Much of Gov. Haley Barbour’s State of the State speech tonight will focus on the difficult economic situation and budget troubles facing him and the 2009 Legislature. The speech will be carried live on public television and radio, starting at 6 p.m.
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After the speech come here and tell us what you think with a comment below. What do you think should be said tonight?
JACKSON – While I have seen only a few state capitols, I used to say that Mississippi’s state Capitol had to be as grand as any in the
nation.
But now I fear it is not even the grandest state Capitol in Mississippi. The old Capitol, which was in use from 1839 until 1903 when the new and current Capitol opened, has undergone about $14 million in renovations after suffering extensive Hurricane Katrina damage in 2005.
It will re-open on Feb. 7 and serve as a state museum complete with interactive displays. On Tuesday, it served as the location for the opening of the 2009 legislative session in a ceremonial event designed to celebrate its renovations.
The building is impressive. While not nearly as ornate as the so-called new Capitol, it has many unique features and is a sight to behold.
The building also sadly displays the fact that as grand as the new Capitol is, it also is in need of some renovations that while costly would prevent having to spend more money down the line.
The Legislature should look at repair issues surrounding the new Capitol.
Sure, the economy is tough and money is hard to come by, but the building is a state treasure that the Legislature and Gov. Haley Barbour have an obligation to protect.
Mississippi State Highway Patrol troopers keep a watchful eye as lawmakers walk through the newly renovated Old Capitol Museum after the start of the 2009 Session of the Legislature in Jackson Tuesday. The facility, which was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and received a $14.2 million dollar facelift, was used by both chambers as a way to show off the renovation and give historical perspective to the opening. Lawmakers will resume their normal meetings and assembly at the New Capitol on Wednesday, and the museum will officially open to the public in February. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, right, and Speaker Pro-Tem J.P. Compretta, D-Bay St. Louis, recite the Pledge of Allegiance to open the 2009 Session of the Legislature at the newly renovated Old Capitol Museum in Jackson Tuesday. The facility, which was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, received a $14.2 million dollar facelift. Lawmakers will resume their normal meetings and assembly at the New Capitol on Wednesday, and the museum will officially open to the public in February. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Senators open the 2009 session of the Legislature at the newly renovated Old Capitol Museum in Jackson Tuesday. The facility, which was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, received a $14.2 million dollar facelift. Lawmakers will resume their normal meetings and assembly at the New Capitol on Wednesday, and the museum will officially open to the public in February. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Representatives stand at attention as a Mississippi Highway Patrol honor guard posts the colors to open the 2009 session of the Legislature at the newly renovated Old Capitol Museum in Jackson Tuesday. The facility, which was heavily damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, received a $14.2 million dollar facelift. Lawmakers will resume their normal meetings and assembly at the New Capitol on Wednesday, and the museum will officially open to the public in February. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
The Associated Press
JACKSON – Mississippi lawmakers have gaveled to order to begin their 2009 session.
The House and Senate met briefly Tuesday at the Old Capitol museum in downtown Jackson.
The former statehouse was used from 1839 until the current Capitol opened a few blocks away in 1903. The Old Capitol had extensive water damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and has undergone a $16.5 million facelift.
Legislators were meeting for only a short time at the Old Capitol before moving over to the 106-year-old “new” Capitol for the rest of the three-month session.
The tight state budget will dominate debate this year. Tax collections are falling short of expectations because of the struggling economy, and legislators expect to deny many of the spending requests from state agencies.
The 2009 legislative session will convene today under the cloud of lower-than-expected state tax collections for the month of December.
Look for updates here during the day.
Here’s more from Bobby Harrison today in the Daily Journal. Click here for the story.
Mississippi lawmakers are beginning their 2009 session with a nod to the past, convening at noon Tuesday for a brief ceremony in the freshly renovated Old Capitol in downtown Jackson. Here’s a look inside from Associated Press photos …
JACKSON – Monday was a busy day for highly successful entrepreneur Jim Barksdale.
The Mississippi native attended a summit where he donated $3 million toward an initiative to try to improve early childhood education in his home state. If that wasn’t enough, he also served as an electoral and cast one of Mississippi’s six votes for Republican presidential nominee John McCain during an event at the state Capitol Monday.
Barskdale has long ties with the Republican Party, as witnessed by the fact he was selected as an electoral. By the same token, the former Netscape chief executive officer has supported some Democrats in Mississippi, such as Ronnie Musgrove in his failed gubernatorial re-election bid in 2003 and some Democratic legislative candidates.
While Barksdale does dabble in partisan politics, these days his primary focus seems to be public education – as witnessed by the contributions Monday and an earlier $100 million contribution to improving reading scores in Mississippi.
JACKSON – Look for some good old political horse-trading to take place during the 2009 legislative session over the issue of increasing the cigarette tax.
After a three-year battle, everyone, including former tobacco lobbyist Gov. Haley Barbour, all agree that the tax should be increased.
Barbour is proposing increasing the tax 24 cents per pack to 42 cents per pack. His proposed tax hike is more modest than most.
Some are proposing a 50-cent-per-pack increase to 68 cents. Some health care advocates want a $1-per-pack hike that would make the tax in Mississippi roughly the national average.
Many Republican, including Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, are talking about offsetting the increase in cigarette tax revenue with a reduction in another tax.
That seems a bit strange, to some, considering the state’s current budget woes. But there might be room for negotiations.
For instance, an increase of 82 cents to $1 per pack would generate more than $200 million in additional revenue – perhaps enough money to provide a modest tax cut in another area while still leaving a
sizable amount of revenue to help fund the state budget.
But as the economy continues to slip and tax collections falter, some legislators might be looking for every dime to fund the state budget.
JACKSON – This year there is not the tall Christmas tree in the rotunda of the state Capitol stretching toward the dome as has been the custom in the past.
Instead, there are trees with different themes on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of the grand building. There also are wreaths, garland and Poinsettia plants throughout the building.
The ornate Mississippi Capitol is worth seeing anytime of the year, but especially during Christmas it is eye catching.
Anybody in Jackson with a few minutes to spare should stop by.
JACKSON – Pete Smith, Gov. Haley Barbour’ press secretary, has been named by the state Board of Education as the director of communications for the Department of Education.
Smith, has been a political spokesman for several years, first for then-Republican Auditor Phil Bryant and later for Barbour when he first became governor in 2004.
Smith has always been a cordial and competent spokesman – willing to help the press whenever he could.
While the state Board has been careful not to pick a fight with Barbour, it is no secret they were at odds early in his administration over education funding.As the governor’s spokesman, Smith was one of the point men early in the Barbour administration over claims – for the most part very subtle – that the Adequate Education Program provided too much money to local school districts.
But Barbour, a crafty politician, realized that argument was a losing one, and he changed his tune.
Smith, no doubt, will trumpet the message of the state Department of Education with the same competency as he did in the past for the
governor.
