Lawmakers across the country often insist on making “investments” in economic programs to help fill a perceived need for skilled workers. But such efforts often put the needs of the state and favored industries ahead of the needs of individuals -- and they miss big picture questions in the process.
This critical view should be taken about the newly passed UPSKILL program, which is expected to cover tuition and fees associated with getting a certificate or degree at a Mississippi public community or junior college. The program, in House Bill 562, passed with unanimous support from lawmakers and the governor signed it into law.
Initially, the program will be exclusively for Mississippians overcoming opioid addiction, hence the funding source of the program starts with money from $50 billion opioid settlement to state, local, and tribal governments. Republican Sen. Nicole Boyd told her colleagues that the program will be good for people in recovery.
“It is the program where we encourage those that are over age 24 to up-skill and get into high priority work sectors,” she said, according to the Magnolia Tribune.
The Design Problem: Labor Market First, Person Second
But UPSKILL’s eligible programs will be determined annually by the state’s review of employer demand and workforce shortages — essentially, what the labor market needs. That sounds sensible, but in practice those designations are heavily influenced by major employers who want a trained workforce pipeline at public expense. The program could function as a publicly-subsidized labor supply program for specific private employers without those employers contributing to its cost.
Crucially such an approach underemphasizes, and even ignores, the fact that each person is born with unique gifts and talents. Asking what the labor market needs and then pushing people into state-sanctioned boxes is the reverse of what should be happening.
A person with a gift for artistry, writing, craftsmanship, early childhood education, or caregiving work might find little room in a program built around HVAC, welding, and construction certifications. The program, therefore, treats people as inputs to an economic system rather than as individuals who deserve respect for escaping addiction and now have distinct contributions to make.
The state might (and probably will) eventually justify the program’s existence and call for its expansion as students apply for funding to gain a certificate or degree in an approved field and shortages in some areas are ameliorated. But in such an analysis, there’s no accounting for quality of life, e.g., if a person finds himself in a job he never wanted just because money was available to meet the need.
The Community Problem: What the State Crowds Out
It’s also worth noting that the program creates a transactional connection between a person and an employer-defined credential, but it severs and discourages the community connections important to the growth and wellbeing of a person, especially one in recovery. The state stipend is $500, which would be a manageable dollar amount for local charities, churches, civic organizations to offer, if they were so inclined.
UPSKILL’s enabling legislation intends participants to tap into other government assistance programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to provide up to $250 for “emergency aid, childcare stipends or transportation assistance (bus vouchers or gas cards).”
That leaves no room for local charities and organizations to engage. If they were invited to, they could offer things the state is not offering: mentorship, peer cohorts, community check-ins, drug rehab integration circles, stuff that goes beyond a program and several hundred dollars. Recovery communities know that sustainable reintegration requires more than a job; it requires belonging.
The state program also has the deleterious effect of creating an expectation that the state will step in to offer money and support services, because that’s what the state does, as proven by this program. One could reasonably ask, “where does the state’s role stop and the community effort begin?”
A person who has spent ten years in a low-wage job, never touched drugs, but lacks the credential to move up — isn’t he or she equally deserving of support? The program’s initial gatekeeping, driven by the funding source, creates a hierarchy of deservingness that puts former addicts ahead of people who also struggle.
None of this is to say the problem UPSKILL is trying to solve isn’t real. Mississippi has thousands of job openings and communities hollowed out by addiction. The state stepped in precisely because communities, churches, and civic organizations hadn’t filled the gap at scale. That’s worth acknowledging honestly. It’s also worth understanding why. Is it possible that the state government’s broad list of programs, decades in the making, played some part in the lack of persistence of non-governmental organizations to meet local needs?
The critique isn’t that the need doesn’t exist — it’s that the state’s instinct to solve it by building a pipeline for employers, rather than building up people, reflects a persistent confusion about what investment in human beings actually looks like. It also avoids the bigger questions about systemic problems that Mississippi, and many other states, must begin to understand.
— Wayne Hoffman is President of the public policy education and advocacy organization, Level Up Humanity, and is a research fellow of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
In April, we had the opportunity to welcome students from Pearl River County High School’s Student Council to our office during their visit to Jackson.
As part of a broader trip to tour the State Capitol and meet with legislators, the group made time to sit down with Douglas Carswell and our team to learn more about the role of a public policy organization and the work we do at the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
The visit centered around a roundtable discussion covering how think tanks operate, the principles that guide our work, and how policy ideas move from conversation to implementation. Students engaged directly with our team, asking thoughtful questions about the challenges facing Mississippi, the importance of free markets and limited government, and the practical side of advancing policy solutions.
What stood out most was the level of engagement—from both the students and the educators accompanying them. The discussion was curious and encouraging, reflecting a strong interest in understanding how ideas shape real-world outcomes.
Opportunities like this matter. Creating space for young people to ask questions, engage with policy, and better understand the institutions shaping their state is an important part of building informed, thoughtful leaders for the future.
We are grateful they chose to spend part of their time with us, and we look forward to seeing where their leadership journeys take them.
While others debate these ideas from a distance, we’re in the room teaching them.
This semester, Douglas Carswell was invited to serve as a guest lecturer at the Declaration Center for Freedom Studies at the University of Mississippi—spending the semester working directly with students on the principles that make societies prosper.
Week after week, he made the drive to Oxford to lead conversations on free markets, limited government, and individual liberty—not as abstract theories, but as ideas with real-world consequences. Students were challenged to think critically, engage deeply, and wrestle with the foundations of a free and flourishing society.
Free markets. Limited government. Individual liberty.
The next generation isn’t just hearing about these ideas—they’re being trained in them, challenged by them, and equipped to carry them forward. In a time when many institutions are moving away from these principles, opportunities like this matter more than ever.
Not slogans. Not trends.
Real ideas, taught in real classrooms, to the next generation of leaders.
This is how you build something that lasts.
A small win for freedom in Mississippi! Governor Tate Reeves recently signed HB3, a law that reforms the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) rules.
CON is basically a government approval process healthcare providers (like hospitals) must go through before they can add certain services, build new facilities, buy expensive equipment, or make big expansions.
HB3 makes some modest changes, allowing more flexibility for some specific providers. It also raises the dollar threshold for capital spending requiring approval.
Perhaps the most significant part of the bill is that it mandates the Mississippi Department of Health to do a study over the course of this year into the feasibility of letting smaller hospitals skip CON when providing kidney dialysis treatment and adult psychiatric services.
While HB3 does not give us the reforms Mississippi needs, it is a step in the right direction. In a legislative session that has seen most significant reforms killed in the Senate, this is one rare example of a free market reform in the 2026 session.
As we kick off 2026, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy is more energized than ever. We are excited about the successes our state has seen – and we have a plan to build on that momentum with further free market reform!
For decades, our state lagged behind. Growth was slow and too many young people left our state to seek opportunities elsewhere. That is starting to change.
Over the past five years, Mississippi has seen more economic growth than in the previous 15 combined.
Mississippi’s progress is real, but it did not happen by chance. It is happening thanks to free market reform - including major tax cuts, flexible labor laws, affordable energy, and fiscal discipline.
MCPP aims to help build on this in the 2026 legislative session. We have a clear, targeted plan for further free market reforms. Here is our focus for the 2026 legislative session which starts this coming week:
- School Choice
Mississippi has already taken a strong step by assigning every public-school student a personalized education budget. Now is the time to let families truly control it. We are working to see a universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program, modeled on successful reforms like Arkansas’s LEARNS Act.
Other education reforms, such as making it easier for families to move from one public school to another are important, but the key goal must be an ESA system, just like they now have in Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama.
- Repeal of Certificate-of-Need (CON) Laws
Mississippi’s outdated health regulation regime stifles competition, blocks investment in healthcare and drives up costs - especially in rural areas. We are pushing for a partial repeal of these restrictions across regulated services.
It is also essential that we grant Advanced Practice Registered Nurses full practice authority. These changes could lower healthcare costs significantly, expand rural access, and save millions annually - freeing the market to deliver better, more affordable care.
- Conservative Spending
To enable future tax cuts, and to prevent the public sector crowding out local businesses, we need to see fiscal discipline in this state. The fiscal climate is changing, and the days of large federal subsidies is coming to an end. It is essential that our lawmakers live within our means. That means keeping spending under control and not squandering any surpluses.
These are MCPP’s big three priorities for the coming session – and we will be working closely with key lawmakers and our coalition allies to advance them.
MCPP is also supportive of a number of other reforms up for discussion. For example, we would love to see a restoration of the ballot initiative. With labor-force participation in Mississippi still too low, we would love to see reform in welfare administration to ensure more stringent requirements on able-bodied welfare recipients, and more meaningful sanctions for non-compliance. We would support such changes, but they are not our primary focus for this session.
We are super excited at the start of the 2026 legislative session. Our team will be working hard to ensure real reform – and I will be sure to keep you personally updated on the progress we make as the session advances!
For decades, Mississippi has been the punchline in national discussions about economic performance - often ranked at the bottom in income, education, and opportunity.
But something remarkable has happened in recent years: the Magnolia State is undergoing a genuine resurgence, driven not by federal handouts or gimmicks, but by principled free-market reforms.
A major national publication, the Washington Examiner, recently spotlighted this transformation in a feature titled "Mississippi Turning." The article notes that Mississippi has achieved more economic growth in the past five years than in the previous 15 combined.
This isn't hyperbole; recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows Mississippi posting some of the nation's strongest GDP growth rates, including a 4.2% real GDP increase in 2024 that ranked second nationally.
What’s fueling this engine? Bold structural changes that prioritize freedom, competition, and low barriers to opportunity.
First, labor-market reforms have opened doors for workers and entrepreneurs. In 2021, Mississippi enacted universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses, allowing skilled professionals to bring their talents here without jumping through needless bureaucratic hoops. The state has also slashed red tape on in-state licensing requirements, eliminating hundreds of hours of mandatory training for many everyday jobs. These changes have attracted talent, put downward pressure on remaining barriers, and made it easier for Mississippians to earn a living.
Second, historic tax reform is putting money back in people's pockets. Starting with the largest tax cut in state history in 2022, Mississippi phased in a flat 4% income tax. In 2025, lawmakers went further, enacting legislation to reduce the rate to 3% by 2030 and trigger annual cuts thereafter until the state income tax is fully eliminated—the first such move by a state in decades. This pro-growth policy rewards work and ambition while making Mississippi more competitive for businesses and families.
Third, a commitment to reliable, low-cost energy has made the state a magnet for investment. By resisting costly subsidized green mandates, Mississippi has kept electricity prices among the nation's lowest, powering energy-intensive industries like data centers and advanced manufacturing. Major announcements, including billions from companies like Amazon Web Services, underscore how affordable energy translates into jobs and capital inflows. Since 2020, the state has attracted tens of billions in private investment, fueling record-breaking economic development.The results speak for themselves: explosive GDP growth, surging personal incomes, rising university enrollments, and—for the first time in generations—net in-migration as people choose to move to Mississippi rather than away. Recent years have seen positive net migration, reversing long-standing outflows and signaling a brighter future.
This turnaround didn't happen by accident. It's the direct consequence of free-market ideas championed by policymakers and advocates who refused to accept the status quo. Mississippi is no longer just catching up; it's becoming a national model that other states are watching closely.
As we close out another productive year, moments like the Washington Examiner's recognition remind us that principled, steady work pays off. Mississippi is proving that freedom works—creating a freer, more prosperous place for all its citizens. Other states should take note: lower taxes, fewer regulations, and reliable energy are the path to revival.
Click here to read the Washington Examiner article.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2025
MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY HONORS LEGISLATIVE HEROES AT ANNUAL GALA CELEBRATING STATE SUCCESS
JACKSON, MS – October 30, 2025 –Six of Mississippi’s leading lawmakers were presented with award to honor them for championing principled conservative policy. Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review, presented each of the winners.
Healthcare
Rep. Sam Creekmore and Rep. Hank Zuber were jointly honored for their leadership in challenging Mississippi’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws, which restrict the expansion of healthcare providers and limit patient access.
Countering DEI
Sen. Angela Hill received the award for her early and unwavering stand against the encroachment of divisive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in Mississippi’s public universities. Long before the issue gained national attention, Sen. Hill worked to safeguard academic freedom and institutional integrity at the state’s flagship campuses.
Education Reform
Rep. Jansen Owen was recognized for leading the 2025 legislative effort to expand open enrollment through HB 1435. Though the bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support - uniting parents, educators, and lawmakers - it was ultimately blocked in the Senate.
Income Tax Elimination
Mississippi became the first state since Alaska in 1980 to phase out its personal income tax through HB1. Rep. Trey Lamar and Speaker Jason White were honored as the driving forces behind this transformative reform. Through public town halls, transparent negotiations, and superior policy arguments, the duo outmaneuvered opposition and delivered a pro-family, pro-growth tax cut that is already attracting investment and enhancing Mississippi’s competitiveness.“
These lawmakers represent the best of conservative leadership - courageous, principled, and effective,” said Douglas Carswell of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. “Their work is making Mississippi a national model for freedom, opportunity, and common-sense governance.”
This week, I’ll be traveling to Washington, D.C. talking about Mississippi’s remarkable progress, including our elimination of the income tax and how we might best advance school choice in our state.
Mississippi is gaining national attention for our transformative public policies. Once seen as a perennial underdog, our state is now recognized as a leader in free-market reforms that are driving unprecedented economic growth. A lot of folks in Washington and elsewhere are starting to notice our state for the right reasons!
Over the past five years, under Governor Tate Reeves’ leadership, we’ve achieved more economic progress than in the previous fifteen years combined, attracting massive investment. The folk making the decisions to put their dollars into our state know success when they see it.
This week, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy was honored with an award for our role in eliminating the income tax—a milestone in a series of reforms, including labor market changes in 2021, flat tax implementation in 2022, and school funding reforms in 2023.
As I said in my speech when I accepted the award on behalf of our Mississippi team, together these reforms make a potent policy combination. Click on the image below to hear what I said to the audience about Mississippi’s success story.
Now, we’re focused on the next critical step: school choice. Momentum is building, and there’s strong support from Team Trump, who see it as “the civil rights issue of our time.”
This week, two senior Trump administration officials, Deputy Assistant Secretary Laurie Todd-Smith and Deputy Chief of Staff Lindsey Burke, visited Mississippi to advocate for education reform before the House Select Committee on Education Freedom. Their compelling case was met with enthusiasm from parents, who outnumbered the entrenched status-quo lobbyists.
Mississippi is on the cusp of ensuring every family has access to the educational opportunities their children deserve. Your support is vital as we work to make school choice a reality.
Thank you for standing with us.
Speaking to my friends at Smith County Republicans the other day, someone asked me what I most loved about moving to Mississippi from London.
There are so many things I love about the Magnolia state, the more I thought about it, the longer my answer grew. I thought I’d list a few of my favorite things about life in Mississippi.
1. Southern Civility. Yes, it’s a bit of a cliché, but as an outsider I can confirm it’s the truth; Mississippi folk are the friendliest people on the planet. Southern charm makes being here such a joy.
2. Mississippi BOOM! Since I arrived almost five years ago, economic output in the state is up about a third. There’s been a massive injection of inward investment. You can feel the growth. Coming from the other side of the Atlantic, it's uplifting to live in a place that is on the up.
3. Income tax on the way out. Mississippi is on the way to eliminating the income tax entirely, like Florida, Tennessee and Texas. It is great to live in a society where taxes go down and public officials can’t expect to keep taking more.
4. Space. With 3 million people spread out over 48,000 square miles, Mississippi has lots of space. There’s a great big outdoors. Our state might not have mega cities the size of Atlanta or Chicago, but having seen the boarded up offices and shops in Chicago, I wonder if modern technology means that being more spread out is actually the way to go.
5. Stunning small towns. Too often downtown America feels abandoned, people and businesses having moved to the suburbs. One of the delights Mississippi has to offer are towns that are actually prospering. Downtown Oxford, Starkville and Natchez, for example, are full of shops and restaurants – and thriving.
6. Universities. Our family is at the stage where we’re starting to think about college options. There are so many great choices in this part of the world. Sending your kid to a southern university reduces the chance they’ll become a communist – which is why, I suspect, we are seeing such a surge in applications from outsiders wanting to study in this state.
7. High school football. The football season is about to begin and when it does, the highlight of my week will be watching Friday night football. It is a festival of everything Americana…..
8. College football. The next best thing is college football. Sure, we don’t have an NFL team, but I genuinely prefer watching SEC teams play.
9. The weather. Some folk complain about Mississippi’s heat and humidity. Coming from London where one would sometimes seldom see the sun, I love the climate here. The sun in our state is up bright and early (almost) every day. Glorious.
10. Gardening. I love gardening, and it seems you can grow almost anything here. Sweet peas. Hibiscus. This year I’ve had a bumper crop of grapes and even starting to get some mulberries.
If living in America means you’ve won first prize in the lottery of life, being in Mississippi means you got the bonus ball!