Republican Governance has Turned Mississippi into a Third World Nation & They Just Doubled Down

This week Mississippi's Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed legislation to reduce the state income tax over four years, beginning in 2023. Even before the cuts, Mississippi had a relatively low income tax rate and struggled to provide its citizens with even minimal public services. It's one of the poorest states in the nation with decrepit infrastructure, struggling rural hospitals, and perpetually underfunded schools. It's about as close as you can get to the third world within our borders.

Republicans, who have controlled Mississippi for generations, claim the tax cuts will bring more business to the state. They are misguided. Businesses, especially high-tech firms, avoid Mississippi because the state ranks at the bottom of almost every indicator of health, education, and well-being.

Mississippi is the worst state to raise a family according to a recent WalletHub study that pointed out that it has the highest infant mortality rate and the highest percentage of families in poverty. The state also has one of the highest divorce rates and the absolute worst health and safety statistics in the nation.

And, consider this; only half of those who graduate from the state's universities remain there. The rest flee to places that offer high-paying jobs, robust public services, and a high quality of life. Things have gotten so bad that they created a commission to investigate the state's "brain drain."

Mississippi's 2022 Report on the state's Brain Drain: "In 2020, only 50% of Mississippi’s public university graduates chose to work in the state three years after leaving college. As time passes, more college graduates will stop working for Mississippi companies. For example, fewer than 47% of all Mississippi public university graduates from 2008-2010 worked in the state by 2020—down from the 57% of those graduates who worked in Mississippi three years after leaving college. The data trends suggest substantially less than 50% of 2015-2017 graduates will be working for Mississippi companies by 2027. Moreover, an increasing number of graduates are choosing to not work in Mississippi at all."

And, that's not all; young people generally are packing up and leaving the state.

Mississippi's 2022 Report on the state's Brain Drain: "Mississippi is one of only three states to lose population according to the 2020 census. Data from the Census Bureau also shows Mississippi has lost over 60,000 “Millennials” since the 2010 census— nearly 10% of the state’s Millennial population. Many of these Millennials are college-educated or skilled workers, and their departure is known as “brain drain.” Failure to maintain and replenish our state’s most highly educated population could be disastrous for the economic future of Mississippi."

Mississippi Today: "Every Mississippian knows the problem: Young people, in search of high-quality education, high-paying jobs or more fulfilling lifestyles, have left Mississippi in droves in recent years."

These folks aren't leaving Mississippi, because of concern about the state's tax rate. They are leaving so that they and their children have a brighter future and Gov. Reeves's tax cuts will just exacerbate the state's problems. Reducing the income tax will mean less money for schools, health care, roads, and other public services.

Moreover, businesses won't relocate to a state that is hemorrhaging young, educated workers and can't afford to fix the roads or improve the schools. Gov. Reeves has not thought this through.

#politics #news #taxes #economics

By: Don Lam & Curated Content