During a Facebook Live session, as he continues to self-isolate, Governor Tate Reeves announced the addition of seven new counties that will be placed under his latest executive order, and he unveiled his FY 2022 budget recommendation.
At the beginning of remarks, the governor announced the addition of the following counties the “Safe Recovery” order:
Hinds, Madison, Pontotoc, Tate, Winston, Itawamba, and Montgomery
A total of 22 counties are now under the order which places a mask mandate and stricter social distancing guidelines on hotspot areas in Mississippi.
Benton, Carroll, Covington, DeSoto, Forrest, Harrison, Humphreys, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Leflore, Lee, Marshall, Rankin, and Yalobusha.
Even if you don’t live in a county that is under the order, which runs through December 11th, the governor urged you to continue wearing a mask and taking the proper precautions to limit the spread of the virus.
After discussing a call with the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the governor moved on to his FY 2022 budget proposal. While the full document is 88 pages long, and can be found here, Governor Reeves highlighted several key aspects that he hopes to see funded and enacted by the legislature.
“Funding the Police: investing $3 million in law enforcement officer training to Back the Blue and ensure that they have the confidence of the community.
Protecting Small Businesses: 2,400 grants of $5,000 to jump-start small businesses that were closed during the height of the pandemic.
Patriotic Education Fund: create a program that funds teaching that reminds the next generation that America is the greatest nation in the history of the world. Socialist indoctrination has poisoned minds for too long. Democracy, capitalism, and other American values are under attack. We need to push back with funding for education that does not attempt to undermine American institutions.
Investments in K-12 Education: multi-million dollar investments in teachers, math coaches, and workforce development courses that can help Mississippi’s students learn a trade and earn higher wages.
And the big one…
Eliminate the Income Tax!
Right now, the global economy is chaotic. We have the chance to attract investment and high-paying jobs. We need to produce more products here, and grow our population. We need to make a bold move to capitalize on the growth possibilities.
A Mississippian that makes $40,000 in taxable income would save nearly $2,000 with the income tax eliminated. It would be huge for business, retirees, and workers. This should be the starting point for any tax discussion in the legislature this year: cutting taxes, not raising them.”
To watch the governor’s full remarks, check out the video below:
