Ronnie Musgrove in 2001 Governor's State of the State speeches

On Budget & Economy: Attract new businesses; develop existing ones

The impact of the Advantage Mississippi Initiative has already been measured by the success of attracting Nissan.
The Advantage Mississippi Initiative established a rural development office responsible for targeting smaller communities and manufacturers.
With the new Capital Access Program, more Mississippi entrepreneurs than ever will have access to the resources they need to start small businesses across our state.
By maximizing specific capabilities and assets, the On-TARGET Community Certification Program can assist local communities recruit, retain and grow businesses tailored to their communities.
But don’t forget, we have a commitment to businesses that are already here in Mississippi, and we are just as committed to helping them thrive and prosper.

Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

On Crime: Teach prisoners skills by building senior housing

Mississippi’s prison population is growing rapidly. Building our way out of this crisis is not an option even in the most prosperous times. We can’t just change prisons; we have to change lives. We have a unique opportunity to address two seemingly unrelated needs. We believe we have found a way to offer older Mississippians smaller, affordable homes of their own while driving down the number of offenders returning to our prisons by helping them change careers. Inmates can learn advanced carpentry, wiring, and roofing skills inside the penitentiary fences by building low-cost, energy-efficient, quality homes designed with elderly Mississippians in mind for purchase and placement on their property anywhere in Mississippi. Building homes for our parents and grandparents builds real opportunity for offenders and expands the pool of skilled workers for the future. Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

On Education: Remove the 5% cap on teacher pay

Our children won’t learn without qualified, inspired teachers in the classroom. Mississippi’s teachers continue to outshine teachers in other states. Our national board certification numbers are a resounding testament to their commitment to teaching. Removing the 5% revenue growth condition on pay increases would be a strong testament to our commitment to Mississippi’s teachers. Nothing less than fully funding adequate education, the critical teacher shortage act, and our teacher pay plan will do. Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

On Education: Universities: settle the Ayers Case

We are asking our community colleges and universities to take a greater role in economic development from recruiting industries, to research and development. If we are going to utilize our Universities to the fullest, then the Ayers Case must be settled. Twenty-five years is long enough. It is time to move on. Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

On Health Care: Medical Education Scholarships for rural doctors

The creation last year of Medical Education Scholarship Programs provides full scholarships for up to twenty new recipients each year provided they agree to serve ten years in family medicine in a critical needs area of our state. In tandem with licensing physicians’ assistants we will begin to see the expansion of access to health care particularly in rural areas. Continuing the effort to recruit doctors and other health care providers to rural Mississippi remains a top priority. Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

On Health Care: Invest in state employees’ health plan, despite budget

Mississippi’s package of health benefits for state employees may be better than some states across our nation, but it’s not good enough. As with private plans, deductibles continue to increase while coverage seems to shrink every year. We must not use the budget as an excuse to avoid tackling the difficult issues in health care. We may not solve all the problems with health insurance costs quickly, but we can begin with a sound investment in the health insurance we offer our state employees. Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

The above quotations are from 2001 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for other excerpts from 2001 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for other excerpts by Ronnie Musgrove. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Mar 14, 2021