Three candidates hoping to succeed former Mississippi House of Representatives District 38 Rep. Tyrone Ellis laid out some of their goals and ideas Thursday evening at a forum in the Greensboro Center.
Narissa Dawn Bradford, Cheikh A. Taylor and Lisa Wynn are vying for the seat, which Ellis retired from in late June. Ellis, 71, held the seat since 1980, and represented portions of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties.
Bradford is a former fashion model-turned-entrepreneur, media executive and activist.
Taylor is the executive director of the Brickfire Project, a child-centered organization that includes a day care and after-school programs.
Wynn served as Starkville’s Ward 2 Alderman from 2013-17, before Sandra Sistrunk unseated her in June’s municipal election.
Each candidate must run as an independent for the special election. However, every candidate said they planned to register as a Democrat, should they win.
Education an economic development proved to be major talking points for the candidates during the forum, hosted by Starkville Daily News.
“Education is the slow, steady, proven way to improve our economy,” Taylor said. “The truth is, there are several reasons why industries don’t relocate to our district. They say we are undereducated and they say we lack job skills.”
Taylor said efforts to improve the issue have to start in high school, and he’s spoken with Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent Eddie Peasant about the issue. Taylor said Peasant indicated the district will add focus on trades and workforce development in 2018.
Wynn, who repeatedly referenced her pushes for economic development as an alderman, said education and economic development go hand-in-hand. In order to improve education, she said, the state has to properly support its educators.
“We cannot be successful in this district without the appropriate personnel,” she said. “We can provide all of the resources that we can handle, but until we get the appropriate personnel, there’s nothing that we can do to be successful.”
Bradford said she’d fight for public education, if given the chance.
“The fastest way to fail a group of people is to release them into the world without proper education,” Bradford said. “Education is complicated, and there are many factors that determine successful school and successful students. I truly believe incentives are important.”
Later in the forum, candidates were asked how they would work to lure big companies to the region.
Bradford said she’d like to see policies that focus more on making the area attractive, rather than giving tax breaks to big business.
“I would support economic development policies that focus less on financial incentives and more on things that are best and important to business and industry,” she said. “An educated workforce, sound infrastructure and good quality of life for their employees and families — those things matter to businesses and they matter to our citizens.”
Taylor said the district needs to provides the types of job skills and services that companies are looking for.
“This is an opportunity for us to flourish here,” he said. “I’d take on that challenge by making sure we reinvest and put our money where our mouth is.”
Wynn, who said she would like to continue working with the city of Starkville hinted at some development news possibly coming “pretty soon.” She added that adding westbound flight to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport would be a boon in attracting businesses. The airport has been trying to attract westbound flight for several years.
“It only flies out eastbound,” she said. “It doesn’t fly west. So when you have our recruiters here in town, they have to look at that.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.