Jackson, Miss– Governor Phil Bryant says MAEP could move money from your wallet to an attorney’s wallet.
MAEP was set up to guarantee funding for schools in Mississippi. Former Governor Ronnie Musgrove has been speaking around the state, raising participants for a lawsuit he plans to file against the state demanding that $1.5 billion dollars be put toward the MAEP. There are 14 school districts involved in the lawsuit: Clarksdale, Clay County, Greensville, Hattiesburg, Leake County, Okolona, Prentiss County, Richton, Simpson County, Smith County, Tate County, Wayne County, West Tallahatchie and Wilkinson County.
Though money for education sounds good, Governor Phil Bryant says that this could bust the state $6 billion dollar budget.
“It would be a dramatic tax increase,” says Governor Phil Bryant. Governor Bryant also says that the initiative to put MAEP on the ballot makes it hard to say no.
“Should the state be required to provide for the establishment, maintenance, and support of an adequate and efficient free public education system?” Governor Bryant says that anyone would support that, but there are facts that may change your mind.
Aside from the tax increase to replace the $1.5 billion dollars taken from the state budget, the lawyers would make a good deal of money from this.
“Everything that they collect for these school districts, 25% of it goes into their (the lawyers) pockets,” says Governor Bryant. He also adds that the public school system has received more funding in recent years.
“In the last four years, about $220 million more,” Governor Bryant says.
