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Issues Technology and new jobs Mississippi’s future depends on its ability to attract new business. And while we will work tirelessly to see that traditional manufacturing and agriculture remain key components of Mississippi’s economic future, globalization dictates that our business community must diversify. Tax incentives and tax credit initiatives are a key part of that effort, as well as generating the investment of capital through regulated programs. The expansion of Mississippi’s efforts to attract software, new media companies and jobs in growing economic sectors is important. Education reform It is high time that Mississippi starts putting its best efforts behind educating our young people. Spending more money without reform will only yield us a more expensive failure. Innovative ideas such as charter schools in selected needy areas and broader efforts to attract and retain quality administrators and teachers cannot be met with closed minds and self-serving interests. Our children and our taxpayers deserve better. Expanding the Teach for America program in Mississippi is an excellent way to bring new talent to our teaching pool, but we must also reward our long-time teaching corps by increasing their pay and improving their retirement benefits. Doing so will encourage many of our young adults to consider teaching as a full-time career. Alternative energy While high fuel costs and lower prices for our crops are a double blow to our state’s farmers, they also provide an opportunity to build on Mississippi’s strong agricultural legacy to become a global player in “green energy.” We want to bring our leaders and businessmen together to develop a concise strategy via the Mississippi Development Authority to determine what options are available to begin implementing successful production in the alternative energy sector. Alternative energy methods are only popular when the cost of energy increases. We need to capitalize on these ideas now to curb the cost of traditional energy use and enhance the alternatives that currently are not cost effective. Cultural tourism Traditional tourism has proven to be a great boon to our state’s tax base and international appeal, but our efforts must move far beyond the six counties in our state with casino gaming. We aim to attract visitors to other parts of Mississippi as well. We can take business recruitment to a new level by branding ourselves as what we are: hospitable, authentic and diverse. Additionally, Mississippi should conduct a comprehensive analysis of local businesses in our state that are innovative and creative but need our help in developing a strategy to grow their business. Each region in this State has something special to offer through its music, its art, its products, its history or its culture and a comprehensive plan to “sell” to the world is both feasible and makes economic sense. Transportation infrastructure, telecommunications and public works During tough times, public projects that bring jobs and leave a legacy
for the next generation are important. The executive leadership should
work with the legislature and Mississippi Department of Transportation
to determine what highways, railroads and airports can be improved and
expanded to best facilitate the inflow and outflow of goods and cargo.
Modernizing our transportation infrastructure will ensure that Mississippi
will be able to attract new businesses to our state. These efforts will
include the use of our ports off the state's rivers and the Gulf. Healthcare There is a healthcare crisis in Mississippi. We have too many children
without health insurance and even many families in two-income households
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