Retired educator, PERS board member McCoy warns of proposed changes to state employee retirement system
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Release Date: 03/03/2025
Mississippi Today welcomes longtime veteran Mississippi journalist Emily Wagster Pettus as its new senior editor.
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Pettus shares a few war stories with Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender, including her dealings with the irascible former Gov. Kirk Fordice.
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Economist discusses Mississippi economy's vulnerability
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
State Economist Corey Miller talks with Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison about the state of the state economy, chances of recession amid trade war, federal spending cuts and state tax overhaul. He declines to answer questions about MSU baseball.
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Mississippi citizens often left in the dark on special-interest lobbying of politicians
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
With Mississippi's lack of laws and transparency, citizens are often in the dark about special-interest spending to influence politicians. Mississippi Today's politics team discusses its recent article shedding light on efforts by DraftKings and others lobbying for legalized online sports betting, including the speaker of the House and his staff being treated to the Super Bowl game this year.
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Mississippi Democratic legislative leader says GOP bickering prevents work on transformative issues
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Mississippi House Minority Leader Robert Johnson discusses the 2025 legislative session that was derailed by Republican infighting with Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison, and outlines issues he'd like to see addressed in a pending special session.
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Former Rep. Cecil Brown talks current state budget disagreement, compares to past standoffs
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Cecil Brown, who previously served as a key member of the state House, talks with Mississippi Today’s Bobby Harrison, Taylor Vance and Michael Goldberg about budget battles, past and present, and about the importance of the state budget. He also gives his thoughts on the tax bill passed during the 2025 session.
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What happened (or didn't) in the rancorous 2025 Mississippi legislative session?
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Mississippi Today's political team unpacks the just ended -- for now -- legislative session, that crashed at the end with GOP lawmakers unable to pass a budget after much infighting among Republican leaders. The crowning achievement of the session, a tax overhaul bill, was passed by accident and full of major errors and omissions.
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Tariff trade war, rising costs, immigration: Mississippi Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson discusses challenges facing Mississippi farmers
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson gives Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Michael Goldberg an update on the challenges facing Mississippi farmers, including the burgeoning trade war with countries that buy our chicken, soybeans, cotton and other products as well as rising costs and immigration/labor issues. Gipson, a man of many hats besides his trademark cowboy one, also discusses his recording an album! "I'll sing at the drop of a hat, even if I drop it myself," Gipson said.
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Bill to ensure rape kits are available pending in final days of legislative session
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Rep. Dana McLean, R-Columbus, joins Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Sophia Paffenroth to explain the importance of passing her legislation during the 2025 session to ensure local emergency rooms use rape kits in a timely manner.
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Podcast: Is the Mississippi Legislature any closer to a tax cut/elimination/increase deal?
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins gives an update on where negotiations stand on tax overhaul proposals in the Mississippi Legislature, and his thoughts on the differing Senate and House proposals that would include cutting or eliminating the personal income tax and raising taxes on gasoline.
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Mississippi Legislature enters homestretch, still facing uncertainty from Trump admin maneuvers
The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast
Mississippi Today's politics team outlines some challenges lawmakers face in the final month of their session, from uncertainty of the effects the Trump administration moves will have on the state level. They also discuss what lived and died with last week's deadline for committee passage.
info_outlineDr. Randy McCoy, a retired longtime public school superintendent and member of the state employee retirement system board, says a plan passed by the Senate aimed at financially stabilizing PERS would cause long-term problems in hiring and retaining teachers and other state employees. He says the system can be shored up with less drastic reductions in benefits for future employees.