When the Republican-majority Senate last week voted on a tax cut package that cuts the income tax, reduces the grocery tax and increases the gasoline tax, it found an unlikely group who helped save the bill from failing: four Democrats.
The measure passed by only a 5-vote margin. This would portend that the Republican-majority Senate likely does not have the appetite to eliminate the income tax, as House Speaker Jason White and the GOP-controlled House want.
To explain, here’s some quick math:
The Mississippi Constitution requires that tax bills receive a three-fifths majority vote to pass.
Currently, 51 senators are serving, and one senator, Republican Jeff Tate of Meridian, was absent during the Monday vote. Democratic Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood was present earlier in the day but didn’t participate in the tax cut vote.
This leaves 49 senators who participated and voted. The measure needed the approval of at least 30 senators to pass.
The Senate currently has 35 Republicans and 16 Democrats.
Of those 35 Republicans, four crossed over with 12 Democrats to oppose the measure.
The four Republicans are Kathy Chism of New Albany, Chad McMahan of Guntown, Mike Seymour of Vancleave and Angela Burks Hill of Picayune.
Chism, Seymour and Hill are some of the more conservative members of the Republican caucus who likely opposed the measure because of the gas tax increase and won’t vote for a final package that includes any tax increase.
“An increase in the gas tax is going to hurt rural residents more than anybody else,” Hill told Mississippi Today.
McMahan said he opposed the measure because he promised his constituents he would not vote for a tax increase unless another type of tax, such as the income tax, were abolished.
Then, four Democrats joined 30 Republicans in supporting the plan. The four Democratic senators were Sarita Simmons of Cleveland, Bradford Blackmon of Canton, Gary Brumfield of Magnolia and Juan Barnett of Heidelberg.
These four senators supported the plan, in part, because it increased the gas tax, which would provide more money for road and bridge infrastructure. However, all of them would likely oppose a drastic plan to abolish the income tax.
“I’m not in favor of full income tax elimination because we have to get our money to fund public education and other government services somewhere,” Blackmon told Mississippi Today.
Now that the House and Senate have passed their own tax cut/increase plans, the hard work of negotiating begins. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Speaker White have said income tax elimination is their number one legislative priority.
Capitol insiders have continued to speculate whether Reeves would use his constitutional power to call lawmakers into a special session to debate tax cuts and whether Speaker White is willing to kill any major Senate bills to achieve that goal.
Of course, lawmakers can always change their minds if the proper pressure is applied. But last week’s Senate vote showed a fragile coalition on its tax plan.
In short, Senate leaders can choose one of two paths: acquiesce to the House and Reeves and accept an elimination plan, or continue to advocate for the more moderate Senate plan.
The former route is unlikely. Although they might gain back those four Republican votes who initially opposed it, they would lose all the Democratic support and likely some of the core Republican caucus.
The latter approach is more pragmatic. However, in negotiations, Senate leaders must closely monitor votes and bring Democrats to the table because one absent senator could derail the entire plan.
This is clear: Reeves and House leaders must decide whether to risk their cherished policy by bullying the Senate and still getting nothing from them or do what they’ve done in the past, which is settle for another more modest tax cut.
WATCH: House Democrats outline their opposition to proposed tax cuts
Quote of the Week
“If you keep on living, you’re going to get old.” — Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, bluesman and proprietor of the Blue Front Cafe in Bentonia. Holmes, owner of the oldest juke joint in Mississippi and last of the “Bentonia bluesmen,” performed for the House last week.
In Brief
Democrats urge people request suffrage restoration
The deadline for legislators to submit bills restoring voting rights to people who have been convicted of some crimes is March 3.
Democrats highlighted the deadline at a legislative press conference last week. Earlier this month, the House let two measures die that would have restored suffrage to people convicted of nonviolent disenfranchising felony offenses.
The only way for someone to regain voting rights is to receive a pardon from the governor or convince two-thirds of the legislators in both chambers to restore it. The last gubernatorial pardon was granted in 2011, Democrats said. Legislators do not restore suffrage to people convicted of violent felonies and only restore suffrage to a few people yearly. — Michael Goldberg
Incentives considered for TV series produced in Mississippi
Lawmakers are considering tax credits to incentivize production of television series in Mississippi.
HB 1880, authored by House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar, and SB 3167, authored by Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, would provide tax credits for production companies that spend at least $4 million and produce the bulk of their shows in Mississippi, as well as credits for employees and expenses. The state has long offered similar incentives for movie productions in Mississippi.
During discussions before passing the measures, several lawmakers mentioned the series “Home Town,” a popular HGTV series based in Laurel. — Geoff Pender
Polk leaving Senate, will not run in special election
Republican Sen. John Polk of Hattiesburg announced on the Senate floor last week that he will not run again for his Senate seat in a November special election and that this will be his last session.
Polk, halfway through his fourth term, received a standing ovation from his Senate colleagues. He said in his floor announcement that his health has “not been as robust” as he would like, and he believes he soon won’t be able to adequately serve his constituents.
This has been my greatest honor of my life — serving with each and every one of you,” Polk said.
To continue serving, Polk would have to run in a special election because lawmakers voted to redraw portions of his district to comply with a federal-court order that required the Legislature to redraw some of the Senate’s districts. Lawmakers voted to put Polk in the same Senate district as fellow Republican Sen. Chris Johnson of Hattiesburg.
Johnson told Mississippi Today he has known his fellow Lamar County lawmaker before the two of them served in the Senate together, and he’s been grateful for his friendship.
“Sen. Polk with be missed up here because he brings a different perspective than most other people,” Johnson said. “Politics aside, I’ll just miss him personally.” — Taylor Vance
Mississippi-Israel Legislative Caucus formed
Democratic and Republican House and Senate lawmakers, joined by Israeli Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon, last week announced the formation of the Mississippi-Israel Legislative Caucus.
Leaders of the new caucus said it can help improve already burgeoning trade between Mississippi and Israel, and help foster research in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and medicine.
Co-chairs of the caucus are Sens. Juan Barnett and Jeremy England, and Reps. Otis Anthony and Hank Zuber.
Several pro-Palestinian protesters also attended the Capitol press conference last week announcing the caucus. — Geoff Pender
Poll workers honored for 50-plus years of service
Secretary of State Michael Watson and lawmakers paid tribute to eight poll workers who have served Mississippi for over 50 years during a special presentation at the Capitol on Thursday.
Watson said poll workers are often “overlooked,” but “these men and women are the backbone of the state’s elections.”
The Mississippi poll workers honored for their many years of service included:
Jean Sturgis – 51.5 years (Warren County)
Colene Cain – 61 years (George County)
Freddie Byrd Farmer – 60 years (Holmes County)
Rosie Howze – 57 years (Holmes County)
Lelia Peters – 55 years (Walthall County)
Sarah Ratliff – 55 years (Walthall County)
Della Rose Gilmer – 53 years (Neshoba County)
Gyrone Kenniel – 52 years (Tallahatchie County) — Geoff Pender
Gov. Reeves signs direct wine shipment bill into law
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves on Thursday signed a bill into law that legalizes direct shipment of some wines to Mississippians’ homes.
Senate Bill 2145 will allow Mississippians to order specialty or rare wines that cannot be purchased at Mississippi package stores beginning on July 1.
Mississippi is one of only a handful of states that doesn’t allow direct shipment. House State Affairs Chairman Hank Zuber, R-Ocean Springs, told House members earlier in the session that some Mississippians circumvent state law by ordering wine from other states or countries, having it shipped to a friend’s house in another state and driving over to pick it up.
The legislation enacts a 15.5% tax on direct wine shipments and put a cap of 12 cases per year that a person can order. To ship wine directly to a Mississippian, a person must purchase a direct wine manufacturer’s permit from the Mississippi Department of Revenue.— Taylor Vance
By the Numbers
706
The number of bills remaining alive in the Legislature after a Wednesday deadline, out of 3,188 that were filed this session, according to the StateWatch legislative tracking service. That’s a 22% survival rate.
Full Legislative Coverage
Senate passes its income tax cut plan
The Senate voted Monday evening to pass a tax cut that reduces the state income tax and the sales tax on groceries while raising the gasoline tax, setting up negotiations with the House. Read the story.
Is a standoff/shutdown brewing in the Mississippi Legislature over taxes?
A main topic of conversation around the state Capitol last week was the specter of a special session, a session-within a session or some other permutation of lawmakers being so tangled up over taxes that they linger in Jackson for extra weeks or are forced to return in the spring or summer to finish business. Read the story.
If Tate Reeves calls a tax cut special session, Senate has the option to do nothing
Speculation is rampant that Gov. Tate Reeves will call a special session if the Senate does not acquiesce to his and the House leadership’s wishes to eliminate the state personal income tax. Read the story.
Senate passes redistricting that puts DeSoto Republican, Tunica Democrat in same district, calls for 10 new elections
Voters from 10 Senate districts will have to re-decide in November special elections who should represent them in Jackson, pending court approval, under a resolution the Senate approved on Wednesday. Read the story.
House Chairman kills bill aimed at building Jackson casino, says votes weren’t there
A House chairman killed a proposal aimed at attracting developers to build a resort and casino in the city of Jackson moments before the full chamber was set to vote on it. Read the story.
As Congress moves toward potential Medicaid cuts, expansion grows more unlikely in Mississippi
Although President Donald Trump has vowed Medicaid won’t be “touched,” the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution Tuesday that instructs the committee that oversees Medicaid and Medicare to cut $880 billion over 10 years. The cuts will help pay for Trump’s agenda on tax cuts and border reform. Read the story.
House panel approves casino tax increase, a shot over bow on blockage of online sports betting
In an obvious shot at the Senate and at least part of the casino lobby for the state not legalizing online gambling, the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday approved a tax increase on casinos. Read the story.
House Democrats say they have been shut out of legislative discussions
The Mississippi House Democratic Caucus has been shut out of discussions over consequential bills as the agenda of their Republican colleagues has been shaped by President Donald Trump, Democratic lawmakers said at a Tuesday press conference. Read the story.
City of Clarksdale asks judge to dismiss restraining order against newspaper over editorial
The city of Clarksdale on Monday filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss its lawsuit against the Clarksdale Press Register and a judge’s order that required the newspaper to remove an editorial from its website, a court action that stunned free press advocates. Read the story.
Prenatal care for poor women may be a casualty of political infighting
A lawmaker playing hardball may cost poor pregnant women a policy that would help them receive timely prenatal care – after the program’s implementation was already delayed a year because of administrative hiccups. Read the story.
House advances proposals to increase tax credits for private schools
The Mississippi House has once again passed legislation to increase the size of a program that already sends millions in state dollars to private schools. Read the story.
Independent pharmacists urge legislators to pass pharmacy benefit manager reform bill
A group of independent pharmacists from across Mississippi gathered at the Capitol Thursday to urge lawmakers to increase regulation and transparency of pharmacy benefit managers, who they say are threatening their survival. Read the story.
Podcast: Retired educator, PERS board member McCoy warns of proposed changes to state employee retirement system
Dr. Randy McCoy, a retired longtime public school superintendent and member of the state employee retirement system board, says a plan passed by the Senate aimed at financially stabilizing PERS would cause long-term problems in hiring and retaining teachers and other state employees. He says the system can be shored up with less drastic reductions in benefits for future employees. Listen to the podcast.
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