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
The Mississippi Lottery
When Mississippi finally enacted a lottery in August 2018, the reason that lawmakers went along with the controversial proposal was to generate revenue to help deal with the state’s infrastructure.
Government Transparency? Be Prepared To Fight for FOIA Records
Transparency is the hallmark of a government that is for the people and by the people. The best way for citizens (not just media) to take a look beneath the hood to see the inner workings of government is the Freedom of Information Act request under the Mississippi Public Records Act — but keeping a check on government requires vigilance.
If the Mississippi River Won’t Drain, Pull the Drain Plug
Since 2016, Bigger Pie (BPF) has warned repeatedly that water reaches the Lower Mississippi River (MSR) faster than it can get out to the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Isn’t it time to either remove the plugs in the Lower MSR or to open the other drain —Old River Control Structure?
“Workforce Development”
During this campaign, candidates on both sides of the aisle will talk about how they can help create jobs and how they can help develop the state’s workforce. Too often this is code for large-scale economic incentives to big businesses in order to lure them to relocate or expand in Mississippi. The pitfall to these incentives is that it creates a race to the bottom among states and municipalities as policymakers compete to offer the most lucrative incentive package.
MDA’s Management of HUD Grant for Port of Gulfport
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development closed its inquiry into the $570 million that was given to the state to rehabilitate and upgrade the Port of Gulfport after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The HUD decision to end its review means that the state won’t have to pay the money back to the federal government. The problem is how the Mississippi Development Authority, which managed the grant, was able to satisfy the grant requirements.
The Mississippi River — A New Normal
Why is the river so high in July? Why has the MSR from below Natchez to north past Vicksburg been 4-5 ft. higher on average over the past decade during low water months than it was 50 years ago?
Mississippi’s defined benefit pension fund, the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS), needs serious reform if it is to be the robust and financially stable system its retirees and current employees are counting on.
Several challenges have prevented PERS from reaching a more healthy funding ratio of 85 to 100 percent - most important has been the very generous three percent COLA granted by the Board of Trustees on an annual basis since 1999.
Three percent compounding over 20 years on an increasing base of retirees adds up. In 1999, the COLA payments from PERS were $103,263,000. By 2018, they had increased 530 percent to $650,465,578. COLA payments will only get higher.
A critical question for current and future PERS retirees and the state of Mississippi is this: Can PERS continue to pay its retiree obligations, its generous and growing COLA (13thcheck) and also rebuild its corpus to be there for the current employees who will be retiring in the decades to come?
Is PERS Fair to Current State Employees? Part 2 – Bigger Pie Forum
A critical question for current and future PERS retirees and the state of Mississippi is this: Can PERS continue to pay its retiree obligations, its generous and growing COLA (13thcheck) and also rebu...