State of Mississippi Archives: on Tax Reform
David Baria:
Fight for real tax relief that won't benefit the rich
I have spent a lot of time talking about real tax relief for working families. That's because the recent tax overhaul passed by Congress has failed on its promise to put money in the pockets of American workers. Unfortunately, most of that money has
instead gone towards tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% and large corporations. To make matters worse, the new tax plan will likely be paid for by cuts to essential programs like Social Security and Medicare and additional strain on our national debt.
Source: 2018 MS Senate campaign website, BariaForMississippi.com
Jun 26, 2018
David Baria:
Trump tax cuts are giveaway to top 1%
Q: Taxes: Support President Trump's tax cuts?David Baria (D): No. Giveaway to top 1% that increases long-term debt. Instead "require corporations & the very wealthy to pay their fair share while providing
real permanent tax relief for low & moderate working people."
Roger Wicker (R): Yes. "An accomplishment of historic proportions. Job creators & small businesses will have more capital to invest & innovate."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Haley Barbour:
Cut budget by $700M, instead of raising taxes
As Governor I have cut the budget by a total of about $700 million in just the last two years. Just as our constituents have cut back, they expect state government to cut back. They know the alternative is raising taxes, because government has no money
except what it takes from taxpayers. The people of Mississippi deserve to keep more of what they earn, and we owe it to the people of Mississippi not to raise taxes and to control spending.Not only do I urge you not to consider tax increases this year
I implore you to keep spending at a level this year that protects more of our reserves for next year. That is the way to stop any tax increases in 2012.
Remember, what we have accomplished in controlling spending over seven years can be lost in only one year. Our first year you passed and I signed the most comprehensive tort reform law in the country, and it worked.
Source: 2011 Mississippi State of the State Address
Jan 11, 2011
Jensen Bohren:
Elect those who actually represent us, not themselves
Taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION is Theft.
We have to elect representatives, not profit seekers out for themselves.
Source: Facebook posting on 2018 Mississippi Senate race
Dec 31, 2017
Jim Hood:
Tax cuts to wealthy caused mental health budget cuts
Hood in 2017 and 2018 often linked the Department of Mental Health's budget cuts to the package of corporate tax cuts Reeves championed in 2016. "They ran out of money because they gave it all away. They gave it to tax cuts to the wealthy," Hood told
Mississippi Today about the origins of the lawsuit in 2017, adding: "The state needs to step up and pay for more on mental health."
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Jun 3, 2019
Robert Foster:
Excise and sales tax, rather than income and property tax
Now, more than ever, we must position ourselves to be more economically attractive and job friendly to employers wanting to start or expand their business here. We can accomplish this by allowing them to
become part of the solution, rather than just benefactors of our education efforts and by moving in the direction of a tax policy based on the premise of excise and sales tax, rather than income and high property tax.
Source: 2019 Mississippi governor campaign website Foster4MS.com
Dec 31, 2018
Robert Foster:
Sales taxes are best; poor pay more but are taken care of
Q: You say you oppose the franchise tax as regressive, in favor of excise-sales taxes. Sales taxes are regressive taxes too, though. Wouldn't they disproportionately hurt the poor because they would be paying more for basic necessities like groceries?
A: Well, you could make that argument. However, when the economy starts to do better--which I know it will because economically it will unleash our economy on a different level--then the poor will be taken care of. You can argue that it will affect them
more because they'll have to pay a little bit higher sales tax, but they're also getting their money to buy their groceries from the government anyway, so it's kind of a moot argument to me to say that it's going to hurt them when we're taking care of
them anymore. We have to have a strong economy in order to afford to take care of them. And so, if we want to make everybody's lives better, we have to get a tax system that makes the economy grow, because when you do that then everybody benefits.
Source: Jackson Free Press on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
Feb 6, 2019
Robert Foster:
Eliminate Mississippi's personal income tax
Republican candidates for Mississippi governor agreed on many points during the first debate of the 2019 campaign season, each saying he would make a long-term commitment to increasing teacher pay, improving highways and bridges
and making health care more affordable.Foster said Mississippi should eliminate its personal income tax and increase the gasoline tax to help pay for infrastructure. "Everybody needs to pay as they go," he said.
Source: MS Business Journal on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Apr 1, 2019
Roger Wicker:
Trump tax cuts give job creators more capital to invest
Q: Taxes: Support President Trump's tax cuts?David Baria (D): No. Giveaway to top 1% that increases long-term debt. Instead "require corporations & the very wealthy to pay their fair share while providing
real permanent tax relief for low & moderate working people."
Roger Wicker (R): Yes. "An accomplishment of historic proportions. Job creators & small businesses will have more capital to invest & innovate."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Tate Reeves:
Reduce taxes to help small business
Keeping taxes low:- Made the tax appeals process more affordable and accessible.
- Ended the state inventory tax that hurt small businesses.
- Reduced unemployment taxes on small businesses, so employers can afford to hire more workers.
- Helped make our state's unemployment the fifth lowest in the country, according to the 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index published by the Tax Foundation.
Source: 2019 Mississippi Governor campaign website TateReeves.com
Mar 21, 2018
Tate Reeves:
We need a bold move: elimination of the income tax
I believe that in order to fully capture the potential of this historic moment, we must think big. We need a bold move. This is the time for an action that will turn heads all across the country and get money and people flowing in.
And I believe that move is the elimination of the income tax. It is a reward for our hard workers, and an incentive for others to invest here, to grow here, and to live here.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature
Jan 26, 2021
Brandon Presley:
Eliminating the grocery tax will be a top issue for me
As Governor, eliminating the grocery tax will be a top issue for me. We will find a way, working with both sides of the aisle, to get this tax on life stopped.
This should have been done long ago.
Source: Twitter Posting on 2023 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
Mar 1, 2023
Tate Reeves:
Wants to push for a full elimination of state's income tax
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves promised to push for a full elimination of the state's income tax during the 2023 legislative session. The move would make Mississippi the 10th state with no income tax.
Addressing a crowd of business leaders Reeves touted "the largest tax cut in Mississippi history during the 2022 session" and said he wanted to go even further.
Source: Associated Press on 2023 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
Oct 27, 2022
Dan Eubanks:
Lower the income tax; abolish the inheritance tax
Q: ECONOMY: What actions would you take that would allow Americans to retain more of their income and wealth?
A: Work to lower the income tax on working individuals and abolish the inheritance tax.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2024 Mississippi Senate race
Mar 12, 2024
Dan Eubanks:
Signed pledge to oppose and vote against income tax hikes
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) commends State Representative Dan Eubanks for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Mississippi to oppose and vote against income tax hikes.
Eubanks' decision to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge exhibits his strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth tax policies.
Source: 2024 Mississippi Senate race: ATR.org endorsements
Oct 10, 2023
Brandon Presley:
Cut car tag fees in half
Taxes: How to handle state taxation?- Brandon Presley (D): Would "eliminate the highest grocery tax in the nation" and "cut car tag fees in half."
- Tate Reeves (R):
Is focused on eliminating the income tax, which "makes more sense economically" than ending the grocery tax. However, is "open to cutting taxes of any sort."
Source: Guides.vote candidate survey: 2023 Mississippi Governor race
Aug 8, 2024
Tate Reeves:
Open to cutting taxes of any sort, including grocery tax
Taxes: How to handle state taxation?- Brandon Presley (D): Would "eliminate the highest grocery tax in the nation" and "cut car tag fees in half."
- Tate Reeves (R):
Is focused on eliminating the income tax, which "makes more sense economically" than ending the grocery tax. However, is "open to cutting taxes of any sort."
Source: Guides.vote candidate survey: 2023 Mississippi Governor race
Aug 8, 2024
Tate Reeves:
Single best thing we can do is eliminate state's income tax
The single best thing we can do for our state and her people is to eliminate our state's income tax. This money does not belong to the government. It belongs to the hard-working Mississippians who earn it. In today's economy,
the competition among states for projects and investments is fierce. You've heard me say before that we are competing against states like Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, all of which have no state income tax.
Source: 2025 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature
Jan 29, 2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith:
We needed a permanent extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts
Press release, "Hyde-Smith Statement On Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' Passage": "From the start, I've understood that the people of Mississippi and our nation needed a permanent extension of the
President's 2017 tax cuts, which generated economic growth, stability, and opportunities for families, small businesses, and hardworking Americans.
This legislation is not perfect, but it is a bold step toward forcing greater efficiency, savings, and accountability from our federal government.
It is certainly better than forcing a more than $4.0 trillion tax hike on everyone."
Source: Senate press release "BBB" on 2026 Mississippi Senate race
Jul 1, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026