BPF researches and shares educational information encouraging Mississippi’s Economic Freedom while discouraging Crony Capitalism to increase Mississippi’s Economic Growth. BPF focuses on Education, Energy, Environment, Health Care, Federal Government & Agencies, Mississippi State Government & Agencies and Regulatory Abuses & Reforms.
Recent Commentary
Time for Reform of Mississippi’s Defined Benefit Pension System
A cost of living adjustment should be related to the real world inflation rate. Mississippi PERS’ COLA at 3 percent is not. In 2005, the plan’s COLA payout to retirees was $211 million or about 18.9 percent of total benefits paid out. This year, it grew to almost $700 million, an increase of 7.6 percent from 2018 ($650 million). The COLA payouts are now 25.4 percent of all benefits paid to retirees.
Mississippi’s Population Decline Continues
Mississippi suffered its fourth population decline over the past five years in 2019. In the face of Mississippi’s continuing population decline, what can we do to break the cycle?
BPF Book Review | Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal
The power to ping and ding devices has turned smartphones into weapons of mass distraction.
Mississippi’s Certificate of Need (CON) Program Needs To Go
Mississippians now live and die in a healthcare system where the state Department of Health controls the supply of hospitals, clinics, diagnostic equipment, nursing homes and even home health providers.
PERS Part 3: Is PERS Slip SLRPing Away?
Mississippi is the only state with a supplemental pension fund for its legislators (SLRP), seven states provide no pension benefits for legislators, most notably Alabama and Louisiana. The SLRP chug-a-lugs along with a funding ratio of 84.7%, while PERS and the pension fund for state troopers languish with funding ratios of 62.5% and 67.2% respectively.
Mississippi River Commission Testimony: MDAC Commissioner Andy Gipson in Vicksburg August 2019
The 2019 flood has had a tremendous impact on Mississippi’s agricultural industry. Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce – Andy Gipson presents the losses before the Mississippi River Commission.
