‘Now’s our time to move.’ Coast now has power in Jackson with BP millions on the way.
Something’s happening in Jackson that’s new for South Mississippi — the Coast has people in high places in state government.
For years, Coast residents have griped that senators and representatives from Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties weren’t elected to top jobs in the state or appointed chairmen of the most important committees.
That changed when Michael Watson was elected as Secretary of State, the first Coast representative in a top office in decades.
Then Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn announced their selections for leadership of the money and other important Legislative committees. Several members of the Coast delegation now sit in those top roles in Jackson.
“We’ve got a great group and key chairmanships,” said Sen. Joel Carter, R-Gulfport, who is chairman of the Energy Committee. He also sits on the Finance, Tourism, Corrections and Highways and Transportation committees that are a focus of the Coast.
“We have more people on Appropriations and Ways and Means (committees) than the Coast has ever had,” said Rep. Richard Bennett, R-Long Beach. He chairs the House Education Committee and sits on Appropriations, Gaming, PEER and several other committees.
Along with these top jobs, South Mississippi has a huge infusion of cash coming, as the state receives $750 million over then next 15 years.
This money is for the economic damages from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is in addition to millions more earmarked for environmental projects on the Coast.
‘Now’s our time’
“Now’s our time to move. We’ve got to work together now,” Bennett said.
It’s especially important for cooperation among the Coast delegation, he said, but also to work with legislators from throughout the state.
“What’s good for the Coast is good for the state,” he said. The money coming to South Mississippi will pay dividends in state tax revenue of four to one for every dollar invested, he said.
In addition to the legislative appointments, Southern District Commissioner Tom King was named chairman of the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Dane Maxwell, newly elected as the southern commissioner, was chosen as president of the Public Service Commission and appointed to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Washington Action Committee.
BP, GOMESA funds?
Ashley Edwards, president of the Gulf Coast Business Council, said having more people in leadership than ever before gives the Coast a platform for its issues.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for the Coast,” Edwards said, especially coupled with the BP money and funds coming from GOMESA (Gulf of Mexico Security Act) to oil- and gas-producing states.
“It’s time to put these pieces together,” he said, and have projects and solutions ready to go.
It’s also critical to know how the money is spent, he said.
“Accountability is more important than ever,” he said. “We as the Coast business community have to make sure we’re doing our part to move this forward.”
Senate
These are the Senate committee leaders from the six southern counties, appointed by Hosemann:
- Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency — John Polk, (R-Hattiesburg, chair); Angela Burks Hill (R-Picayune and Marion, Pearl River counties), vice-chair
- Appropriations — Brice Wiggins, (R-Pascagoula), vice-chair
- County Affairs — Angela Burks Hill, chair
- Economic & Workforce Development — Jeremy England, (R-Jackson County), vice-chair
- Education — Dennis DeBar Jr., (R-George, Greene, Wayne counties), chair
- Energy — Joel R. Carter Jr., (R-Biloxi), chair
- Forestry — Joseph Seymour, (R-Vancleave), vice chair
- Gaming — Philip Moran, (R-Kiln), vice-chair
- Investigate State Offices — Mike Thompson, )R-Long Beach, Gulfport), chair
- Judiciary Division B — Brice Wiggins, chair
- Ports and Marine Resources — Philip Moran, chair; Mike Thompson, vice-chair
- Public Health and Welfare — John Polk, vice-chair
- Technology (new) — Scott DeLano, (R-Harrison County), chair
- Veterans and Military Affairs — Joseph Seymour, chair; Scott DeLano, vice-chair
Hosemann also named Wayne Rodolfich, superintendent of the Pascagoula-Gautier School District and Nicole Menotti, director of curriculum and Instruction at the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, to a state Administrator Advisory Council for public education.
House
These are the House committee leaders from the 6 Coast counties, appointed by Gunn:
- Appropriations — John Read (R-Gautier), chair
- Banking and Financial Services — Hank Zuber III (R-Ocean Springs, Jackson County), chair
- Constitution — Stacey Hobgood Wilkes (R-Pearl River County), vice-chair
- Education — Richard Bennett, chair
- Executive Contingent Fund — Carolyn Crawford (R-Pass Christian, Harrison County), chair
- Gaming — Casey Eure, (R-North Biloxi, D’Iberville, Harrison County) chairman, committee also has eight other members from Coast
- Investigate State Offices — Randall Patterson (R-Biloxi), chair
- Local & Private — Manly Barton (R-Jackson, George counties), chair
- Management — Richard Bennett, vice-chair
- Marine Resources — Timmy Ladner (R-Hancock, Pearl River, Stone counties), chair; Kevin Felsher (R-west Biloxi, Gulfport), vice-chair
- Ports, Harbors and Airports — Jeffrey Guice (R-St. Martin, Jackson County), chair
- Public Utilities — Brent Anderson (R-Bay St. Louis), vice-chair
- Rules — John Read, vice-chair
- State Library — Greg Haney (R-Gulfport, Harrison County), chair
- Transportation — Charles Busby (R-Pascagoula), chair
Gunn asked each House member to rank the committees on which they most wanted to serve. With both houses Republican-controlled, most of the chairmanships went to Republicans.
Sonya Williams-Barnes, a Democrat representing Gulfport, said in her newsletter she is “thrilled” to remain on committees she has served on for several years, such as Ports, Harbors and Airports, Marine Resources, Gaming and Tourism, and is looking forward to her new committee assignments on Banking and Judicial B.
This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘Now’s our time to move.’ Coast now has power in Jackson with BP millions on the way.."
