will be concerned about those who are disabled and over 65 and so we will be readjusting the amounts that that we will allow them and hopefully give tax relief at the local level. Let's

take a call from Google now. Leon joins us. Go ahead Leon. Oh yes. What I would like to ask the is. I guess patches had been going to OK here and all their hired an hour and spices and current contracts and a couple weeks ago we gave one place there I had were sent down to a dollar 6 thank. Well this person if we threw the money how come they can't locate eerie hearing but we're playing another station if you don't already be on an I never knew taken out own shallow road after coming up our tomorrow. So I believe that the gay situation is run by a number of people that is deliberately crank you right you do and make believe that there and pay more. All right let's listen dress that issue in that concern. Well and how gas prices of you know even Zab have now down the road would be 20 cents a gallon give you go like whore like you badminton or

like you got over the top of the heel. Same service stations 20 25 cents a gallon different from what it was now and I don't know I don't know why is that way but in the heat of the house prices vent How do you know what he pays in both buying the payoff related price. But. You know I guess over in Kuwait now they stop they stop the production they've slowed it down and I think that's what's wrong the gas prices of course all this is real high now and that's why the gas prices do it and I don't know what we can do about it here because you know all of us deregulated by the federal government in the state of Mississippi can do about gas prices we don't have anything to do it gas prices and a state of misery because the regulators you know we don't. Again as Bill said we don't try to get into the to the business of regulating gas prices fall automobiles and trucks. If they were saying the pro theatre was quote collusion going on to set prices then of course at the federal level and state level our prosecuting

authorities would become involved but the legislature. Does not try and could not say it. Gas prices it's at the free enterprise and free enterprise market. If we could when the gas prices home went up the last two or three months I guarantee you we would have done something about it. But we had a hearing in the Senate and there's nothing we can do about it because it's a federal regulation. You talk about the year the final you commit of the income tax or the marriage penalty benefit kicking in this year and that little bit of tax relief for folks. There are some in the camp who would like to see maybe some degree of sales tax relief in the form of a sales tax holiday and I know you there are a couple bills around floating around on them. We've got one or two in the in the Senate I get well what I guess is all the how they request now you know I don't know how much money because we had a hearing this summer and we had some people testified how much loss it was in Texas and how much loss it was in Florida and of course we got to make sure that what we do that

we don't run our tax evasion out there and and you know because they can't hard up people to check out on you know for two days out of the year three days ever what it is UK taxpayers the heart of people to audit all the people you harm for three days and we've got to pay all of these and they don't want to just but this we've figured out it would probably be somewhere to two and a half million dollars that we would lose on the sales tax. But you know I had a lot of people was interested in that I had to have a different head and just after dinner was in bottle one day and ready and do it then you know what that I thought they were that they were given to it but it was a sales tax holiday. And they they have it takes and I think that adds more days in Texas. It probably would be be right here in Jackson but it would be big on the borders around the state. They say where would we be get supporters understand say that perhaps the loss of sales tax revenue might be offset to some degree by merchants selling more products so they'd be paying more in income tax. That's part of how it is it's an enticing idea. Well in

addition to the board income tax the concept says that we would exempt from sales tax articles of clothing less than a hundred dollars when parents are sending their children get ready go back to school you buy you back to school clothes and you get little tax breaks. Well when families particularly when they drive in from out of state they don't just buy clothes they're going to go to the restaurant going to Luchon or fill up with gas. So there's a strong possibility that it may be revenue neutral. All right let's take another call. Go down to Gulfport here from Patricia Hewitt please. Yes my question is about thanking him for what you pay your way. I do want to be having important teachers receiving pay rate but I also understand that teachers are not the only people who take care of children. Take the answer of the Department of Human Target. They have excellent employees who do a very good job of providing services to our children at the finishing the job. Children as a family and children services are working.

It's my understanding under harsher because of the caseload being so high that it is hard to entirely like and social workers to work in that area. The food stamp division you know what about how to LART that challenge must be able must be able to go and sit in a classroom and be able to focus a lot of my poke at the comic through the food stamp program I did eat them actually supplying those children. Let's ask our panelists here about the prospects of a state employee raise any time in and I don't think you know when I was here that when war a state employee things anyone here that don't want to raise state employees not believe it will get and it'll take about level 12 million dollars a week. Happening 12 million dollars are they would give them a pay raise equal to what you know Indian teachers but you know it is not down to the end of session yet in way things go on this past month I don't we're going find something to do a lot of things but I don't think any of us here that would like your stay in voice by

the way. Several pieces of legislation in the committees dealing with various income tax exemptions that might be might be a provably Senator not only you have one it deals with the cost of adopting a child. And in that model what was adopted by the United States Congress a couple of years ago. If a couple has medical expenses associated with the birth of a child then those expenses are deductible on Schedule A. But the expenses of adoption are not deductible. It makes sense to me that it's good public policy that would encourage adoption. I don't think any family should one adopt a child you take the tax credit. But it would encourage option and give those families the same tax break that they would get at the federal level. The previous caller did bring up the issue of employee raises and versus teacher raises and we are facing the situation this year with the the governor continuing to push for a removal of that 5 percent revenue growth

trigger only of the teacher pay package and that legislation really failed on the House side this week. But do you see that as prudent maintaining that 5 percent trigger. Well our 5 percent trigger no. The legislature is going to do everything in its power to meet the commitment that we made on the proposed a long term pay raise for teachers and that's a property that we've set. And again the the 5 percent thing has been somewhat controversial but again we speak for the house and and our commitment is to do everything we can to meet this long term commitment. There is already talk that although the money is there for this year that the future raises may be difficult to come up with that money. Well you know I think next time it was sixty eight sixty eight million dollars if I kind of it keeps going down and they are not going down if we don't have any more increase in what we are and as they said before we have more money would be a last year but with the bill

dams as sad and it kind of stays about where it is now it's going to be tough for the 68 million dollars next time no doubt. And you know we die if we do it without somewhat of a Right now if it continues to stay where it is. I don't know what we'll find 68 million because I don't legal raising the taxes to do it. All right Mary joins us from Jackson now. Mary go ahead with your question. Yeah. That this brings up the point that I was calling about is the bonded indebtedness of our cities. We need more oversight to our city officials. We have on top of the bonds that some of them are for like water out west water treatment plants that are now obsolete that were going to be back down for another 30 years outside of planting here and what I'm saying is that we need state oversight because these New York bankers come down here and they love to get our revenue and to raise our our bond rating and what we're seeing around the country are cities going

bankrupt. OK well you've got you've gotten Coutts up a certain amount that you can't just go out and keep the bonds because we passed a bill today you sent over to the house that they passed a Monday and the Fayette County and I think is 84 percent the Passat for screw but they kept a set of 15 percent of the bottom of it. Revue that the planes are praised there and so we raise it to 20 percent to help take us although some of the Canada does have but now those caps said they used to go out and go just keep raising bunso have there's a cap that we that's what we put on to make sure they do it but they get to vote on most of the bodies as they did and it's a 60 percent vote in Bonn and indeed it is not just a local problem certainly the state is aware as we have it is with some problems of its own with in the past and sort of a go slow attitude on that now. That's right when we've worked in the Senate and House of work together and we don't have a a legal cap or a limit but we're really trying to be very prudent with the amount

of bonds that we authorize each year we have we have over 2 billion dollars and authorized and issued debt right now there's another billion dollars and they used to throw bases around but there's another billion dollars in authorized debt that has not been issued. Hopefully all of it will not be and but where each year we have to approve new authorizations are we're called on to do that and we're trying to be very prudent. And have been since we've been in this term of office together. What we're trying to do right now with the band is just to know how to maintenance and crawdads state and things is must be done is teach them how human is in in the state building it's the maintenance of the building. So we try to hold the weight of it one hundred and fifteen hundred six to me and you are let's take another call now from start. Bill go ahead. Yes thanks for taking my call. I would like to suggest to the

legislature a bit if I kept the budget deficit if I would have had time the idea of doing what Mr. Robert Johnson the commissioner of MDO suggested and that is that we try the 85 percent off and let the criminals be released early because we have 20 and my in the prison system we get that only. I am quite a few and I must take quite a bit of money getting a look again this year. We passed a bill out of Corrections I guess yesterday and it's only a dollar now. But this is the first time that it was a nonviolent crime Mr what nonvolatile Yes and it was a nonviolent crime and the first time they go to jail that they all have a chance to get out 25 percent of the time and I was a law I was amazed how many people is in there on the one time several thousand of them that it would

help but these of the non violent crimes you know if you break into a house that somebody lives in that's not it. If you say that's not it they has no ass bottoms and but they got so of those they told the judge they we passed a bill out on the calendar. Yesterday What's the sentiment on the house. Well when you looked at a series of things and even today we did it was some measures in the house it would probably probably give some relief. But again we're going to work with the governor in the Department of Corrections to do doesn't mean these people won't be convicted felons. It doesn't mean that they will have to to pay some debt to society but we're looking for ways and means to allow people who are not a threat to society to get out and work pay pay some restitution be involved in restitution programs be involved in more of our community work programs their own home house arrest there are any number of measures that we want to accent more and more. You know it costs

thousands of dollars per year to lock people up behind steel and and and stone and we don't need to be doing that unless these people are a threat to society. They do need the to be under the auspices of the Department of Corrections as convicted felons but there are ways and means to deal with them other than stay you know in stone and I think that brings up another interesting issue. We have convicted felons in this state people that are in parchment served in town and they can and do vote. And I had hoped to see us pass a law that says if you are a convicted felon you're in the state or federal penitentiary that is why you're paying your debt to society you lose that right to vote what you pay your your debt you regain it but unfortunately that Bill didn't make it out of committee. All right John in Jackson has a question for us tonight John go ahead. Yes my question is I want to know about the money that you. We have up there for tobacco. I

happen they'll go on to live some acclaim specific issues and work up lawn cancer caused by cigarettes. And I want to know. Yet come to Jackson and I want to do it to death in the form to help her and to reduce fit you know if you will contact your local representative and senator they will give you all the assistance you need to contact the proper people for the the different possibilities that we have and I feel sure that it's somewhere you'll be able to find some relief but I would suggest the first thing to do is is to contact your local senator and your local representative they will help. It seems like each show when we start talking about taxes revenue and in the budget we get a call it hasn't come tonight but I'm going to take it for the callers. On the casino taxes some people say well if we

need a little more money to tide us it is through this tight time want to go up on the casino taxes. We did a study of a sort of Mississippi did a study on mobile gaming thing and I think when he came back came the budget me and said that we need to leave it just like ideas that there'd be more money you can you can go up and you could take English money. If you go and you start raising the they're doing a moat of a million dollars to one of the casinos in the Gulf Coast now. But he went and started raising their taxes. They would do that. And and I've given you millions of dollars are doing the voting rights inside right now several million dollars and those investors wouldn't be here if you started getting so hot. You don't think so. You look at what Louisiana has done. They've got hair and clothes and are bankrupt in New Orleans. And a lot of places that you've got these casinos and they're not doing good because of the way they're overtaxed.

And Mississippi when you talk to the people that comes here we are somewhere closer maybe a little bit higher than what Nevada is and that's you know that's where you probably already gauge things after and when they this bill was passed that's what it was done done for done just like Nevada and I just believe if you start it you start going up so much you know you can go in and say you're going to go up and you get all this money. I think what you do in the law and you'll hurt and that's what the studies say that the gaming revenues on again this year are som And they've leveled off their right of increases not what it was but not to throw a lot of statistics Ramba to tell our citizens that gaming this year brings and I believe a total of about three hundred sixteen million dollars that the state gets about 160 million the local government to Sadie's and counties and school districts will probably a hundred. Seven million and then the Department of Transportation in the park at the state gets we have about the about

25 percent of the state's parking goes to gaming roads and to maintenance of sight how waste and so it's distributed in a variety of ways. But again a total of a growing total and now exceeds over 300 million dollars per year in addition to that and Senator minor pointed out the local entities also are able to say yes Avallone taxes to the gaming facilities. Our WM is a loose till tonight he has a question for us WM going. I want us to legislators consider inland a casino due to toward Las Vegas its sports book fair and neutral wagering with the craze for us to want to Gen.. We have I want a house side where you can start and not considered. Yes I had one bill that we did that I think gives me a few years ago about the gaming buying a vote of 10 000 members but it was part left out that's what it was

allowed to do. But the committee that buying before you could turn around and just couldn't buy a I think for a full vote has always gotten just they would buy it out right now on the previous question and that one of the things that have to be seen is what we need to get the casinos to do more than they are doing this presently is to invest more in land based activity and I think we see it now and then if to invest more when LATE base opportunities then they will have it in this is to move that barge down the river. So. At one time I was thinking very seriously about that we need to increase the tax on but I have to look at that and looking at this study that said in the end and also in the end to encourage Mitt I think that the gaming commission is asking that they seem to do more land based investment. I think this doubt this opportunity for stated just a plot that we passed a bill last year hope in the writing of some of the a certain investments if it going into certain

investments that they would get a tax deduction on trying to stave is a good week give me a nice day and hope if we get the Zamzam back so you know I am no fan of the casinos at all but our problem the government is not that our taxes are not high enough. We're we're we've got the adequate tax level like it is in everything and we need to leave it like it is. On a related note on the gaming issue there's legislation of late that's passed out of one of the committees that would allow the issues come up before allow the colleges and community colleges to teach gaming related courses and that's something that's been kicked around for a year or two ago thing is it going to get anywhere this year there's I don't know there's a bill that passed the the house universities and colleges committee that and the ways and means it was double referred. That would allow universities I believe our faith was limited to universities because of the controversy that exist about it. Freshman and Sophomore courses being taught but not right now.

There was is I understand if there was a bill in the past and and may be considered again in the house right from holiday although our next caller tonight Charles joins us Charles. So your question yes or no on the Telemark What is dishonest view on this issue please. What specifically about telemarketing Were you can be only asked where they can call you if you don't want to say that I think this is really correspond like this so this came up last year did Wally have the one call that passed out of the utilities last Thursday I believe it's only cows. They basically filmed all the wires and I went on the no call list right. And so there's a chance that my paint the house have what you have House has done to it has been. Another of area that these committees deal with anything to do with the alcohol beverage industry basically And there's there's a bill that's come out I believe out of the the House

committee dealing with underage drinkers trying to cut down on that by not allowing those individuals into bars and nightclubs. That's facing a floor vote. Yes or we have to be olds. One would reinstate the law that allowed the alcohol and Beverage Commission under the State Tax Commission to regulate beer sales. Then we have another one that would prohibit anyone under 21 years of age from going into a a lounge tap establishment now if it's a restaurant qualifies as a restaurant and then that wouldn't be the case but so far as if you want to use the colloquial term bars and lounges they would not be allowed to enter those premises. What about what's the cynic view on these two pieces of legislation. Well we had we had talk about it I guess we look at it when the House passes it gets there.

But we had we had oh now the one that he talked about first about they b c we say no and in some way they get killed. Well I had to be able to do the same thing that but maybe see that cold beer and so since they were passing by Assad just wait and take it up with us at our next call comes from Marjorie and she's here in Jackson going Martin. Well yes thank you. Oh I'm going to know what they're proximate number of people about the state you know and what has that number has steadily risen over the years. And what makes me the question is the fact that the government refused to let the employees on I believe from my job to go and work constructing homes for the needy. Say Is that an indication that there were two people do you think you have to think you are you. Thanks. Get the money. I mean you probably don't have a day. Not over there.

I don't have any number of employees. We've got more than we used to have when we said one time we cut 10 percent gave him cent but we had more. We got through. But but this was prison people that he would that he go to was taught by going out and building the homes of people in the prisons as a state employs its prison people. Well I believe that the governor was involved in a Habitat for Humanity that probably not maybe watch out for him as well. She's reffer to that. The bill introduced in that the government requested that in regard to when state employees take leave to do charitable type work and they did not survive. Yeah I share a concern. You know if Certainly it's a good idea for state employees or employees or private business to volunteer their time in these these good organizations you mentioned Habitat for Humanity International founder that organization organizations will be in the legislature next week. But it it's not a good idea to pay those employees while they do that if they want to take their vacation

days their personal days. Both are available and they can use those to volunteer but when it is I just don't think it's a good idea to pay our employees to go volunteer in private organizations. We do have about twenty five thousand state employees and I think that when the legislature and the executive branch over the last several years we would be unable to maintain our growth much better had it not been for the need to staff the additional prisons and mental health facilities and we don't apologize for either one of those. We had to do it. But those increases were necessary. You can't staff are. Prison or a mental health facility without employees and they've been very valuable and we had to do this other than that I think we would have been able to control the increase much better but little help being good you know. I jails and I counties were we had mental health people in our prevails and they don't have the people there to take care of them but they should cross a center and I think is one in Tupelo and maybe one current but there is some of them being open the round and I thank all the women our mental

patients are out of the prison out of the jails in these crisis centers and I hope sooner or later we give them all built we're jails why put up with those middle patients because they don't have what it needs to take your mental place and in the process and we don't view it cause a lot of money was going to be a big help and it's cost him less than it is in other places. Son try to squeeze in another call or two Billy joins us from Nancy tonight. Billy go ahead. My question is the Department of Corrections. The prison. The end of my experience. Just like my understanding up on my end and stuff like that is why I can make prison more stiff already with Dean. Well we do do some farming out there and as I started back sometime ago but you know a lot of farmers making money now the way the way things are but now there's a lot of things happen is why it's cost so much money now that a long time ago

we had guards for the prisoners and we were told You know we had to stop that and they say we have a lot more employees out there we have to pay that we you didn't pay when you had prison guards You can cost anything. But now we have to have it and it's cost a lot more and some of the changes federal regulations and we have to do whether we like it or don't like it and it is just it is really getting good and hard and you know used to other to me years ago it didn't cost in find operate prison but now we have these thing for the next but we do have we have hundreds even thousands of prisoners per day that are working at parchment our other institutions across the state and our community work programs and a restitution programs for house arrest and so we have many convicted felons who are working every day now it's not true that we have no work taking place so far as are our inmates are concerned. Or if you'd like to write a serious storm Here's our address now or on Mississippi TV thirty eight

twenty five Ridgewood road Jackson Mississippi 3 9 2 1 1 from headings burg is a brow joining joining us now Browne go it alone this Brownmiller Brad I'm sorry I want to add mine are and set up to not only how they feel about the seat belt legislation their primary vamps as fiction come up in the Senate has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and also I'd like to hear from Representative Mike Cohen who sits on the transportation committee in the house how to get Mr. Marshfield about seat belt law becoming a problem here am I meant. Flavor coming low just like lives in our great state don't know what I want. It's saving lives. Centers. Well I opposed to it but in two years you don't have to have it because the federal don't make us do it and we're going to lose a lot of money and right now I'm opposed to it because I just think if a person most the way that he has a bill to do it you know I believe you'll keep

dogs out of roadkill drunk drivers kills a lot of people on the road. But I'm not going to I'm not one that supports seatbelts and I'm just I'm just opposed to it but it's going to happen now. I mean two years to build on our calendar right now to do it. I agree with with Senator minor I don't I don't like it I think seat belts are a great idea. Certainly it makes sense to wear on. But I just don't see making it a reason for how it trolling to pull somebody over because you're not wearing a seat belt. Yes we have. We have mandatory laws so far as our infants and children are concerned and we won't go. But most of us agree that making it a mandatory thing for adults is not something we want to do as Senator Amanda pointed out I think it's coming because of our federal mandates but so far as the House and Senate are concerned probably the majority of the members do not wish to mandate the wearing of seat belts.

I want out. We hope everybody will become accustomed to it myself. But we have opposed an absolute mandate that I will make that a habit of every time I'm in a vehicle. But at the same time I don't think need to be mandatory on an individual to book a level in it where he can. Right now the law is that he can be cited with citation if you stop for any other. Traffic violations he's not buckled up. But it's just to make that a mandate I'm opposed to that. Yesterday a busy day in your committees and other committees at the Capitol deadline day you had a lot of bills in your various committees you've got fewer to deal with now as a result of that deadline. Oh yeah. Yes that was you know we had I don't know we had eight or 10 deals that we brought out yesterday and then of course thank you distressed a debt of where 6 of how I was not trying to get deals out. Yes takers you have a 8 o'clock deadline to get a file in the deadline serves a good purpose it folk requires you to focus on what's left. We must have it

and it creates a situation some time sorta like the New York Stock Exchange but we must have been very good. How like when using school you didn't get your work done until the day before the test. If you got it done the other day that way we are and of course other deadlines will follow to keep you on a schedule next year you might ruin time. What's what's the next big banks and if that were the 21st. Oh appropriations and revenue would be a way that we handle and appropriations bills and I think what five days later we have to hell the bills that the House sent over to us and we they up sell the ones that we sent over to our own constitution that lets all the time we have for tonight show Id like to thank our guests Senators Bill miner and Alan Nunnally and representatives Billy McCoy and Leonard Mars. Also like to thank you for tuning in and calling in your questions. Join us next week or when we have the leaders of the House and Senate Education Committee. Yes. Again thank you for watching. I'm Randi bill.