TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalMississippi Road Money Push Hits Pothole: GOP Tax Opposition
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A year after an effort to increase gasoline and diesel taxes to spend more on transportation stalled out, Mississippi legislative leaders say chances of action don't look better in 2017.
Any tax increase takes a three-fifths majority. Although the GOP holds that margin in both the House and Senate, some Republicans are flatly against raising any taxes.
"People are concerned about having safe roads and bridges for sure," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall. "But, but when you ask them are you willing to pay more ... they feel like they've been taxed enough."
Mississippi Economic Council, the state chamber of commerce, advocates an additional $375 million a year for highways and bridges, saying most money should come from higher fuel taxes or taxes on vehicle licenses. Of that, $300 million would go to the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The remaining $75 million would be divided among cities and counties. The department has said it needs even more — $526 million a year — just to prevent further deterioration.
Read more: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2016/dec/30/mississippi-road-money-push-hits-pothole-gop-tax-o/
Sanderson Farms, IBM: HB 1523 Hurts Businesses, Economic Growth
Mississippi business leaders, corporations, lawyers and locals denounced House Bill 1523 in eight legal briefs filed just before Christmas, supporting plaintiffs that want the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the lower court's decision and deem the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" unlawful.
Sanderson Farms Inc., the only Fortune 1000 company headquartered in the state, was one of several Mississippi-based companies that asked the 5th Circuit to deem House Bill 1523 unconstitutional due to its "depressing" effect on economic growth in the state.
"The law lacks a sincere secular purpose, and any attempt by the state to offer one now would be pretext, particularly given that HB 1523 undermines the state's primary policy goal of growing Mississippi's economy. The law will depress economic growth, discourage entrepreneurship, and damage existing businesses," the Sanderson Farms brief states.
Citing a Texas study among other research, the state's business leaders argue that laws like House Bill 1523 lead to significant damage. After Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill into law, some states banned travel to Mississippi, and local business leaders said potential contractors backed out of pending projects.
Read more: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2016/dec/29/sanderson-farm-ibm-hb-1523-hurts-businesses-econom/
UPS hit with $73k fine for safety violations
UPS was slapped with a $73,800 fine recently after federal inspectors found safety violations at the company's airplane hangar at the Louisville airport, according to federal agency records.
In October of this year, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued two penalties of $70,000 and $3,800 to UPS, according to an OSHA inspection detail. Inspectors cited two workplace safety violations discovered during a surprise inspection at a UPS hangar at 750 Grade Lane in Louisville.
The first violation was issued for failure to properly guard an open-sided platform or floor raised at least 4 feet above ground level, records show. OSHA regulations state such a platform must have a standard railing installed on all open sides except where there is entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder. The violation was deemed "willful," meaning the employer purposefully disregarded or showed indifference to safety standards.
UPS's second violation was related to sanitary conditions in the workplace and was deemed "serious," one with the potential to cause an accident or illness that could lead to death or serious physical harm.
Read more: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2016/12/30/ups-hit-73k-fine-safety-violations/96019490/
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