Archive for August 2021
Addiction. Incarceration. Redemption.
Julie Crutcher was an addict for seven or eight years. She spent 11 months in prison. Her sister was raising her children. After she left prison, she went right back to using drugs. But that’s not the end of her story. Through rehabilitation at Crossroads Ministries and work with Musee Bath, Julie has turned her…
Read MoreEmpower Testifies on Income Tax Elimination
Mississippi needs a spark. Our economy has been stagnant for a decade and we are losing population—primarily working-age population. Our workforce participation rate shows the effect with the second-lowest percentage of workers in the country. Fewer and fewer people are pulling a heavier and heavier wagon. While some who are doing well resist change, our…
Read MoreGood policy changes lives
Every year the legislature passes and the governor signs hundreds of bills. These cover a variety of needs and basic tasks of government, but it’s not every day we see new laws literally change lives. One person at a time. This year, Gov. Tate Reeves signed the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act, which made thousands…
Read MoreThe Front Porch: Faith in institutions, tax reform, freedom, live music
Something that has been top of mind for me for a while has been a lack of trust in institutions and what that means. I think a big part of it is watching the dialogue between the two sides, and how dialogue has broken down. We don’t just view the other side as someone who…
Read MoreThe income tax repeal discussion continues
“If it can be done well, the elimination of the income tax is a bold move that puts Mississippi in a more competitive place.” Last year the legislature debated and the House passed legislation to repeal the income tax in Mississippi. Lawmakers will continue that discussion with two days of hearings this week when they…
Read MoreThe economies of income tax free states
The nine income tax free states have a tax burden that is roughly half that of Mississippi’s. The nine-income tax free states average a tax burden of 4.26% of their overall economies. Mississippi’s is over 8%. How is it possible that states with an average tax burden that is nearly half that of Mississippi have…
Read MoreFreedom after 19 years in prison
“It’s like coming back to life.” That’s how Michael Moore describes his release after serving 19 years in prison. Michael became eligible for parole under the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act which was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves earlier this year. Until this law took effect, Moore had not been parole-eligible and was…
Read MoreThe Front Porch: health care, income tax repeal, Afghanistan, baseball
Of the many things COVID has changed in our lives, the way we view healthcare access and healthcare delivery is top of mind. That is certainly true when you begin to look at statistics. On this week’s episode of The Front Porch, we looked at that and how providing nurse practitioners with full practice authority…
Read MoreIncome tax free states exceed national average for population growth
Earlier this year, new data was released showing the United States had experienced the slowest growth over a 10-year period since 1940. The 2020 Census showed population growth of 7.4 over the past decade, but the growth – or lack of growth – was not evenly applied. Continuing a trend that we have long known,…
Read MoreWhat should we do with new education funds?
The state of Mississippi spends about $2.5 billion on K-12 education (before local and federal funding). As part of various COVID-related funds, the state is set to receive an additional $2.63 billion in federal funds for education. Now that we have the funds, the question turns to what we should do to reach students who…
Read MoreWelcome to The Front Porch
This week, Empower officially launched our new video and podcast series, The Front Porch, where the team will discuss the biggest issues of the day, while having a little fun. You can check out our first episode Welcome to The Front Porch here. One of the ideas about this series is we want to have honest discussions. Our…
Read MoreCovid was the opening act of what will be a tumultuous decade
In rich countries, this generation of adults is not doing well by its children. They will have to pay off huge public-sector debts. They will be expected to foot colossal bills for their parents’ pension and health costs. They will compete for jobs with people from emerging countries, many of whom have better education systems…
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