Governor Tate Reeves spoke with Y’all Politics on the current state of COVID-19 after Mississippi saw a significant increase in cases over the last few weeks.
He also dove into his Executive Budget Recommendations, specifically his desire to see the four percent individual income tax removed, and what he expected a working relationship with a potential Biden administration would look like for Mississippi.
The current executive order for COVID-19 will expire on December 11. It includes 54 counties who are currently under mask mandates as well as other guidelines for social gatherings.
Reeves said the rise in numbers is not shocking. This was anticipated with the coming holidays.
“The good news is that our physicians and medical professionals are doing a better job and know more about how to treat it and that’s a positive thing,” said Reeves. “The other good news is we’ve got a vaccine on the way and could get as many as 350,000 doses in the month of December.”
Even with the good news Reeves said at the moment we have to bridge the gap until the vaccine can become effective.
When the vaccine becomes available to the public it will be on a voluntary basis. Reeves said he has not heard of any indication that it would become a mandatory vaccine and does not have any plans to make it one himself but does encourage Mississippians to get vaccinated, adding that he planned to take the vaccine himself.
Reeves made a number of proposals in his Executive Budget Recommendation for FY 2021, one of which was the elimination of the four percent income tax. He said he has heard from many Mississippians and Republican legislators who are in support of that idea.
Reeves said doing so could be transformational to the state since other states who do not have an income tax are receiving more capital and jobs.
Moving into the new year all Americans are awaiting to see who will be inaugurated as President in 2021. Reeves said it is not likely that he will have as good of a relationship with a Biden administration, but he plans to work as best he can while still representing Mississippi’s beliefs and interests.
“If they try to take the country through policy further to the left, I’m going to be the first one to say no. If they try to shut down our economy in our state because of COVID, I’m going to be the first one that says no,” said Reeves.
Sarah Ulmer
