WEST POINT — Mississippi House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, shared some economic optimism Monday as the inaugural speaker for the West Point Growth Alliance”s legislative forum series.
Speaking at the first “Issues and Eggs” forum at City Hall, McCoy highlighted pending legislation that would offer incentive loans to small business owners and another aimed at specialty farmers.
McCoy, a farmer himself, hailed House Bill 1681, which offers loans to sweet potato farmers hit hard by recent rains who are unable to secure typical insurance.
“They were just wiped out, and it”s hard for them to get crop insurance. Banks will not insure them like other crops,” said McCoy.
Sweet potato farming generates an estimated $70 million in Mississippi. The orange potatoes aren”t a cash crop in the Golden Triangle, but McCoy says this corner of the state is holding its own in other ways.
“It”s hard to find a place in the nation that has greater possibilities than the Golden Triangle does to attract and retain business and industry,” said McCoy. “You”ve been able to take advantage of all we”ve done in transportation, education, health, law enforcement and all the economic packages we have.”
West Point Mayor Scott Ross pointed out the role McCoy played in establishing some of those opportunities during his introduction.
The average teacher salary since McCoy took office in 1980, for instance, has increased from $7,000 to $40,000 Ross explained. McCoy was chairman of the House Education Committee for several years during that time.
The speaker of the house also served as vice chair for the transportation committee in 1987 when a new highway program was passed that helped Mississippi generate over 1,000 miles of four-lane highway.
“(Education and transportation) have been two of his passions. And he”s supported every economic development project this area has brought forward,” said Ross. “Our transportation infrastructure and educational offerings are results of things he”s been directly involved in.”
Ward 1 Selectman Rod Bobo was more impressed with McCoy”s thoughts on the economic future of Mississippi and struggling municipalities like West Point.
“His most important point to me was that we have to continue doing what we”ve been doing with respect to managing the budget to come out of this (economic) crisis,” said Bobo.
McCoy says he”s been following affairs in the Golden Triangle closely, including the funding situation faced by Mississippi University for Women.
With regard to Gov. Haley Barbour”s proposed merger between MUW and Mississippi State, as well as the state”s historically black colleges, McCoy says the House isn”t buying the governor”s projected savings.
“That has not received any support in the house so far. We could merge cities and counties. We could do a lot of merging. But merger is not the answer to our economic problems at this time,” he said.
Furthermore, he says the schools” recent agreement to share two degree programs and investigate consolidating administrative duties shouldn”t be mistaken for the first stages of a merger.
“That”s a far cry from merging the entities or institutions themselves,” he said. “I just think (MUW) needs to get about the business of providing quality programs, and the rest will take care of itself.”
Despite the state”s revenue shortfalls, agricultural losses, unemployment and lag in education, McCoy remains the eternal optimist.
“We must be optimistic. If we weren”t, we would just quit,” he said.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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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 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
