Latest news with #JoshHarkins
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Children's Promise Act dies in MS Senate, thanks in part to Republicans. See why
If anyone was wondering where the Mississippi Senate, as a body, stood on expanding school choice, the chamber may have tipped its hand toward any future votes on expanding public funding for private education. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers defeated House Bill 1902, which could be the last legislation standing from a volley of school-choice-related bills that previously passed the House but died in the Senate. "The only issue that I've heard from other senators, Democrats and Republicans, is that this is a program that allows people to instead of paying their taxes, to donate money to private schools with almost no oversight whatsoever," said Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, who spoke against the bill. HB 1902 was first voted on by the Senate on Tuesday before a vote to consider Senate leadership's tax reform package, which among other things, would seek to fully eliminate the state income tax. Some senators who voted against HB 1902 said that was part of the reason for voting against the measure, citing it would be in poor taste to pass one bill raising state spending and another cutting state funding. The bill was first defeated Tuesday 26-23 but held on a motion to reconsider. On Wednesday, when Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, tried to bring the bill back up, it was defeated by an even larger margin. "We were just trying to make it more available for people to allow them to donate funds to (certain tax credit programs in the bill) and that was really the effort there," Harkins said. "We will have to work on it next year." The bill, which featured the Children's Promise Act, has been tied to school choice, a loaded term for legislation seeking to expand education options for students in both the public and private sector. School choice: Mississippi House kills bill to allow students to more easily move between school districts This year, that effort has taken the shape of establishing programs to put public money directly into private schools, allowing students to more easily move between school districts, expanding charter schools and via the Children's Promise Act, a tax credit program that already puts some public dollars toward private education. All of those efforts have been killed this year. The state also already has another school-choice program, an Education Savings Account program for disabled children. There was previously an effort in both the House and Senate to expand that program, but it died by a deadline. If passed, HB 1902 would have likely gone up for further negotiation with the House, known as conference, where House negotiators would have pushed to increase funding for the Children's Promise Act tax credit program. That program allows people to donate funds to private schools and have half of it taken off of their property taxes. The program also allows people to receive tax credits for donating to foster care facilities, and the program's funding, $18 million, can only go to certain "charitable organizations" such as those listed above. School choice bills: School choice in MS House lives by in-house rule, not Democratic principle. See details Only half of that funding can go toward private schools, which have to be approved of by the Mississippi Department of Revenue based on criteria such as enrolling students with certain disabilities and having been accredited by a state-recognized firm. Once that certification is given, schools need not reapply for seven years, and the state has no method to ensure those schools are either spending "donations" on education, or if the school even enrolls those students that make the institution eligible for the program beyond the accreditor's initial findings, which includes an audit. House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, told the Clarion Ledger his goal was to increase the program's fundings because it is annually maxed out, and he thinks the program, despite political opposition to it, serves to help some of the state's most needy children. Lamar also accused Jackson-based The Parents Campaign, a nonprofit lead by Nancy Loome, of spreading lies about HB 1902 being a school-choice bill and that it would send public education dollars toward private education. "I think it has been extremely popular, and that it doesn't hurt public education at all," Lamar said. "There's no reason we can't have great public schools and great independent schools across our state, and the Children's Promise Act recognizes that." Loome told the Clarion Ledger she never tried to communicate the bill as anything but a tax-credit program that sends public dollars toward private schools with no oversight and little guardrails in place to ensure those tax dollars were being spent appropriately. "We have never said that the Children's Promise Act is a school-choice bill, because it isn't," Loome said. "It has nothing to do with anybody choosing or enrolling their child in a different school. This is simply money going to private schools. It's not tied to tuition or a child moving from one place to another, but it has the same effect financially as a voucher in that it moves public money into private schools." Several high-ranking Senate Republicans told the Clarion Ledger they either voted against the measure because constituents called asking them to vote it down, they did not support school-choice-related legislation or thought it was poor timing. Of the Senate Republicans, at least nine voted against the Children's Promise Act. Two voted "present." "I had more constituents call me and ask me not to support it," Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Tupelo, said. "We are currently providing public funds to private individuals in terms of ESA for special needs education, and there are some students in the state that have such specialized needs that some public schools are unable to secure the expertise to meet their needs." Two of them, Sens. Nicole Boyd of Oxford and Sen. Walter Michel of Ridgeland, declined to comment. Sens. Mike McLendon of Hernando and Daniel Sparks of Belmont both noted that sending public dollars toward private education is unconstitutional in Mississippi. Sparks also said he had other questions related to the running of the program and did not feel comfortable voting on it. "I think public tax dollars should be spent on public education, and (if) a person has the ability to go to a private school, then so be it," McLendon said. "I just believe that public money should go to public." Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@ or 972-571-2335. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: School choice-related bill dies in MS Senate
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mississippi Senate passes its income tax cut plan
The measure passed the GOP-majority Senate 34-15, with four Democrats supporting it and four Republicans opposing it. It now heads to the House, whose leadership is advocating for its own plan, which would eventually eliminate the state individual income tax. The Senate plan amounts to a net tax cut of $326 million, a more modest sum than the $1.1 billion net cut passed by the House. The Senate would reduce the state's flat 4% income tax to 2.99% over four years, while the House would eliminate the income tax over more than a decade. Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, a Republican from Flowood, told reporters that the legislation was a responsible way to cut taxes while slightly increasing the gasoline tax to provide more revenue for infrastructure funding. 'I think we've put forward a really good plan that helps families at the grocery store by lowering the sales tax on groceries,' Harkins said. 'And it provides incentives and rewards work.' The Senate plan would reduce the state's 7% sales tax on grocery items, the highest in the nation, to 5% starting July 2025. Municipalities receive a portion of grocery tax revenue, and the Senate plan would make cities whole. The Senate bill would raise the state's 18.4-cents-a-gallon gasoline excise by three cents yearly over the next three years, eventually resulting in a 27.4 cents-per-gallon gas tax at completion. This is an effort to help the Mississippi Department of Transportation with a long-running shortfall of highway maintenance money. Most of the chamber's Democratic members opposed the plan over fears that the state could not afford to wipe out around half a billion dollars each year from its budget and still address some of the state's critical issues such as public education and health care. 'That's a lot of money, and we need that money for basic infrastructure,' Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory said. 'Everyone benefits from infrastructure.' Some Democratic members attempted to amend the bill to eliminate the grocery tax or change the tax structure to avoid increasing the gas tax. But the GOP-majority chamber on party-line votes defeated the amendments. Four Republican senators voted against the final measure because it raised the gasoline tax, something they viewed as going against the GOP's core ideology. Sen. Angela Burks Hill, a Republican from Picayune, told reporters the gas tax increase would hurt rural people the most because they have to drive further for work and to purchase groceries. 'I'm just trying to follow my party's platform of low taxes,' Hill said. Now that both chambers at the Capitol have passed separate tax proposals, the key question will be how much legislative leaders can compromise on a final package. House Speaker Jason White, a Republican from West, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves have said abolishing the income tax is their primary goal this session. White previously told Mississippi Today that he's willing to compromise with the Senate, but he wants a final tax cut that's substantive and meaningful. 'We're not interested in a small piece of a tax cut while not addressing other issues,' White said. Reeves has thrown cold water on the Senate's proposal because it doesn't entirely eliminate the income tax. If lawmakers can't agree on a proposal, he could call them into a special session to address taxes. Harkins, though, said he hopes lawmakers can 'build consensus' on a final package during the regular session. House and Senate leaders will likely debate the measure for the next month. The deadline for lawmakers to approve tax and appropriations bills is March 31. ___ This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. The Senate voted Monday evening to pass a tax cut that reduces the state income tax and the sales tax on groceries while raising the gasoline tax, setting up negotiations with the House. The measure passed the GOP-majority Senate 34-15, with four Democrats supporting it and four Republicans opposing it. It now heads to the House, whose leadership is advocating for its own plan, which would eventually eliminate the state individual income tax. The Senate plan amounts to a net tax cut of $326 million, a more modest sum than the $1.1 billion net cut passed by the House. The Senate would reduce the state's flat 4% income tax to 2.99% over four years, while the House would eliminate the income tax over more than a decade. Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, a Republican from Flowood, told reporters that the legislation was a responsible way to cut taxes while slightly increasing the gasoline tax to provide more revenue for infrastructure funding. 'I think we've put forward a really good plan that helps families at the grocery store by lowering the sales tax on groceries,' Harkins said. 'And it provides incentives and rewards work.' The Senate plan would reduce the state's 7% sales tax on grocery items, the highest in the nation, to 5% starting July 2025. Municipalities receive a portion of grocery tax revenue, and the Senate plan would make cities whole. The Senate bill would raise the state's 18.4-cents-a-gallon gasoline excise by three cents yearly over the next three years, eventually resulting in a 27.4 cents-per-gallon gas tax at completion. This is an effort to help the Mississippi Department of Transportation with a long-running shortfall of highway maintenance money. Most of the chamber's Democratic members opposed the plan over fears that the state could not afford to wipe out around half a billion dollars each year from its budget and still address some of the state's critical issues such as public education and health care. 'That's a lot of money, and we need that money for basic infrastructure,' Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory said. 'Everyone benefits from infrastructure.' Some Democratic members attempted to amend the bill to eliminate the grocery tax or change the tax structure to avoid increasing the gas tax. But the GOP-majority chamber on party-line votes defeated the amendments. Four Republican senators voted against the final measure because it raised the gasoline tax, something they viewed as going against the GOP's core ideology. Sen. Angela Burks Hill, a Republican from Picayune, told reporters the gas tax increase would hurt rural people the most because they have to drive further for work and to purchase groceries. 'I'm just trying to follow my party's platform of low taxes,' Hill said. Now that both chambers at the Capitol have passed separate tax proposals, the key question will be how much legislative leaders can compromise on a final package. House Speaker Jason White, a Republican from West, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves have said abolishing the income tax is their primary goal this session. White previously told Mississippi Today that he's willing to compromise with the Senate, but he wants a final tax cut that's substantive and meaningful. 'We're not interested in a small piece of a tax cut while not addressing other issues,' White said. Reeves has thrown cold water on the Senate's proposal because it doesn't entirely eliminate the income tax. If lawmakers can't agree on a proposal, he could call them into a special session to address taxes. Harkins, though, said he hopes lawmakers can 'build consensus' on a final package during the regular session. House and Senate leaders will likely debate the measure for the next month. The deadline for lawmakers to approve tax and appropriations bills is March 31. ___ This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
25-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mississippi Senate passes its income tax cut plan
The Senate voted Monday evening to pass a tax cut that reduces the state income tax and the sales tax on groceries while raising the gasoline tax, setting up negotiations with the House. The measure passed the GOP-majority Senate 34-15, with four Democrats supporting it and four Republicans opposing it. It now heads to the House, whose leadership is advocating for its own plan, which would eventually eliminate the state individual income tax. The Senate plan amounts to a net tax cut of $326 million, a more modest sum than the $1.1 billion net cut passed by the House. The Senate would reduce the state's flat 4% income tax to 2.99% over four years, while the House would eliminate the income tax over more than a decade. Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, a Republican from Flowood, told reporters that the legislation was a responsible way to cut taxes while slightly increasing the gasoline tax to provide more revenue for infrastructure funding. 'I think we've put forward a really good plan that helps families at the grocery store by lowering the sales tax on groceries,' Harkins said. 'And it provides incentives and rewards work.' The Senate plan would reduce the state's 7% sales tax on grocery items, the highest in the nation, to 5% starting July 2025. Municipalities receive a portion of grocery tax revenue, and the Senate plan would make cities whole. The Senate bill would raise the state's 18.4-cents-a-gallon gasoline excise by three cents yearly over the next three years, eventually resulting in a 27.4 cents-per-gallon gas tax at completion. This is an effort to help the Mississippi Department of Transportation with a long-running shortfall of highway maintenance money. Most of the chamber's Democratic members opposed the plan over fears that the state could not afford to wipe out around half a billion dollars each year from its budget and still address some of the state's critical issues such as public education and health care. 'That's a lot of money, and we need that money for basic infrastructure,' Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory said. 'Everyone benefits from infrastructure.' Some Democratic members attempted to amend the bill to eliminate the grocery tax or change the tax structure to avoid increasing the gas tax. But the GOP-majority chamber on party-line votes defeated the amendments. Four Republican senators voted against the final measure because it raised the gasoline tax, something they viewed as going against the GOP's core ideology. Sen. Angela Burks Hill, a Republican from Picayune, told reporters the gas tax increase would hurt rural people the most because they have to drive further for work and to purchase groceries. 'I'm just trying to follow my party's platform of low taxes,' Hill said. Now that both chambers at the Capitol have passed separate tax proposals, the key question will be how much legislative leaders can compromise on a final package. House Speaker Jason White, a Republican from West, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves have said abolishing the income tax is their primary goal this session. White previously told Mississippi Today that he's willing to compromise with the Senate, but he wants a final tax cut that's substantive and meaningful. 'We're not interested in a small piece of a tax cut while not addressing other issues,' White said. Reeves has thrown cold water on the Senate's proposal because it doesn't entirely eliminate the income tax. If lawmakers can't agree on a proposal, he could call them into a special session to address taxes. Harkins, though, said he hopes lawmakers can 'build consensus' on a final package during the regular session. House and Senate leaders will likely debate the measure for the next month. The deadline for lawmakers to approve tax and appropriations bills is March 31. ___
Associated Press
21-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mississippi Senate advances its tax overhaul. Debate centers on who the proposal would help
The Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to advance legislation to reduce the state income tax and the sales tax on groceries while raising the gasoline tax. Republican senators voted to advance the measure, which they say will boost economic activity in Mississippi. Democrats on the committee argued cutting the income tax while raising the gas tax would benefit corporations and harm the working poor. The Senate plan amounts to a net tax cut of $326 million, a more modest sum than the $1.1 billion net cut passed by the House. The Senate would reduce the state's flat 4% income tax to 2.99% over four years, a provision that's likely to become a point of contention with the House, which has pushed for eventual full elimination of the income tax. If Mississippi were to adopt the House plan, it would join nine other states that don't have a state income tax. The Senate proposal to maintain the income tax but lower it to 2.99% would make Mississippi's income tax the nation's third-lowest, according to Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, a Republican. Harkins, the Senate plan's lead author, said the legislation would help Mississippi draw corporate investment and attract new residents migrating from higher-tax states. 'While it may not be only tax policy, it's tax policy coupled with regulation and things that induce people to move into the state,' he said. 'But it's part of the equation, and I think that's the effort that we're all trying to get here.' The Senate proposal would also reduce the state's 7% sales tax on grocery items, the highest in the nation, to 5% starting July 2026. The Senate would raise the state's 18.4-cents-a-gallon gasoline excise by three cents each year over the next three years, eventually resulting in a 27.4 cents per gallon gas tax at completion. This is an effort to help the Mississippi Department of Transportation with a long-running shortfall of highway maintenance money. Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan said the Republican majority's 'obsession' with abolishing or lowering the income tax was being driven by out-of-state corporations and anti-tax activists such as Grover Norquist, who famously said his goal was to shrink government to the size 'where we can drown it in the bathtub.' 'The people who are driving this, the ones who actually know what they're doing, I'm not talking about the useful idiots,' Bryan said. 'They care nothing about roads. They care nothing about water. They care nothing about sewer. They care nothing about public safety. They care nothing about public schools. What they care about is simply reducing government to the size that it could be drowned in a bathtub, as an end in and of itself.' The debate over tax policy is unfolding as Mississippi has made a push to lure technology companies to the state with generous tax incentives. Republican Sen. Daniel Sparks said the Senate plan would strengthen the state's effort to create jobs and attract new residents. 'No, I don't think if you go to zero income tax people are lined up at the state line ready to spring into Mississippi. I'll concede that point to you,' Sparks said. 'But good tax policy brings business, which brings jobs, which brings opportunity.' Bryan said most people don't choose where to live based on tax policy. He said the Senate and House tax overhauls would lead to the defunding of public services and shower benefits on corporations instead of workers. 'The tax structure in Mississippi is geared toward making life worse and worse for (the working poor) and shifting more and more of the tax burden to them,' Bryan said. The Senate announced its plan after the House passed a plan last month that eliminates the income tax over a decade, cuts the state grocery tax and raises sales taxes and gasoline taxes. In a bid to increase economic development, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has made the full elimination of the state income tax his central legislative priority this session. It remains unclear if Reeves would sign a tax cut package into law that does not fully eliminate the income tax. ___
