Tie PERS’ COLA to the Rate of Inflation

Tie PERS To CPI

For decades, the COLA automatically increased as the U.S. dealt with historically low inflation. The solution for the Board of Trustees is simple: Tie PERS’ COLA to the rate of inflation as measured by the CPI.

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Tax Report Contains Fabricated Numbers

Bad Data Tax Report

As Mississippi Legislators work toward eliminating the personal income tax, they are looking for ways to recoup the resulting reduced revenue.  One possible source is the elimination of various tax deductions, exemptions, and credits. But a Bigger Pie Forum (BPF) analysis has found that the Department of Revenue’s official estimates of these deductions, exemptions, and credits are largely fabricated and should not be relied upon by the state legislature.

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PERS Board Votes To Lower Expected Rate of Return

PERS Rate of Return Lowered

The board of trustees for the state’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) made an important, if unheralded, move recently when it voted unanimously to use a somewhat more realistic projection of its rate of return on investments. This matters because an overly optimistic projection can mask a coming decrease in the solvency of the fund, which is already severely under-capitalized.

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Stopping Our Revolving Prison Door

Stopping Our Revolving Prison Door

In an unusual move, four legislative committees, two in the House and two in the Senate, are jointly holding a series of hearings to explore ways to reduce recidivism, which is the return to prison by former inmates due to their committing another crime or violating the terms of their release.

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Eliminating Mississippi’s Personal Income Tax

Eliminating MS Personal Income Tax

The Mississippi Legislature is pondering eliminating the state’s personal income tax to help supercharge Mississippi’s economy.  The theory is that such a move would entice businesses to move to Mississippi or to stay here.

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