JACKSON, Miss. –If you have ideas on how state government should be run, this is your chance to make them known. House Speaker Phil Gunn (R-Clinton) is traveling the state on a Listening Tour.
“I think it’s a great thing to bring the legislature to the people,” he said. “Not everybody can drive to Jackson to meet with their legislature, either because it’s too far, or they don’t have time. So this gives them an opportunity to meet with us and talk with us in their own location.”
With his first stops on the 9-city tour already behind him, Gunn said most people are concerned about three main things. “Health care-finding a way to make health care more affordable; early childhood education; and there has been a lot of discussion about workforce development-making sure our people are trained to provide good services to employees. A lot of good ideas.”
And those ideas, Gunn said won’t be forgotten when the tour ends. “Last year I think we came forward with about 9 bills that we heard on this tour that we actually put into writing. Gunn was in Clinton, Clarksdale and Olive Branch Monday. He will be in Oxford, Corinth and Starkville Tuesday; Vicksburg and Natchez Wednesday; and Laurel and Pascagoula Thursday.
Each meeting is scheduled to last an hour, and Gunn said lawmakers from those areas are also expected to attend.
