Geoff Pender

3 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Geoff Pender

Sometime within the last decade or so, setting the Mississippi state budget became a top-secret affair, closely guarded even against many of the lawmakers who are, ostensibly, tasked with setting it. Why, rank-and-file legislators even have difficulty getting a spreadsheet that clearly shows what’s being proposed until just before they are expected to vote on the more than 100 bills — thousands of pages — that make up the multi-billion budget.

3 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Geoff Pender |Taylor Vance |Michael Goldberg

State Rep. Omeria Scott of Laurel helps unpack the tumultuous two-day special session of the Mississippi Legislature last week and the $7.1 billion budget lawmakers passed. Scott, a longtime veteran lawmaker, is known for digging in deep on state budgets and spending, and for speaking her mind to leadership on both sides of the aisle. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

1 month ago | mississippitoday.org | Geoff Pender

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday it is investigating Democrat Sonya Williams Barnes’ campaign for Gulfport mayor after allegations that residents had received meal vouchers in exchange for voting. In a letter addressed to Barnes, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said her office “has reason to believe” the candidate violated several state campaign finance laws.

1 month ago | mississippitoday.org | Geoff Pender

James Carville says Democrats lost in 2024 but, “We played our seventh-string quarterback and still only lost by a point-and-a-half.” He said a serious Democratic challenger (and he has a particular one in mind) could provide an upset in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race. Carville, who has for years had a home on the Mississippi Coast, explains his long-running ties to the Magnolia State.

1 month ago | starherald.net | Geoff Pender

Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Brad White tells Mississippi Today’s Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance he’s staying “in his lane” and out of the politics of a House tax overhaul that would eliminate the income tax and raise sales and gasoline taxes, but that he’s pleased lawmakers are trying to address the long running need for a s