State of Mississippi Archives: on Tax Reform
Tate Reeves:
We need a bold move: elimination of the income tax
I believe that in order to fully capture the potential of this historic moment, we must think big. We need a bold move. This is the time for an action that will turn heads all across the country and get money and people flowing in.
And I believe that move is the elimination of the income tax. It is a reward for our hard workers, and an incentive for others to invest here, to grow here, and to live here.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature
Jan 26, 2021
Jim Hood:
Tax cuts to wealthy caused mental health budget cuts
Hood in 2017 and 2018 often linked the Department of Mental Health's budget cuts to the package of corporate tax cuts Reeves championed in 2016. "They ran out of money because they gave it all away. They gave it to tax cuts to the wealthy," Hood told
Mississippi Today about the origins of the lawsuit in 2017, adding: "The state needs to step up and pay for more on mental health."
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Jun 3, 2019
Robert Foster:
Eliminate Mississippi's personal income tax
Republican candidates for Mississippi governor agreed on many points during the first debate of the 2019 campaign season, each saying he would make a long-term commitment to increasing teacher pay, improving highways and bridges
and making health care more affordable.Foster said Mississippi should eliminate its personal income tax and increase the gasoline tax to help pay for infrastructure. "Everybody needs to pay as they go," he said.
Source: MS Business Journal on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Apr 1, 2019
Robert Foster:
Sales taxes are best; poor pay more but are taken care of
Q: You say you oppose the franchise tax as regressive, in favor of excise-sales taxes. Sales taxes are regressive taxes too, though. Wouldn't they disproportionately hurt the poor because they would be paying more for basic necessities like groceries?
A: Well, you could make that argument. However, when the economy starts to do better--which I know it will because economically it will unleash our economy on a different level--then the poor will be taken care of. You can argue that it will affect them
more because they'll have to pay a little bit higher sales tax, but they're also getting their money to buy their groceries from the government anyway, so it's kind of a moot argument to me to say that it's going to hurt them when we're taking care of
them anymore. We have to have a strong economy in order to afford to take care of them. And so, if we want to make everybody's lives better, we have to get a tax system that makes the economy grow, because when you do that then everybody benefits.
Source: Jackson Free Press on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
Feb 6, 2019
Robert Foster:
Excise and sales tax, rather than income and property tax
Now, more than ever, we must position ourselves to be more economically attractive and job friendly to employers wanting to start or expand their business here. We can accomplish this by allowing them to
become part of the solution, rather than just benefactors of our education efforts and by moving in the direction of a tax policy based on the premise of excise and sales tax, rather than income and high property tax.
Source: 2019 Mississippi governor campaign website Foster4MS.com
Dec 31, 2018
David Baria:
Trump tax cuts are giveaway to top 1%
Q: Taxes: Support President Trump's tax cuts?David Baria (D): No. Giveaway to top 1% that increases long-term debt. Instead "require corporations & the very wealthy to pay their fair share while providing
real permanent tax relief for low & moderate working people."
Roger Wicker (R): Yes. "An accomplishment of historic proportions. Job creators & small businesses will have more capital to invest & innovate."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Roger Wicker:
Trump tax cuts give job creators more capital to invest
Q: Taxes: Support President Trump's tax cuts?David Baria (D): No. Giveaway to top 1% that increases long-term debt. Instead "require corporations & the very wealthy to pay their fair share while providing
real permanent tax relief for low & moderate working people."
Roger Wicker (R): Yes. "An accomplishment of historic proportions. Job creators & small businesses will have more capital to invest & innovate."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
David Baria:
Fight for real tax relief that won't benefit the rich
I have spent a lot of time talking about real tax relief for working families. That's because the recent tax overhaul passed by Congress has failed on its promise to put money in the pockets of American workers. Unfortunately, most of that money has
instead gone towards tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% and large corporations. To make matters worse, the new tax plan will likely be paid for by cuts to essential programs like Social Security and Medicare and additional strain on our national debt.
Source: 2018 MS Senate campaign website, BariaForMississippi.com
Jun 26, 2018
Tate Reeves:
Reduce taxes to help small business
Keeping taxes low:- Made the tax appeals process more affordable and accessible.
- Ended the state inventory tax that hurt small businesses.
- Reduced unemployment taxes on small businesses, so employers can afford to hire more workers.
- Helped make our state's unemployment the fifth lowest in the country, according to the 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index published by the Tax Foundation.
Source: 2019 Mississippi Governor campaign website TateReeves.com
Mar 21, 2018
Jensen Bohren:
Elect those who actually represent us, not themselves
"Taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION is Theft."
We have to elect representatives, not profit seekers out for themselves.
Source: Facebook posting on 2018 Mississippi Senate race
Dec 31, 2017
Haley Barbour:
Cut budget by $700M, instead of raising taxes
As Governor I have cut the budget by a total of about $700 million in just the last two years. Just as our constituents have cut back, they expect state government to cut back. They know the alternative is raising taxes, because government has no money
except what it takes from taxpayers. The people of Mississippi deserve to keep more of what they earn, and we owe it to the people of Mississippi not to raise taxes and to control spending.Not only do I urge you not to consider tax increases this year
I implore you to keep spending at a level this year that protects more of our reserves for next year. That is the way to stop any tax increases in 2012.
Remember, what we have accomplished in controlling spending over seven years can be lost in only one year. Our first year you passed and I signed the most comprehensive tort reform law in the country, and it worked.
Source: 2011 Mississippi State of the State Address
Jan 11, 2011
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021