Mississippi State Government & Agencies
BPF strives to inform citizens and elected officials on its views regarding public policies that benefit or cause hard to Mississippi's economic condition. Bigger Pie believes sound public policy grounded in fiscal responsibility is a cornerstone to successful communities.
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Legislative Session 2018
Modernizing the State’s Tax Code — A Step to Help Municipalities’ Ailing Bridges
Changing the law to disburse use tax revenue to cities and counties could be the first step in a bigger conversation on how to modernize the state’s tax code.
PERS of Mississippi Has Unattainable Goals
A recently released report by the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Committee of the Mississippi Legislature attempts to address the fiscal issues with Mississippi’s pension system for state, municipal and county employees, but doesn’t go far enough to offer solutions to fix the ailing fund. The report mentions that the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi’s fiscal goal of reaching the 80 percent funding ratio by 2042 is not attainable.
A BPF View on County Infrastructure
Ultimately, the responsibility for fixing locally-owned bridges falls on the counties themselves and those that are able, yet don’t take care of their core governmental functions shouldn’t get a bailout from taxpayers from other part of the state.
Taxpayer Contributions To Charities
The state auditor needs to be given the statutory authority to investigate any non-profit organization receiving taxpayer funds. The taxpayer funds given to non-profits and all associated documentation should be subject to open records laws.
Tax Dollars Down the Drain
Government’s purpose is to provide essential services to the citizens it serves, such as roads, police and fire protection. When government gambles with taxpayer funds outside of its purview, it isn’t policymakers and the officials of the companies who suffer for their failures. It’s always the taxpayer left paying the bill.
Local and Private Bills – “Tourism” Taxes
Re-authorized tourism taxes need a mandate from the citizens paying the tax and the legislature shouldn’t be in the business of retroactively allowing cities and counties to collect expired taxes. Anything less is not in keeping with the values of an elected republic.