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AnalysisMississippi cannot afford House or Senate tax cut plans
The Legislature's tax cut proposals would require spending reductions for key services like education, infrastructure, mental health, and public safety.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisWealthy Mississippians would benefit most from income tax elimination
Eliminating the individual income tax would mean either a massive erosion of resources for education and other priorities or a tax shift from wealthy Mississippians to working families who are struggling to make ends meet.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisEliminating the state income tax in Mississippi: Is it a tax cut or a tax shift?
If the Legislature phases out the state's second-largest revenue source, future budgets will be forced to slash essential investments or raise taxes and fees on low- and middle-income families.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisLarge corporate tax cuts are not the answer for Mississippi’s working families
Forbes ranked Mississippi the worst state for business because of a poorly-educated workforce and substandard quality of life factors. Durable investments are needed, not more corporate tax cuts.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisMany working Mississippians struggle to escape the poverty trap
Low-wage jobs, inadequate savings, and the lack of proper financial tools keep many working Mississippians in a perpetual state of insecurity.
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AnalysisFor most Mississippi families, ‘middle class’ does not imply economic security
62 percent of Mississippi households do not have enough savings to weather a job loss or medical emergency.
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AnalysisReport: In Mississippi, lower income means higher state and local taxes
High sales taxes place a disproportionate burden on low-income families, according report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
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CommentaryCommentary: Will Gov. Bryant’s poverty plans ever go beyond ‘welfare junkies’ and ‘dice-shooting deadbeats’?
The governor of the country's poorest state has exhausted all the stereotpyes about poverty. This is his last legislative session before reelection to address the needs of real people.
By Jake McGraw -
AnalysisBudget recommendation shortchanges schools and Medicaid
Despite revenue growth and full reserves, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee's FY2016 proposal fails to adequately fund the state's education and health commitments.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisLegislative Budget Committee recommends sweeping budget cuts despite revenue growth and full reserves
Despite $166 million in additional revenue, cuts are recommended for every major budget category except for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, for which the proposal includes a very small increase for teacher pay raises enacted last year.
By Sara Miller, Mississippi Economic Policy Center -
AnalysisOld beer laws are stifling new economic growth. Here’s how Mississippi can adapt.
Craft breweries are an economic and cultural boon for Mississippi, but an outdated regulatory regime threatens their competitiveness and sustainability.
By Matthew McLaughlin -
AnalysisThe Banking Divide: Nearly half of Mississippians lack the proper financial tools to save
Unbanked and underbanked households typically operate in a cash-based system, and, as a result, do not have the same financial security and opportunities as those who bank with traditional financial institutions.
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AnalysisReport: To lift kids out of poverty, help their parents, too
Reducing child poverty requires a "two-generation approach," according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest KIDS COUNT report.
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LiveblogTackling persistent poverty in Mississippi: Ideas from the Mississippi Economic Policy Center’s policy conference
Folllow our running feed to get the best insights and ideas from the Mississippi Economic Policy Center's 2014 conference.
By Rethink Mississippi Staff