JACKSON -- Several years ago, Charles Young, D-Meridian, was asked to be on a panel because of his position as chair of the House Universities and Colleges Committee.

Young made a lot of points that day, but he placed the greatest emphasis not on universities and higher education, but on providing early childhood education. He said for the state to progress that must happen.

Now everyone from Republican Gov. Haley Barbour on down is talking about the importance of early childhood education. When Young made his points, everyone was not. It would have been easy for Young that day to just talk about the universities and colleges that he provided oversight of as chair of the House committee. That is what members of the audience expected.

But Young was talking about what he believed was important for the progress of the state.

Charles Young died Wednesday morning. He has had physical limitations in recent years, but mentally remained sharp as a member of a legislative chamber he loved in a state he loved.

In the era he grew up, it would have been easy for Young, age 77, an African American, to not love Mississippi. But Young did and worked to make it better.

 

JACSON -- Mississippi's ornate state Capitol was closed Monday for Confederate Memorial Day.

Except for security, a few dedicated staffers and your humble scribe, the Capitol was empty. All that will change Tuesday when House and Senate negotiators trying to reach a compromise on how much -- if any -- to increase the state's cigarette tax will meet.

On Confederate Memorial Day, on the eve of the cigarette tax negotiations, there is talk of compromise.

A little recap might be in order. Mississippi's current cigarette tax is 18 cents per-pack, which is third lowest in the nation at more than $1 below the national average and 46 cents per-pack below the average of the contiguous states. 

The House negotiators are proposing a 75-cent-per-pack tax while the Senate negotiators are offering a 64-cent-per-pack tax.

While it has been like pulling teeth, do not be surprised if there is a compromise -- finally -- on Tuesday. Smart money is at 68 cents per pack.

The fight over increasing the cigarette tax has been ongoing for about four years. This is the closest the House Democratic leadership has come to achieving its goal of increasing the tax.

In the past, It has be blocked by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour and his Republican Senate allies . But Barbour has indicated he will sign a tax increase this year as long as it is based on a conservative estimate of  the amount of money the tax will generate.

So on the day set aside to honor those lost in the Civil War, there is talk of compromise on the most divisive issue of recent legislative sessions.

 

 

JACKSON --Mississippi Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, definitely sounds like a candidate against Democrat Travis Childers of Booneville for the District 1 U.S. House seat in 2010.

The loss of the seat to the Democrats in 2008 was a major blow for the Republican National Committee. The District 1 seat will, no doubt, will be among the Republican National Committee's top targeted seats in 2010.

Many believe Nunnelee will be an appealing candidate. Childers said recently he expects to have a opponent in 2010, and was humble when asked about the outcome. But he sounded self-assured when he said "nobody will work harder than me" to keep the seat.

As Appropriations Committee chair, Nunnelee would be one of the most powerful state legislators to run for another post during the middle of his or her term.

I documented Sunday the difficulty state legislators have running for other posts during the middle of a term. There is a litany of legislators who have run and lost. But I mistakenly said Senate President Pro Term Billy Hewes, R-Gulfport, was among those who ran for a congressional seat and lost. That was his father.

Still, after taking Hewes out of the equation, there is a long list of legislators who ran unsuccessfully for other seats

But it can be done. A few have been successful. That is what Nunnelee will build his hopes on if he does undertake the race.

 

 

JACKSON -- The fact that Gov. Haley Barbour refused to say during a recent interview how large of a cigarette tax increase would be acceptable to him is at least interesting and might be  enlightening.

House and Senate negotiators are trying to reach a compromise on how much -- if any -- to increase the cigarette tax. Senate negotiators have cited potential Barbour opposition and a possible veto as a reason to keep the tax increase lower than the House leaders want.

In his budget proposal released last year, Barbour called for a modest 24-cent-per-pack increase.

But when asked recently how high of an increase he would accept, Barbour said, "I will sign a bill that has an honest revenue estimate." Based on that answer, Barbour seems more concerned that legislators get as accurate an estimate as possible of how much revenue a cigarette tax would generate and cares less about the size of the increase

People who know the Republican governor understand he is far from a shrinking violet.  He is not shy about voicing his opinion -- especially about possible legislative action he might oppose.

In past years, Barbour has led the successfull effort to prevent the enactment of a cigarette tax increase. But not this year.

The effort to hold down the size of the tax increase is being led right now by Senate leaders and not by Barbour.

 

 

JACKSON -- Gov. Haley Barbour, nearing the end of his second legislative session of his second term, is quickly reaching the point where he could be considered a lame duck.

Right?

Don't count on it.

Consider as proof his  politically brave veto of legislation to provide a $2,000 tax break to furniture manufacturers for each cut and sew employee.

On final passage, not one of the 174 House and Senate members voted against the bill.

Yet, it appears the Senate leaders will not even go through the ordeal of trying to override Barbour's veto of the proposal, knowing they cannot garner the two-thirds majority to succeed.

Well into his sixth legislative session, the Republican governor still has not been overridden. The House has garnered the votes to do so once, but the Senate has a zero rate of success in overriding the governor.

Lame duck?

Not yet.

 

 

JACKSON -- State Auditor Stacey Pickering was not asked Monday during an appearance at the Mississippi State Stennis Institute/capitol press corps luncheon about his future plans.

The monthly event brings together newsmakers, journalists, lobbyists and others to break bread. It has almost become a custom to ask the speaker about future political plans.

Pickering was not asked Monday. Maybe I should have asked, but I was waiting on someone else to pop the question.

At any rate, there is less speculation about whether the first-term Republican auditor will choose in 2011 to seek another office -- such as lieutenant governor or governor.

But Pickering makes an attractive candidate. He is one of the better communicators on the Mississippi political scene and he has a firm grasp of issues.

Plus, he comes off as comfortable in his own skin. Sometimes, politicians do not.

 

 

JACKSON -- Confusion abounds on what the Legislature did by recessing  this past Wednesday.

The legislative session is supposed be up to 90 days as mandated by the state Constitution with the exception of once every four years at the start of a term when it is 125 days. The Legislature can  vote to stay longer, but that costs money, and, of course, it  always can finish early..

This past week the Legislature left four days early with the understanding it would come back to craft a state budget when more information is gleaned about how the federal stimulus funds can be plugged into the budget.

It made sense to leave and come back after more information is obtained. It stands to reason that if House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and Gov. Haley Barbour can agree it has to be the right decision.

The important  thing to remember is that legislators can still finish within the 90 days if they get their ducks in row and budget leaders and other key members can hammer out all the differences before they come back.

But remember the legislative process is difficult and, often times, disagreement is part of the system. It also should be pointed out that  staying past 90 days in a regular session costs less money than coming back in special session.

But let's not think about disagreement. Let's be optimistic and assume they will finish their work within four days and get out in 90 days or less.

 

 

JACKSON -- Some House Republicans apparently still are complaining that Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, adjourned the House Wednesday, sending them home for about a month or until he and Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant agree to call them back.

Granted, it appeared on the voice vote that those opposed to adjourning were louder and several members stood up asking for a recorded roll call. The proper thing for the speaker to have done would have been to have a recorded vote.

He was wrong. But many members were yelling not to adjourn as an April Fools' Day joke They told me as much.

Some members, though, were serious They wanted to stay to work on a way to replenish a fund that provides money to local governments to hold down the cost of tag tags.

True, if nothing is done, in July the cost of car tags will go up statewide -- nearly double in costs in some counties.

The car tag issue is caught up in the inability of the House and Senate negotiators to agree on how much to increase the cigarette tax. While the Legislature is out of session, those members who are negotiating a cigarette tax agreement can still work on a compromise.

What would have happened if the Legislature did not go home Wednesday? A vast majority of the 174 members -- probably about 160 -- would have had nothing to do, but sit around drawing $109 per day in expense money while a handful of negotiators tried to reach a settlement. That's nearly $19,000 per day in costs.

By going home, the members save the state money and hopefully an agreement can be worked out by the time they come back. And besides, it would do members good to return home and  see their constituents -- instead of the lobbyists and the journalists who permeate the halls of the Capitol.

It was interesting to contrast the two chambers Wednesday. Republican Bryant, who presides over the Senate, and McCoy agreed the members should go home while work on a  proposed compromise is done.

In the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans agreed with Bryant  and uttered nary a protest.

In the House, many of the Republicans did not agree with McCoy and there were protests.

JACKSON -- Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, gets the award for having either the best of bravest April Fools' Day joke.

The state House chamber got real quiet Wednesday morning when Flaggs requested a petition he had filed be read. The petition called for a noon vote on the office of speaker.

Considering the razor-thin margin current Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, was elected to the post last year, the petition got the attention of everyone.

But the mood relaxed as the whole of the document was read.

"There shall only be one candidate for the position...none other than the senior gentleman from Warren County, the highly esteemed and most honorable George Flaggs Jr., whose most endearing quality is his sincere humility...In his first act as speaker, he will...declare in a loud voice 'April Fools.'"

A few minutes later, McCoy had it announced that he was taking applications for a new chairman of the Banking and Financial Services Committee.

Flaggs, by the way, is chair of that committee and one of McCoy's closest advisers.

JACKSON -- Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant's leadership team, led by Finance Chairman Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, has been reluctant to embrace the larger cigarette tax hike supported by the leadership team of House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi.

Kirby has consistently argued that a larger increase would result in people leaving the state to purchase cigarettes.

Peter Fisher, the vice president for state issues at the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, disputed some of those claims Tuesday during a visit to the Mississippi Capitol.

First of all, Fisher said an increase of 82 cents per pack, as proposed by the House leadership, would keep 26,000 teen-agers from smoking and would result in a decline of 13.9 percent among young smokers.

In addition, Fisher said in 2007 Texas increased its cigarette tax by $1 to $1.41 while neighboring Louisiana remained at 36 cents per pack. The result was that Louisiana tax revenue increased by 1.2 percent while revenue in Texas went up a whopping 192 percent.

Fisher said that indicated a few Texans crossed the state line to buy cigarettes, but not many.

Senate leaders are in a difficult position. They know an increase in the cigarette tax is popular. By the same token, they have thus far argued for keeping any tax hike on the low side.

They also know that the House has passed an increase so many times only to see it die in the Senate that if it dies this year the Senate will be blamed.