Congress is working on legislation to create a Gulf Opportunity Zone, or GO Zone, and our state legislature should create one as well.
This year, many people in our state have fewer tangible things to be thankful for, but countless people have said they have a new appreciation for the things they do still have, especially those intangible things that are truly most important.
Have you ever heard of a public school being built at no cost to the taxpayers? That�s exactly what happened in our nation�s capital, in a deal that may have some merit in Mississippi school districts affected by Hurricane Katrina.
As the Governor�s Commission prepares its recommendations for rebuilding south Mississippi, the quickest and easiest approach would be to come up with a laundry list of programs and projects the government could create or expand to meet all the needs in the region. After all, it�s easier for people to grasp that concept than it is to comprehend how the private sector could piece together a cohesive economy.
Since the tax base of many communities along the Coast has been severely impacted or even decimated, it�s an opportune time for public officials to re-evaluate the purpose and priorities of local government. Here are some questions to consider.
Governor Barbour and Jim Barksdale, who is the chairman of the governor's commission on rebuilding the coast, have been encouraging "big ideas" for the rebuilding effort.
The legislature has been in special session this week, and some of the thirty-or-so items on the agenda would be controversial under normal circumstances. But, as we all know, these are not normal circumstances. (more…)
With so much devastation on the Gulf Coast, it�s difficult to imagine how the homes and businesses - and lives - can be rebuilt. And while we, especially in the church, need to be sensitive to the needs of individuals, we also need to look for ways to ensure that when the Coast communities are rebuilt, the essentials of a strong community are accommodated and even promoted. (more…)