$1-million in state funding approved for local projects
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By RUSSELL TURNER
Dispatch Editor
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Perry County officials received some good news out of the State Capitol this week as $1-million in state funds earmarked for local projects got a final stamp of approval from Gov. Tate Reeves.
Gov. Reeves on Monday vetoed portions of legislation passed by the legislature this past session that set aside $253-million in the state’s cash reserves to be spent on assorted projects around the state. Gov. Reeves nixed seven individual projects from dozens approved by the legislature, but two Perry County projects survived the governor’s veto pen. Because of that, local officials are planning to use $250,000 from the state to build a new fire station in Dist. 3, as well as $750,000 to make repairs to the county courthouse and other buildings.
“We are very pleased and very thankful for this funding from the state,” Perry County Board of Supervisors President Kevin Shows told The Dispatch on Wednesday. “This money will go a long way on our efforts to improve our courthouse and to boost fire protection in the county.”
Shows said the board plans to use the courthouse funding to upgrade the building’s HVAC system, with any leftover funds to go toward other upgrades.
“We have a beautiful courthouse, but over the years maintenance has been an issue,” Shows added. “We have recently finished up repairs to the roof and have plans for additional upgrades in the future.”
As for the line-item vetoes, Gov. Reeves nixed seven individual projects from dozens approved by the legislature. Among the items falling to the governor’s veto pen was $400,000 for an expansion project at one of the fastest-growing employers in the area, Deep South Machine Works in the Piave community of neighboring Greene County.
The Legislature’s approval of appropriations bills from around the state like these are often referred to as “Christmas tree” bills. And, while legislators have the power to approve the projects and appropriate the money for them, the state Constitution gives the governor authority to veto specific parts of the legislation while allowing the rest to become state law.
“I am for infrastructure investments – as that is a core function of government,” Reeves wrote on social media. “I am NOT for spending YOUR money on golf courses. I am NOT for giving away your money to private companies with no increased job requirements, no metrics and no accountability measures in place.”
The other six items nixed by the governor were:
– $2 million to Tupelo for the Blue Suede hotel development project
– n $250,000 to the city of Jackson for upgrades to the Pete Brown Golf Facility
– $650,000 to the CREATE Foundation to help purchase the Park Hotel building in Amory
– $100,000 to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors for surveillance cameras and neighborhood security for Norwood, Woodlea, Valley North, Northgate and Lakeover homeowners associations
– $250,000 to Stone County for improvements to the Magnolia Community Center Complex
– $500,000 to the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority for infrastructure repairs and upgrades
