JACKSON, Miss. —
Times are still tough in Mississippi.
Sadly, that’s no unusual position for the Magnolia State to be in, with its traditionally high unemployment, poverty and dropout rates and low median household income.
Yes, the economy here — as in the rest of the country — isn’t in the abyss it was three or four years ago.
But it’s clear that any recovery or optimism surrounding Mississippi’s economy will be tempered for a long time by doses of cold, hard reality.
While Canton is welcoming 1,000 new jobs through the addition later this year of three vehicle lines at Nissan’s assembly plant, Clinton will lose 90-100 jobs early next year when Automatic Data Processing consolidates solutions-center operations into a company facility in Augusta, Ga.
ADP has operated a solutions center in Clinton since 2008. The facility was announced the previous year, just as a historic recession began to take hold, with company officials saying as many as 1,000 people could be working at its Clinton office by this year.
But that was 2007. Then, the promise of a throng of jobs from a company like ADP and a slew of new commercial and residential developments planned for the metro area had locals brimming with the prospect of a significant transformation of what metro Jackson is and could become.
Five years later? Cold, hard reality.
ADP never could fulfill its lofty employment goals. ... For every step forward, it seems there’s a step back. High jobless numbers butt against rising housing starts and building permits. A strong month for retail sales is checked by higher gas prices.
Need more reality? State economist Darrin Webb told lawmakers recently that Mississippi likely entered into its very own recession between April and June and seems set to stay there through at least the end of this month. ...
Times are tough. But so are we.
We can ride the recession out and look forward to the better days that surely will come, even if they come slowly.
Online:
http://www.clarionledger.com
Editorials
Our economy takes step back for every one forward
- Editorials
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DOJ’s seizure of phone records is appalling
By The Vicksburg Post:
In today’s Department of Justice, the ends seem to justify the means.
And it is sickening. -
Bryant tantrum on education major standards was misguided
By the (McComb) Enterprise-Journal:
That was quite a tantrum Gov. Phil Bryant pitched at the College Board recently, criticizing its members for voicing concerns about his effort to increase standards for education majors. -
Legislature to City Hall not sure move
Five Mississippi House members are running for mayor this year, and while name recognition might provide some advantage, lawmakers have had a mixed record in trying to go from the Capitol to City Hall.
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Nation’s economy improving, but state’s still lagging
By The (Jackson) Clarion-Ledger
It’s been a long time coming, but finally there are bright economic signs nationally that seem here to stay a while. -
Armed teachers dangerous idea for school safety
By (Columbus) The Commercial Dispatch:
The Mississippi House of Representatives sent back to the Senate a bill that would arm teachers.
Before sending it over, the House, by a 70-46 vote, amended the Senate’s bill in two major ways. Actually, the House did more than amend it. They neutered it. -
Not every bill grabs headlines
The first two bills that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed during the 2013 legislative session dealt with money.
House Bill 19 gave more cash to the agency that coordinates a program to put all emergency offices under the same digital communications system. House Bill 20 moved money from the car tag reduction fund to the Budget Contingency Fund. Lawmakers use the contingency fund to cobble together cash for the overall state budget. -
Transparency key to ‘best watchdogs’ oversight
By The (Tupelo) Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal:
Rep. Jerry Turner’s effort to require open meetings of water associations and notice of meetings in which members of boards of directors will be elected remains alive in the Legislature. It should be enacted in the interests of transparency in the running of the nonprofit associations providing water for a significant percentage of Mississippi’s population. -
Miss. makes news, good news, this time
By The (Columbus) Commercial Dispatch:
Generally, when Mississippi makes national news — especially of late — it is not the sort of notoriety we welcome. ...
So March 3, when Mississippi again made national news, we braced ourselves for the embarrassment that was sure to follow.
Only this time, it wasn’t anything to be embarrassed about.
Imagine that. -
Ag’s legal expenses top $2.4M for year
An ongoing lawsuit challenging Mississippi’s foster care system has cost the state at least $4.4 million in legal expenses and fees since 2008.
Expenses continue to rise as the plaintiffs and the state work toward a telephone status conference scheduled for April 25 with U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee. The price tag this year is $1.35 million. -
Ag’s legal expenses top $2.4M for year
An ongoing lawsuit challenging Mississippi’s foster care system has cost the state at least $4.4 million in legal expenses and fees since 2008.
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