GAME PLAN FOR MISSISSIPPI

SPENdING ANd TAxES

When first elected to the Senate, I was among the first to sign on and help establish our states Rainy Day Fund. Since then, I have fought and voted against hundreds of bills that would have irresponsibly placed a heavy debt burden on future generations, including a $400 million package earlier this year. We need an experienced leader in the Lt. Governors office who knows the difference between legislation that creates jobs and legislation that creates debt that only benefits special interests. I have a record of trustworthiness developed over 20 years of working for the people of this state. Rethinking Our Approach to Spending We are witnessing irresponsible and unaccountable spending habits out of Washington, D.C., and the temptation is to become dependent upon federal money streams that either have strings attached or are short-lived. Of late, these programs have no provision for replacing money once it dries up yet still the new programs are left in place, effectively creating more unfunded mandates. Todays economy forces us rethink our approach to governance and the spending of tax dollars. We must work with other state governments and our congressional delegation to do all we can at the national level to reject unfunded mandates. Repeal the State Inventory Tax Mississippi is one of nine remaining states that still have an inventory tax. This tax puts us at a competitive disadvantage with other states and is a huge burden on those businesses that already pay a multitude of other taxes again, for the privilege of being in business. We need to phase out this tax and free these businesses from this burden, which could have the effect of either creating new jobs or make the difference between letting employees go - or keeping them. Borrowing 1.) We must define and restrict the purposes of state borrowing and bonded indebtedness. 2.) There should be full disclosure on all services and fees regarding state bonds. 3.) There should be a $1,000 cap on political contributions to elected officials charged with oversight of state financial transactions from firms (and their employees) who contract with the state. 4.) We must go back to a competitive bid contract for lowest and best offer for bond management services.

Accountability - Requiring Responsible Budgeting We simply cant afford to fund all the requests that exist. We must change the way we budget, which starts at the agency level by requiring that budgetary requests be limited to the amount of growth the state is experiencing each year. This is not to say that the legislature would not have the flexibility to make modifications to those requests, but that the budget process would start with realistic figures. Measurable goals and accountability standards also need to be built into the process for agencies in order to fully enact results-based budgeting.

EdUCATION
So much of the conversation we have about education always centers around funding. But, our job in the legislature should be about more than throwing money at problems. It should be about solving them. To do that, we must look at the entire list of issues that contribute to the problems we face. Education is no different. Ultimately, we must look at what we want education to do. It is about preparing young minds for the future. Without a qualified and educated workforce, Mississippi will not progress. We will not attract good jobs and good employers. Our Mississippi men and women, our Mississippi children, and our Mississippi families will not enjoy the highest quality of life possible. In order for us to have that quality of life and to have an education system that is not only adequate, but exceptional, I support funding that system at the level necessary to ensure that every child in our state receives the best education to enable them to make the life and occupation choices they desire. Funding education at that level is a goal we should strive for.Given the ever-increasing demands of funding every aspect of state government as compared to our declining tax and fee revenues, achieving level funding for our schools this year will be a substantial achievement. Everyone recognizes our school systems and teachers are overburdened with administration and paperwork, but while there has been a lot of talk, there has been little action. The reason? The education community and teachers have always believed that our state government has not done enough to support education despite the great amount of tax dollars state and local governments direct to education - tax dollars that come out of taxpayer pockets - taxpayers whose children are the ones being educated.

We must change the dialogue. We have to create a consensus in our state that is determined to pursue the goal of the best educated workforce no matter the systemic reforms required to achieve that goal. Our states education policy, which we must insist on in our work in promoting that policy in the Legislature and throughout state government, should refocus on the student-teacher relationship. If I am elected Lieutenant Governor, I will work with the Mississippi Department of Education and with school superintendents, teachers and parents throughout the state to determine how best to reduce the administrative burden placed on school districts, schools and teachers - and to utilize funding currently being directed to pay such administrative costs to the classroom where it belongs. Today, approximately 69% of K-12 education dollars goes into the classroom. The goal of these reforms will be an audited, performance-based education plan which will have the goal of ensuring that at least 80% of all state education funds be spent on classroom teachers and students, and programs related to the student-teacher relationship, by FY 2015. A Culture of Learning There are two common denominators that are universally accepted as having a positive impact on school performance regardless of race or socio-economic position: 1.) Parental involvement; 2.) Good leaders (principals, in particular). We must find a way to break the generational cycle often found in poverty-stricken communities, which in many cases places little importance on the value of a good education and expects schools to feed, shelter and raise children but not discipline them. Getting parents in these communities involved in their childrens development is crucial. Religious leadership can also be crucial to achieving success. This will likely take a large, collective (and long-term) effort by our church communities to make a difference here, as we are talking about bringing about cultural change. Churches made all the difference following Katrina. If they can have this sort of positive impact on the aftermath of the worst natural disaster in American history, certainly they can have an impact on Mississippis greatest scourge cultural indifference toward education. Programs focusing on the professional development of quality principals and giving principals and teachers the tools to be effective should also be prioritized. Objective, criteria-based hiring and promotion systems should be adopted, rather than strict reliance on seniority and tenure standards, when making personnel advancement decisions. In this regard, Charter schools need to be given a chance to work particularly in communities where schools are not performing well in less flexible, uncreative environments.

Preparing All Students for a Brighter Future A dual track diploma program should be implemented in all high schools. Teachers will tell you that preparing young minds is a difficult task because one-size-does-NOT-fit-all. Students learn differently. They are a diverse group with differences in thoughts and talents. For many students, a four- year academic college course might not be the best path. Our colleges should not be about remediation, but preparation. If we prepare students according to their abilities and needs and get them ready to be a part of a highly-skilled workforce, this, in turn, will make Mississippi an even more attractive place for companies to locate. Shared Services Mississippi is considered to be one of the most top-heavy states with regard to education administration costs. Counties with multiple school districts should provide answers as to why the need exists to have duplicative administrations performing identical functions such as payroll, transportation and purchasing. This approach to more efficient delivery of services is not only needed within the K-12 framework. The same scrutiny needs to be given to all bureaucratic agency functions to ensure maximum use of available tax revenues. Early Education We still have children entering kindergarten without ever having seen the inside of a book. Mississippi has required every public school to offer kindergarten. With our dismal rankings in the areas of infant mortality, obesity, teen pregnancy and high school dropouts, we should find a way to offer our citizens a way to access pre-k education. The key is that this component must be very structured with measurable standards and established much like todays kindergarten framework. Without this early start, many of our children play catch-up all of their lives and often experience a diminished ability to learn. In addition, the lack of an early start impacts the pace and quality of instruction teachers are able to provide to the rest of the class. It is important that we make sure we are meeting our obligations under the current framework first.

REFORMS
Transparency Adopt the Sunshine Act to shed light on fees allowed for contracts and financial transactions, and post these on the state website for public review. Contractual Services Develop a program of audits of fully or partially state-funded consulting contracts to ensure that such contracts are proper, that agencies are getting actual, full-value for such contracted services and to eliminate such consulting contracts wherever possible.

CRIME
The debate about what government should do and should not do is one that we find ourselves talking about time after time. I believe in less government and empowering people. But the things that government must do, it should do well. One of those things is Public Safety. The protection of citizens from crime and the support of law enforcement officers is of the utmost importance. It is important that we respond quickly to new threats. Having worked with law enforcement to write the law that increased penalties on metals theft, and co-sponsoring legislation to give officers the tools they needed to crack down on meth labs, I understand how important it is to listen to them to craft legislation that will help them be effective in the field. Protecting Our Children While the courts will not allow us to implement the death penalty for child molesters, we still need to make sure our laws for crimes of this nature are the strongest in the land. I have NO sympathy for anyone walking the streets who would prey on the most vulnerable among us. The clich of lock them up and throw away the key is one that is used frequently, but I dont think its a far stretch at all to say that is what is needed in this case. For those who have been released, we should always keep a close eye on them and their whereabouts.

Caylees Law It seems like a no-brainer: parents and grandparents should report a missing child to the authorities. But, as we have seen recently, that it is sometimes not the case. I support the passage of Caylees Law to make it a crime for guardians not to report a child missing for more than 24 hours or not to report the death of a child within one hour of discovery. Our children deserve our diligence. drugs We have made great strides in the war against drugs, but further steps need to be taken. Tax money providing for public assistance comes from working people many of whom are drug-tested at their place of employment. This standard should apply to anyone receiving public assistance as well. If people are to apply for benefits paid for by taxpayer dollars, then they should be subject to drug testing as a condition of receiving those funds. If we are serious about curtailing drug use, this requirement should be added to the process. With todays technologies, criminals are finding smarter ways to work the system. Synthetic drugs are an example of what the drug culture is trying to do to compromise our kids. Just as we did with synthetic marijuana and bath salts this past session, we need to be proactive in this regard to make sure the laws on our books give law enforcement the flexibility and proper tools to respond effectively. Technology Law enforcement officers have asked us to provide them with an additional crime solving tool: DNA sampling from individuals involved in the commission of felonies. We should give them this authorization which would go a long way in speeding up the pace of crime solving and court processes, andwould even have an impact on the solving of cold cases. We should also allow familial DNA to be used in criminal investigations. These measures could not only aid in the solving of cases, but also exonerate those improperly charged and/or incarcerated.

ENERGY
Technology to better manage energy costs is already being used in the private sector to maximize savings, and should be implemented in all government building. These technologies are available now in most states and are allowing individuals and corporations to not only manage their energy use, but manage their energy expenditures as well. We must encourage the development of emerging technologies that focus on renewable and sustainable sources of energy production. With our exceptional workforce and abundant natural resources, Mississippi can be a leader in this field. We must also continue with incentives to encourage tertiary recovery of oil deposits in our state and oppose arbitrary federal moratoriums on drilling.

REdISTRICTING
Redistricting will be one of the first orders of business we must address. Key to the integrity of protecting the interests of the voters is the appointment of members to the Apportionment Committee. This is a critical responsibility and one that, given my knowledge of the process and the members, I am prepared to act on upon with the arrival of the legislature to the new 2012 Session. There will be no rubber stamping of plans, and there must be a specific set of standards to bear in mind when approaching this matter. We must work toward the minimizing if not elimination of gerrymandered districts and split precincts; create as many compact, geographically contiguous districts as possible; and work to keep communities of interest intact where possible.

JOBS & ECONOMIC dEVELOPMENT

The one factor to justify the adoption of bond measures should be whether or not they create jobs for Mississippians. Period. We have the potential to further develop existing centers of excellence: creation of a world-class Polymer and Composite Hub from Hattiesburg to the Coast where a great deal of composite and polymer technology is already being developed in these areas; a high-tech aerospace region that focuses on cutting-edge technologies in the automotive, military and industrial sectors similar to what is taking place in the Golden Triangle region; a multi-institutional Global Center of Excellence for Oil Spill environmental response and research center leveraging the brainpower of our oceanographers and other scientists at Stennis Space Center; as well as partnership with our statewide research institutions. There are many areas of opportunity for us to come out of this economic slump in a significant way, if we will focus our resources on these high technology, high growth, high paying industries just as we have with Stion, Kior, Toyota, American Eurocopter, Nissan and others. From education to reform, each of the major emphasis areas in this Game Plan contains a component that is necessary to our success in economic development and job creation.