JACKSON — Mississippi state government would borrow $250 million under an agreement between House and Senate negotiators that’s headed to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant.
House Bill 1729 had previously become entangled in negotiations over a $415 million tax cut, but once the measure emerged from House-Senate talks, it passed easily. Senators passed the bill 46-6, while the House passed the measure 108-9.
It includes $69.2 million for construction projects at universities, $25 million for community colleges and $45 million for Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. The bill also includes $16.6 million to complete two history museums in Jackson which are to open in time for the state’s bicentennial in 2017, as well as $5 million for an arts center in Meridian and $5 million for a middle school for the Starkville-Oktibbeha school district to be built on the campus of Mississippi State University.
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves had said last week that he was seeking to hold the borrowing total to about $200 million, but House leaders pushed for more in negotiations. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, said Senate negotiators had also threatened to reject the bill if House members didn’t agree to a $415 million tax cut.
Smith said he would have liked for the state to borrow more, but that Reeves refused to go above $250 million. Partly as a result, the bill also includes an agreement to borrow more money in future years, including $33.5 million for universities, another $10 million more for the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center in Meridian and $5 million more for the Starkville middle school at Mississippi State University. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, said those amounts would have been too much, but said he was committed to getting money to universities in a predictable fashion over the next four years.
Such predictability allows universities to begin major projects, assured money will arrive later. For example, Smith said Alcorn State University could sign a contract for $10 million for new faculty and staff housing even though it will only get $7.5 million this year.
Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, again raised objections to the borrowing, saying the increasing price of debt service was impeding the state’s ability to spend on other things or cut taxes.
“Can someone please explain to me why anyone in the Pine Belt or anyone in Pascagoula should be building a fire station in McComb or Brookhaven?” McDaniel asked.
He also questioned $45 million for Huntington Ingalls Industries’ shipyard in Pascagoula, saying the military shipbuilder collected more in revenue last year than the state collected in taxes.
Sen. Michael Watson, R-Hurley, questioned why the state wasn’t spending more money on roads and bridges.
“I just don’t see the focus here or in other places that we could use on that,” Watson said.
Fillingane said there were a number of infrastructure projects, and in other places he had to compromise with House members and allow small amounts of spending on other items.
“There are a lot of these small projects, if I were king for a day, that I wouldn’t include,” Fillingane said.
Online: Senate Bill 1729: http://bit.ly/1U2SQIx
Projects to be funded with $250M in Mississippi state debt
JACKSON — Here’s a look at individual projects included in $250 million in proposed state borrowing in House Bill 1729. Universities would get $69.2 million total, while community colleges would get $25 million:
— Mississippi State University music building: $10 million.
— University of Mississippi science center: $10 million.
— Delta State University Zeigel Hall renovation: $7.9 million.
— Alcorn State University staff housing: $7.5 million.
— Mississippi Valley State University Edna Horton Hall renovation: $7.5 million.
— University of Mississippi Medical Center: $7.5 million.
— Mississippi University for Women demonstration school renovation: $7.1 million.
— Mississippi State University dairy science and poultry science complex: $4 million.
— College Board Education and Research Center repairs: $1.6 million
— Ingalls Shipbuilding improvements: $45 million.
— Community colleges: $25 million.
— Local bridge replacement: $20 million.
— Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History: $16.6 million.
— Mississippi Development Authority economic development and housing funds: $15 million.
— Renovations to Mississippi Coliseum, build new Mississippi Trade Mart: $10 million.
— East Mississippi State Hospital: $7.5 million
— State government buildings: $5.5 million.
— Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center in Meridian: $5 million.
— Build middle school for Starkville-Oktibbeha school district at Mississippi State University: $5 million.
— Mississippi Community Heritage Preservation Grant Fund: $2.5 million.
— Small municipalities: $2.5 million.
— Byram-Clinton parkway: $1.8 million.
— Access road for Flowood convention center: $1.6 million.
— Ross Barnett Reservoir seawall replacement: $1.6 million.
— Buy land and construct buildings for economic development in Tate County: $1.4 million
— Walking and bike trails, hunting and firing ranges at Columbus Air Force Base: $1.1 million.
— Renovate old farmer’s market for Mississippi food hub: $1 million.
— Connect existing buildings and build memorial garden at B.B. King Museum, Indianola: $800,000.
— Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Tupelo: $750,000.
— Merrill Salem Road Bridge repair, Lucedale: $750,000.
— Philadelphia bypass: $750,000.
— Ridge Road repairs, Itawamba County: $750,000.
— Loan fund to revitalize areas of cities with less than 15,000 residents: $700,000.
— DeSoto County dam repair: $625,000.
— Brookhaven fire station: $625,000.
— Vicksburg tourism projects: $500,000
— Mississippi Native American Museum, Kosciusko: $500,000.
— Lowndes County horse center $400,000.
— Alcorn County railroad hub development: $400,000.
— Natchez Seminary renovations: $400,000.
— Widen Parklane Road and move water and sewer lines, McComb: $375,000.
— Mississippi Science Exploration Center, Hattiesburg: $340,000.
— Hattiesburg Zoo: $305,000.
— Tishomingo County horse center: $300,000.
— Pontotoc city visitors center: $300,000.
— Pontotoc Cultural Heritage Center: $300,000.
— Oakland-Yalobusha County Natural Gas District gas line extension: $300,000.
— Meadville sewer system: $260,000.
— Wastewater treatment in Big Black River basin, Hinds County: $250,000.
— Wilkinson County school district infrastructure: $200,000.
— Marshall County infrastructure: $200,000.
— Jackson Zoo: $200,000.
— Lighting for Saltillo city sports fields: $150,000.
— Decatur city infrastructure: $150,000.
— Ocean Springs infrastructure: $150,000.
— Winston County hospital tornado replacement: $150,000.
— Robert Johnson historic sites, Hazlehurst: $100,000.
— McComb recreation center: $100,000.
— Mississippi Maritime Museum, Pascagoula: $100,000.
— Fulton town infrastructure: $100,000.
— New Albany bicycle trails: $100,000.
— Chickasaw County health department renovation: $100,000.
— Lincoln County Civic Center infrastructure: $100,000.
— Calhoun County infrastructure: $100,000.
— Jackson police: $100,000.
— Senatobia interstate interchange landscaping: $100,000.
— University of Mississippi Medical Center Urgent Care Clinic, Humphreys County: $100,000.
— Laurel street repairs: $100,000.
— Heidelberg street repairs: $100,000.
— Alcorn County school district baseball field lights: $50,000.
— Terry historic preservation: $50,000.
— Tunica County Civic Center infrastructure: $50,000.
— Utica infrastructure: $50,000.
— Edwards infrastructure: $50,000.
— Bolton community center: $50,000.
— Manhattan and Vine Street parks renovations, Jackson: $31,000.
Source: House Bill 1729
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.