Archive for April 2022
Elon to the rescue….
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Elon Musk? Not too long ago we learned that Musk, the enigmatic CEO of Tesla, had gone from being a Twitter provocateur to its largest shareholder. Discussions followed on whether he should receive a board seat. Instead, he just decided to buy the whole company for a whopping…
Read MoreNews laws make it easier to find and keep employment
Over the past month, Gov. Tate Reeves has signed three bills that will make it easier for those leaving prison to maintain employment. Senate Bill 2437, authored by Senate Corrections Chairman Juan Barnett, will allow for the creation of a pilot program at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF). Located in Rankin County, CMCF houses…
Read MoreAlternatives to occupational licensing
Although it has become the default, occupational licensing is not the only form of regulation that can be used to ensure the quality of services. Policymakers have a range of alternatives that can be tailored to the specific harms licensing is currently being used to address. Occupational licensing is a blunt instrument with substantial costs…
Read MoreThigpen named Senior Advisor at Empower
Empower Mississippi welcomes Forest Thigpen to its growing team. In his capacity as Senior Advisor, Forest will play a critical role in strategy development, public policy research and advocacy, government relations, and community engagement. “We’re thrilled to have someone with Forest’s knowledge, integrity, and credibility join the Empower team. No one has more public policy…
Read MoreHow the Mississippi School Finder can help you make school decisions this year
You are not alone in your school search. The Mississippi School Finder is an online tool that empowers families with the information necessary to make school choices. Not only does it provide relevant, up-to-date information about schools and communities to help you compare options, but it allows you to customize your school search and gain…
Read More“The system did not allow me to do my job”
Veteran teacher Joseph Herrington walked out of his classroom after 27 years – not because he didn’t want to continue teaching but because the burden placed on his shoulders had become too heavy to bare. A U.S. history teacher, Joseph engaged his students and enjoyed a career in the classroom, but as time moved on…
Read MoreMississippi on verge of regaining all jobs lost
Two years later, Mississippi is on pace to become the 12th state to regain jobs lost since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. As of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Mississippi is down just 200 jobs. Neighboring Arkansas has seen among the strongest growth, a change of +1%. Tennessee is…
Read MoreBringing an “Intense Emerald Green” to Mississippi
During the filming of the American film classic Oh Brother Where Art Thou? Mississippi locations were, according to Joel Coen, “greener than Ireland, an intense emerald green” completely at odds with the brothers’ desired look for the finished film. They used digital techniques to take the green out. In Census data on population trends, it…
Read MoreThe growth of occupational licensing
Occupational licensing laws are passed by states, setting minimum standards for workers to enter a profession. These required qualifications include education, training, job experience, exams, and fees. Occupational licensing can be thought of as a permission slip from the government to work, because it is illegal to practice without first meeting the requirements and obtaining…
Read More“As a parent, you want the best for your child”
Starting school is often an exciting, anticipated right of passage for a child, but for some parents – parents like Josh and Elizabeth Saucier – it’s an upcoming milestone for their son that comes with a deep sense of anxiety. “Nolan stopped talking at 18 months,” said Elizabeth. “Before that, he was saying four to…
Read MoreReeves signs historic tax reform
Gov. Tate Reeves has signed the largest tax cut in Mississippi history. House Bill 531, the Mississippi Tax Freedom Act of 2022, phases in the more than $500 million tax cut over the next four years. In the first year, it would eliminate Mississippi’s current 4 percent bracket that currently applies to the first $5,000…
Read MoreAn antidote to interest groups: sunrise review
Occupational licensing has grown in recent decades. As recently as the 1950s, just 5 percent of workers needed a license to work. It was saved for professions like physicians, dentists, and lawyers. But from 1993 to 2012 Mississippi licensed 49 separate professions that do not require a traditional 4-year degree, which is more than almost…
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