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LATINO: More Than a Tax Cut – Mississippi Shifts Away from Big Government

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LATINO: More Than a Tax Cut – Mississippi Shifts Away from Big Government


Submitted by Russ Latino

The Mississippi Tax Freedom Act supplies speedy reduction to working-class households.

On April 5, Mississippi joined a small cadre of states which have just lately handed important tax reform. The Mississippi Tax Freedom Act supplies speedy reduction to working-class households, and when totally phased in over the following 4 years, will probably be the biggest tax minimize in state historical past.

Beneath the plan, Mississippi will create an income-tax exemption increased than any state within the nation subsequent yr by totally eliminating tax legal responsibility on the decrease of two income-tax brackets. Single filers won’t pay earnings taxes on the primary $18,300 of their earnings, whereas married {couples} submitting collectively won’t pay earnings taxes on the primary $36,600.

For context, the federal poverty stage is $13,590 for a single-person family and $32,470 for a five-person family. This exemption-first method will lead to most low-income staff having no state-income-tax legal responsibility within the first yr of the plan and is a deviation from different states which have primarily centered their efforts on fee reductions.

The break couldn’t come at a greater time, with inflation including an estimated $300 a month to the common household’s bills.

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Mississippi beforehand operated with three income-tax brackets. Between 2016 and 2021, it phased out the three % bracket that utilized to the primary $5,000 in earnings. On account of the Tax Freedom Act, it’ll eradicate the present 4 % bracket, which applies to the second $5,000 earnings. The 5 % bracket would be the solely factor that’s left, making Mississippi one among ten states that function with a flat tax. In years two via 4 of the plan, the state income-tax fee will drop a full proportion level, from 5 % to 4 %, making Mississippi’s flat fee one of many lowest within the nation. In whole, the bundle represents a $525 million tax minimize.

The settlement comes after two years of intense public debate between the state’s Republican management, with Governor Tate Reeves and Home Speaker Philip Gunn calling for full repeal of the earnings tax.

In every of the final two legislative classes, the Mississippi Home handed plans for full elimination in hopes of becoming a member of Tennessee, Texas, and Florida amongst states that function with out an earnings tax. The case for gradual elimination was bolstered by back-to-back billion-dollar state-revenue surpluses in fiscal years 2021 and 2022, together with over $4 billion accumulating in reserves.

These plans bumped into roadblocks within the Mississippi Senate. Senators raised issues concerning the sustainability of the state’s present income image and the necessity to make investments in sure authorities providers that had been perceived as uncared for. These issues had been based, partly, on questions concerning the revenue-boosting impact of the $35 billion in federal assist that poured into Mississippi throughout the Covid pandemic.

Negotiations had been additionally stymied by a gentle weight-reduction plan of more and more advanced proposals for tax offsets and development triggers, and low-value gimmicks, resembling a brief gas-tax moratorium. A number of weeks in the past, talks seemed to be at an deadlock. To their credit score, state leaders stored speaking. They stripped away the fats to get to easy, stable coverage.

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And what Mississippi ended up with was a great compromise — one which responsibly allowed the legislature to spend money on key priorities, like a $250 million trainer pay increase, whereas nonetheless returning to staff extra of what they earn than in any earlier tax-relief plan.

I’ve known as Mississippi house for many of my life, and my house has been misunderstood. One explicit level of confusion is over our political and financial temperament. Whereas Mississippi is kind of conservative socially, with regards to financial thought, we’re traditionally protectionist and extra dependent on state and federal authorities largess for our survival than nearly each different state.

On the core of the tax debate was a philosophical query about whether or not that dependency would ever lead to significant prosperity. Previous efficiency and current situation — the worst labor-force-participation fee, lowest earnings ranges, highest poverty, and second-shortest life expectancy within the nation — urged it might not. If not, the quandary then turned one about what situations would possibly create an environment for development and alternative. The conclusion was to consider in folks as the first drivers of wellbeing — to raised empower them to spend money on their households, their companies and their communities.

The transfer of our legislature, whereas it might on its face look typical of a crimson state, represents a paradigm shift for Mississippi. It additionally could show to be a mannequin for different states, not solely with the simplicity, effectivity, and equity of its reform, however on the worth of sincere, exhausting discourse that results in the event of higher concepts.

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Submitted by Russ Latino. He’s the President of Empower Mississippi, a non-profit think-tank that advances schooling, work, and justice reforms in pursuit of serving to all Mississippians rise.



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Mississippi

AstraZeneca Loses Bid to Block Mississippi Drug Discount Law

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AstraZeneca Loses Bid to Block Mississippi Drug Discount Law


AstraZeneca PLC’s attempt to block a Mississippi law that requires it to distribute discounted drugs to an unlimited number of pharmacies was rejected by a federal judge Monday.

The pharmaceutical giant has not demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on the merits as to any of its claims against Mississippi’s law (H.B.728), according to an opinion from Judge Louis Guirola Jr. at the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

At issue before the court was whether the law, which outlaws any effort to deny, restrict, or prohibit drug discounts to pharmacies that contract with providers …



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Mississippi Lottery: Mega Millions prize is $944M for Dec. 24 drawing.

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Mississippi Lottery: Mega Millions prize is 4M for Dec. 24 drawing.


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Someone could be in for a very merry Christmas. The Mega Millions jackpot for Christmas Eve is an estimated $944 million. Bringing home the better part of a billion dollars would make just about anyone’s day merry and bright.

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The winning numbers will be drawn just after 10 p.m. Central, and the cash option is $429.4 million.

A $1.1 billion-winning ticket was sold in New Jersey earlier this year, and that prize hasn’t been claimed. Winners in New Jersey have up to a year to claim a jackpot.

In Mississippi, drawing winners must claim their prize within 180 days, and if you win, you can claim it anonymously.

Here’s what you need to know about top jackpots and how to play Mega Millions in Mississippi, including where you can buy tickets and how to claim the prize if you win.

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Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

How to play the Mega Millions

In order to buy a ticket, you’ll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store. In a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online, but Mississippi isn’t one of them.

To play, you will need to pick six numbers. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball is one number between 1 and 25. 

If you believe the odds are against you, ask for a ”Quick Pick” or an ”Easy Pick,” the computer will randomly generate the numbers for you. 

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Players can add the ”Megaplier” for $1, which can increase non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four or five times. The Megaplier is drawn before the Mega Millions numbers on Tuesday and Friday.

There are 15 Megapiler balls in all:

  • 2X, five balls.
  • 3X, six balls.
  • 4X, three balls.
  • 5X, one ball.

What are the top Mega Millions jackpots?  

According to the lottery, the following jackpots are the Top 10 jackpots that have been won as of Oct. 4:  

  1. $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023; a Florida player  
  2. $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018; a South Carolina player  
  3. $1.348 billion, Jan.13, 2023; a Maine player  
  4. $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022; an Illinois player  
  5. $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024; a New Jersey payer 
  6. $1.050 billion, Jan. 22, 2021; a Michigan player 
  7. $810 million, Sept. 10, 2024; a Texas player 
  8. $656 million, March 30, 2012; a player from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland 
  9. $648 million, Dec. 17,2013; a player from California and Georgia 
  10. $552 million, June 4, 2024; an Illinois player  

I won the lottery in Mississippi! What next?

The Mississippi Lottery advises people to sign the back of their winning ticket immediately.

If your prize is less than $600, you can claim that at any place that sells Mississippi Lottery tickets.

If you win $600-$99,999, you can claim by mail or by going to the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters in Flowood.

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All prizes more than $100,000 must be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters.



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Texas A&M transfer edge rusher Malick Sylla signs with rival SEC school

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Texas A&M transfer edge rusher Malick Sylla signs with rival SEC school


Former Texas A&M edge rusher Malick Sylla will transfer to play for Mississippi State this upcoming season, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. Sylla played the past three seasons with the Aggies and will have one year of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-6 edge rusher appeared in eight games this past season to finish with six total tackles and two sacks. He played in 33 total contests across his career in College Station to record 26 tackles (six for loss) and four sacks.

Sylla played high school football for Katy (TX), where he was a four-star prospect out of the 2022 class. He ranked as the No. 124 overall player and No. 12 edge rusher in the cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“It was just the best opportunity for myself,” explained the 6-foot-6 and 245-pound Sylla to Maroon and White Daily. “I saw an opportunity to help them turn the program around. I have one year left and I want to make the most of that opportunity.”

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Prior to his commitment to the Bulldogs, Sylla also made visits with Syracuse and SMU. He is the 14th overall player and the second edge rusher that MSU has added through the portal so far, joining Nevaeh Sanders from Northern Illinois.

Malick Sylla ranks as the No. 295 overall player and No. 29 edge rusher according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player Rankings. He joins a Mississippi State team that is coming off of a 2-10 finish in the inaugural season under coach Jeff Lebby and will look to help bolster a unit that ranked last in the SEC in total defense.

The portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers.

So far this cycle, 2,079 players have entered the transfer portal with 551 of those already having committed to new schools.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

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The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.





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