INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION

Infrastructure and Transportation

Mississippi has found itself in a difficult situation when it comes to infrastructure, not only because of the neglected maintenance of our crumbling infrastructure, but because we have one too many times raided the coffers of other funds to support the deficiencies in MDOT funding.

As a result, a special session was needed this summer to address these deferments in maintenance, a painful mistake that has put our economy and safety at risk.

We cannot do that again.

While investing in our future infrastructure is a must, we need to resist adding flashy projects, and turn our focus to our most critical needs. It’s a hard decision at times, but, as with any business, you must be able to manage your vital assets so you are prepared when the times inevitably get tough.

That’s why infrastructure funding must be a focal point of our future budget talks. If we do not look into restructuring how we fund infrastructure, both on the state and local levels, we’re destined to find ourselves in the same predicament again. This will not only harm our economy, it will affect education, public safety, and other services our state provides. We can do this by moving away from income and high property taxes, and towards excise and sales taxes that will result in a more fiscally responsible, long-term solution.