Legislators report to board

District 52 representative Bill Kinkade and District 10 senator Neil Whaley passed through the Marshall County Board of Supervisors at the May 6 meeting to make a brief report before returning to work at the state capitol in Jackson.

Kinkade said several landmark bills were brought forward in the 2024 session.

Senate Bill 3231, that would increase the contributions to the Mississippi Personnel Employee Retirement System were taken up. The bill discussed a two percent increase in agency contributions over 10 years, but settled for a 0.5 percent increase each year from 2024 to 2028. The number of actuaries were increased, he said.

Whaley said a 10 percent tax increase would have been required without PERS approval.

The legislature put $110 million into PERS to shore up a shortfall, Whaley said.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry asked what the role of actuaries are. Kinkade said the two actuaries are just advisors to the PERS board of directors.

Whaley said the PERS board said an increase in funding was needed and then created three actuaries who must all agree on any advice they give the PERS board.

SB 3231 passed by a vote of 107-1 and was sent to the governor for his signature.

Whaley said nothing changed with the benefits retirees will receive.

“That’s a very important message to get our there,” Whaley said. “The 0.5 percent is the employer’s contribution (cities, counties and state employers).

The bill would have increased the employer contribution to two percent instead of 10 percent, Whaley said.

The formula for funding education, in HB 4130, was changed and will now be calculated based on the student enrollment average, Whaley said. The local funding has not changed.

Whaley said nothing is perfect and bills have to be tweaked. He congratulated the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority and Board of Supervisors on reeling in the Project Poppy factory that will manufacture batteries.

“It is truly life changing for this county,” he said.

The legislature also will put in lots of money into education in the next 30 years, Whaley said.

“I appreciate all the work put in over the year to get it to this point,” he said.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor praised the Industrial Development Authority for purchasing the land to help get the Project Poppy site.

“That infrastructure need is going to magnify,” Kinkade said, giving examples of all the feeder roads that must be built to tie Holly Springs to Mt. Pleasant.

He said Marshall County will not be able to count on state dollars to fill all its infrastructure needs.

“We will need Federal (money),” he said. “Our need in the next five years is going to be a mess. Growth is not easy.”

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III asked where the Medicaid expansion bill stood with the Legislature.

“It died,” Whaley said. Kinkade said the sticking point in that bill was a work requirement. “It’s not good idea if it limits a person to 30 hours a week,” Whaley said. “The salary was held down.” He said he does not think a better society can be built by taking care of people who will not help themselves. HB 1725 died in conference.

Kinkade said the ballot initiative did not pass.

“It is fodder for legislation down the road,” he said.

Whaley said the most important thing needed now in the county for growth is more housing. He said volunteer fire departments and the police force and fire rating are important needs for growth.

The county received money for volunteer fire departments, he said.

“We are trying to get funding for equipment up to speed,” Whaley said.

Taylor asked if there is a plan to get Highway 311 paved.

“I think we are addressing Cayce Road with State Aid money,” Taylor said.

Whaley said Highway 178 from the DeSoto County line to Holly Springs needs improvement.

“Cayce Road is not wide enough to get more trucks,” Taylor said.

Whaley said the legislature is working on putting a team together to go to Washington, D.C., three to five of the right people.

“Red Banks Road is important,” Whaley said.

Terry said the county is having growing pains.

“I asked people to be patient and today we are talking about growing pains,” he said. “If you are stagnant, you are regressive.”