Mississippi

Could Mississippi get rid of its state income tax? What Mid-South residents should know

Published

11 months ago

January 22, 2025

Could Mississippi get rid of its state income tax? What Mid-South residents should know

The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a tax cut that would eliminate the state income tax among other measures.

There is uncertainty as to whether the Senate will pass the Bill, as leadership there is considering a different approach to tax cuts. House Bill 1, referred to as the Build Up Mississippi Act, would not go into effect until Fiscal Year 2027 if passed this year.

Here’s what to know about the state’s income tax and what would come of HB 1.

Mississippi state income tax

House Bill No. 1, dubbed the Build Up Mississippi Act, passed with 88 votes. Of them, at least nine were Democrats and two were independents. There were 24 no votes, consisting only of Democrats.

If the Bill is passed by both committees, it would:

Eliminate $2.2 billion in income tax revenues over 10 years. The cut would become active once the state’s income tax is phased down to 4% by Fiscal Year 2027.
Reduce state sales tax on groceries from 7% to 2.5% while adjusting tax structure on other items to offset the costs.
Removes state sales tax diversions to municipalities and replaces it with a local-option 1.5% local sales tax. Cities will have the option to opt-out of this tax structure. Lamar said this will result in local tax revenue increases across the state.
Sales tax collected at 1.5% in counties will be diverted to road and bridge infrastructure needs at the county level.
Add a fuel sales tax of 5% on retail sale of gasoline. This would be in addition to the state fuel tax already imposed. Lamar said this would add $400 million to the state budget, and all of those additional funds would go to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for road and bridge projects.
The $80 million that was going to MDOT per year from gambling revenue will now be headed toward the Public Employee Retirement Systems of Mississippi to address a $25 billion deficit in future retirement benefits.
Establishes a “budget stabilization fund” that will act as a secondary rainy-day fund.

The bill, however, will not include an income tax cut for sex workers in Mississippi, who will be taxed at 5% of their income once the tax cut is fully phased in.

Before voting on the bill, several Democrats questioned whether the tax package would actually end up costing the state more money down the road and causing revenue shortfalls. They also questioned whether moving to a consumption-based economy would result in poorer people paying more money out of pockets because of increases in costs due to the new gas tax and sales tax model.

After 2016 when the state passed several tax cuts, revenue shortfalls ensued, causing former Gov. Phil Bryant to make emergency budget cuts several times. Numerous county Mississippi State Department of Health County offices closed and state grant matches for federally funded infrastructure projects were put at risk.

Under the House plan, sales taxes excluding groceries would essentially amount to 8.5%, which still puts Mississippi at a lower sales tax than its neighbors. Mississippi has an average sales tax of 7.06% when combining state and local taxes.

Arkansas and Tennessee taxes

Arkansas has a state income tax between 2% and 4.40%. Depending on how much a person earns, they can pay more or less in taxes. Here, the sales tax is 6.5%. Combined, local and state sales taxes come out to be about 9.45% which makes it the third most expensive for sales tax. Arkansas’ grocery tax is 0.125% making it the lowest grocery tax of the 13 states that still have one.

Tennessee does not have a state income tax and is one of eight states to not have one. The sales tax in Tennessee is 7% but ends up being about 9.55% when coupled with local sales taxes. This makes Tennessee the second for most expensive sales taxes in the country behind Louisiana with 9.56%. The grocery tax is 4% in Tennessee making it the fifth most expensive state for groceries.

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Mississippi

No snow in a Mississippi Christmas – Meridian Star

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

No snow in a Mississippi Christmas

Published 11:11 am Monday, December 22, 2025

From the looks of the weather forecast, it appears I am going to be disappointed again this year: no White Christmas, no one-horse open sleigh ride, and no chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Our songs and traditions this time of year sure paint a pretty picture! Unfortunately, almost every Christmas season I’ve ever experienced in Mississippi has found me wearing shorts on Christmas Day. I think the forecast calls for a high of 74 degrees on Christmas Eve, 73 on Christmas Day, and 75 the day after.

Even though the weather disappoints me, I love my Christmas traditions. As silly as it sounds for a grown man, I love Christmas socks and wear them throughout the year. I grew up with a mom who made fresh eggnog. I haven’t had any homemade in years, but I purchase some every season.

In true Clark Griswold fashion, no Christmas would be complete without proper outdoor Christmas illumination. To make it even funnier, you can’t see my lights unless you come up our very rural driveway. Yes, the lights are just for me.

Speaking of Clark and company, my sweet indulgent wife always watches Christmas Vacation at least once each season with me. And then there are my other favorite Christmas shows and movies: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, the Grinch, and Home Alone. (Also, I vote that Die Hard is a Christmas movie.)

And because my wife indulges me, I’ve been known to indulge her by sleeping through, er, I mean watching a Hallmark Christmas movie or two. She’s just blessed like that. What a guy I am!

But moving on from praising myself, when my oldest son got married, his wife brought us a new Christmas tradition: the Christmas Pickle ornament. You hide it on the tree, and whoever finds it gets to open the first present. I’m not sure that one has much of a future. Nevertheless, I unabashedly love Christmas.

Here’s my Christmas rule: “If you quit believing in Santa Claus, you get clothes for Christmas.” Not this guy. I’m all in it for the toys. (You may be familiar with the adage that the only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys—I resemble that remark.)

And in case you are wondering what to get me, my sizes are .45, 9mm, .233, .22, .380, and 12 gauge. Smile! It’s all in good fun.

In the immortal words of Clark Griswold, “Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together.”

And we are. May your blessings be great, and your opportunities and abilities to bless others be even greater.

Merry Christmas!

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”

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Mississippi

Giant lazy Susans bring people together at Mississippi restaurant

Published

13 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Giant lazy Susans bring people together at Mississippi restaurant

A unique style of dining, featuring a giant lazy Susan and tables seating upwards of 15 people, invites people to step out of their comfort zones to share a meal with strangers. (AP Video: Sophie Bates)

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Mississippi

MCBB: Epps, Hubbard help Mississippi State survive frenetic finish in 71-66 win over Memphis – SuperTalk Mississippi

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

MCBB: Epps, Hubbard help Mississippi State survive frenetic finish in 71-66 win over Memphis – SuperTalk Mississippi

Jayden Epps scored 19 points and Josh Hubbard scored 17 points and Mississippi State fought off Memphis for a 71-66 win on Saturday.

The Bulldogs overcame 29% shooting (6 of 21) from 3-point range and shooting 55% (18 of 33) from inside the arc. Overall Mississippi State (7-5) finished at 44% (24 of 54).

Reserve Curtis Givens III scored 18 points, fellow reserve Aaron Bradshaw scored 12 and Ashton Hardaway 11 for Memphis (4-7).

A three-point play by Givens with 8:12 left gave the Tigers their first lead of the second half, 53-50. Hubbard’s basket gave the Bulldogs the lead back, and his two foul shots with 3:03 remaining made it 61-58 and they led the remainder.

After Givens made a 3 to get Memphis within 69-66 with 23 seconds to go, following a Mississippi State timeout, Dug McDaniel stole Shawn Jones Jr.’s inbounds pass and saved the ball before landing out of bounds. Memphis secured the ball, but in the frantic activity, the Tigers gave it back to Mississippi State when Julius Thedford threw it out of bounds in a miscommunication with a teammate.

After being fouled with 15 seconds left, Hubbard sank two foul shots to seal it.

The Bulldogs now have won three straight and four of their last five.