Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today | Clarke County Tribune

Senate kills Mississippi income tax elimination

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 3,025 Reads

The Senate killed Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn’s proposal to eliminate the state income tax and increase sales taxes without a vote on Tuesday, letting the measure die in committee under a deadline.

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Mississippi House kills medical marijuana bill

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 18,398 Reads

After bitter debate — and accusations of lawmakers lying and profiteering — the state House killed a Senate bill aimed at creating a legislative alternative to the Mississippi medical marijuana program voters overwhelmingly added to the state constitution in November.

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MDOT Director Melinda McGrath resigns amid Capitol political fire

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 515 Reads

Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Melinda McGrath, who has led the agency for a decade, announced her resignation Tuesday under political fire from lawmakers.

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Gov. Reeves names permanent head of state’s economic development agency

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 251 Reads

Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday appointed John Rounsaville as permanent Mississippi Development Authority director after Rounsaville served as interim since May.

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New Mississippi flag almost official: Lawmakers move for final ratification

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 280 Reads

The state Senate is expected on Wednesday to pass on to the governor final ratification of a new state flag — sans the divisive Confederate battle emblem that flew for 126 years.

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Lawmakers consider privatizing Mississippi’s dilapidated, underfunded state parks

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 304 Reads

Lawmakers are trying to figure out how to revive Mississippi’s state parks, which have suffered from years of budget cuts and neglected maintenance.

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Mississippi Supreme Court medical marijuana case: What you should know

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 263 Reads

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler on Oct. 26 filed a challenge to ballot Initiative 65 on medical marijuana, saying it was not properly before voters (who passed it) in November per the state constitution.

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Mississippi DPS expands police power with takeover of MDOT, Capitol Police, city interstates

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 189 Reads

Lawmakers approved major increases in power, authority and spending for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety this session, with the agency taking over law enforcement duties from the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Capitol Police among other changes.

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Hospital Association backs Mississippi Medicaid expansion ballot initiative

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 203 Reads

The Mississippi Hospital Association’s board of governors on Friday voted to join in the drive to put Medicaid expansion — Initiative 76 — before voters in 2022.

“We will start by May 1 collecting signatures,” said MHA president Tim Ford.

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Mississippi broadband internet expansion ‘pedal to the metal’ as federal money flows

By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today, 302 Reads

The state Public Service Commission this week has awarded $268 million to local electric cooperatives across the state to hook up more than 102,000 homes and businesses to broadband internet.

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