Tax Group News

MISS. GOVERNOR APPOINTS TAX STUDY COMMISSION

 February 21, 2008     Paul Varner     Link To This Post

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R) took the oath of office to begin his second four-year term on January 15. In Governor Barbour's state of the state address, which was delivered on January 21, he announced the appointment of a commission to conduct a comprehensive study of Mississippi's tax system, including how the combined federal and local tax structures affect Mississippi citizens and businesses.

The public-private commission will be chaired by Leland S. Speed, one of the state's long-time business leaders and the former Director of the Mississippi Development Authority. The 37 other members of the Commission come from business, legal, academic and legislative backgrounds. The members of the Commission include the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer and the Chair of the State Tax Commission. Governor Barbour asked the commission to provide a report on its findings by August 31, 2008.

Because of the appointment of this tax study commission, most observers do not expect any significant changes in the state’s tax laws to be enacted during the 2008 Regular Session of the Mississippi legislature, which commenced on January 8. In one of the first actions of the 2008 Regular Session, the legislature passed a bill to shorten the 2008 Regular Session from 125 days to 103 days.