PASCGAOULA, Mississippi-insurance, education, and redistricting is among the top issues of the new plant in Southeast Mississippi legislators plan to tackle them as a step to their new role. Overshadowing it all, they say, is a State budget that does not contain enough to satisfy all wants and needs.
“It is very easy to do many things when You have a lot of money,” said Manly Barton, former Jackson County supervisor who fill the seat left vacant by his friend Frank Hamilton in district 109. “It will be more challenging. If You give a man a dollar You have to take from others. “
One of the areas they are angling for the dollar, education and the new arrivals said they expect to take an active role in crafting the Bill such as those for the introduction of Charter schools. Charter School idea is favored by Senator Michael Watson, R-Pascagoula, among other things, but have met with opposition from some educators.
Tony Smith, a small businessman in Picayune was elected to represent District 47, is a former School Board member and said he found himself more and more interested in serving on the Education Committee.
Smith said he has put forth a bill that would allow voting absentee in the election of school boards.