Gov. Tate Reeves on Wednesday said he’s “pushing back on the left” by pulling Mississippi out of a federal pandemic rental assistance program and plans to send any unspent dollars back to Washington.
Reeves said “Mississippi’s economy is booming,” unemployment is at a record low, and the rental assistance program has been incentivizing people to stay out of the workforce by offering up to 15 months of rental and utility bill assistance.
“There is a job available for virtually every Mississippian who wants to work,” Reeves said at a press conference on Wednesday. “These socialist experiment programs being pushed from Washington are cruel, like a bookie offering free cash but never mentioning the downside.”
Advocates who help people with rental assistance said Reeves’ decision will hurt Mississippians — many of whom are working but struggling to pay all of their living expenses.
“This is not a good day,” said Gwen Bouie-Haynes, the executive director of the National Association of Social Workers-Mississippi Chapter, which has helped residents sign up for the program. “… This will result in more people living on the street in Jackson and across the state of Mississippi.”
Reeves said he’s unsure how much money is left and will be returned to Washington. The COVID-19 federal rental assistance program started in 2020 with the first round of pandemic funding for states and continued last year with a subsequent funding program. Mississippi was allocated about $340 million in assistance. Reeves said Wednesday that the state has spent about $200 million. He said that 86,146 people applied for the program and that 36,889 were approved for assistance.
Reeves said he’s ordering the Mississippi Home Corporation to stop taking applications for the Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program on Aug. 15.
Reeves said that early on, the program required people to show proof of unemployment or hardship related to the pandemic, but that was later waived. He said ending the program will not affect applications already submitted or those made before Aug. 15. He said emergency rental and utility assistance programs that existed before the pandemic will also continue.
“My top priority is making Mississippi the best place in the nation to live and to work and to raise a family, and that’s impossible to achieve if able-bodied people aren’t working,” Reeves said.
In February, Mississippi Today reported, based on information provided by the Home Corporation, that 66% of the applicants approved to receive funds through the program were employed, and the majority are Black and female.
The latest U.S. Census data available, for the week ending July 11, showed that 44.5% of adult Mississippians surveyed reported being behind on their rent or mortgage, with eviction or foreclosure in the next two months being either very likely or somewhat likely.
At the same time period last year, 60.5% reported eviction or foreclosure as likely. At times during the pandemic, Mississippi led the nation in those reporting likelihood of eviction or foreclosure.
Various groups, such as the NAACP and Children’s Defense Fund stepped in to help Mississippians sign up for the program after the state received national attention on both the local and national level for a slow rollout.
On Wednesday, Reeves praised the Mississippi Home Corp for its administration of the program.
Bouie-Haynes said there are still people impacted by COVID-19 and who are unable or who struggle to pay for housing, rent and utilities. She said the advocacy groups found that high utility costs were a major problem in rural areas.
In addition, she said many of the people receiving assistance are “the working poor” who are employed in jobs that do not pay enough to cover the high costs of rent and utilities. She said her office still gets about 8-10 phone calls per week from people who are trying to to find out where their application stands in the process for gaining rental assistance.
Reeves said some states have exhausted their federal funds for the program, but said he did not know of any other state returning its share of the funds to the federal government.
Mississippi is postponing its interrogation of defendants in the welfare department’s civil suit — an unsurprising development following the abrupt removal of the private attorney on the case and Gov. Tate Reeves’ recent lukewarm statementson the litigation.
The suit, filed in May, currently attempts to recoup $24 million in misspent federal grant funds from 38 people or companies who benefitted from the funds, including NFL legend Brett Favre, three retired WWE wrestlers, and two other former football players. The attorney who brought the complaint, Brad Pigott, had recently scheduled depositions for 13 people between August and November.
The depositions were expected to be the first public questioning of those responsible for diverting at least $77 million in federal welfare funds away from the needy, according to independent audits, since the scandal broke more than two years ago.
Four out of six people arrested on criminal charges in 2020 related to the scheme have pleaded guilty, meaning they will have no trial, while the remaining two are likely still seeking plea agreements.
A federal investigation is ongoing, but the civil suit, which comes with more leeway to gather information, has the potential to produce many more answers for the public than the criminal cases.
“As you are likely aware, the MDHS is in the process of bringing in new outside counsel to function as lead counsel for the Plaintiff. Brad Pigott is no longer representing MDHS … In light of this development, MDHS requested that I postpone the previously noticed deposition schedule,” Assistant Attorney General Stephen Schelver wrote to the attorneys of defendants in the case Tuesday. “All current deposition settings by MDHS are postponed, effective immediately.”
MDHS did not release publicly that it was seeking new outside counsel until after it told Pigott he would no longer be working on the case, indicating that the agency did not make the decision to transition to other counsel in advance.
“While MDHS had been considering entering into another contract for Pigott to continue to represent MDHS, Pigott was notified on Friday that MDHS would simply allow his current contract to expire and would not be entering into another contract,” MDHS said in a July 23 statement after the news of Pigott’s removal broke.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, Reeves inserted himself into the MDHS civil case, explaining how the state selected who it would include as defendants. MDHS and Pigott had originally wanted to sue University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation, which received $5 million in TANF money to build a volleyball stadium on campus on behalf of Favre. But the governor’s office directed Pigott to remove USM before filing the complaint.
When Pigott subpoenaed the athletic foundation for its communication with figures in the case, as well as with former Gov. Phil Bryant and his wife Deborah Bryant, that’s when the agency canned him.
MDHS Director Bob Anderson’s statement said the decision to change attorneys “does not indicate any change in the commitment of MDHS to recover these TANF funds for taxpayers.”
In a new statement Wednesday, MDHS said it is “actively working” to hire another attorney or law firm, which must be approved by the Attorney General’s Office.
“Once in place, MDHS expects to move forward in an expeditious manner with the civil case, including the resetting of depositions on a schedule to be determined once the agency has selected and retained new counsel,” the statement reads.
The agency did not provide a timeline for retaining new counsel other than, “we hope to get a new attorney in place soon.”
On July 25, Anderson sent an email to his staff with the agency’s original media statement.
“I wanted you to have the benefit of the agency’s position as stated in our press release. I am sharing this with you in the spirit of my ongoing efforts a full transparency as your executive director,” he said in the email, obtained by Mississippi Today.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s communications with two news outlets are targets of a subpoena filed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi on Monday as part of its defamation lawsuit against some of the medical center’s top officials.
Last week, Blue Cross sued three top UMMC employees, alleging defamation and civil conspiracy over the public relations campaign the medical center has been waging against the insurer due to their contract dispute.
Blue Cross is seeking to compel UMMC to provide their internal communications with Mississippi Today and Supertalk Radio, two news outlets which have closely covered the effects of the ongoing contract dispute between the state’s largest hospital and private insurer.
The filing demands all written communications between UMMC and these outlets related to Blue Cross, its contract dispute with UMMC and UMMC’s public relations campaign. The subpoena also specifically seeks communications between UMMC officials and Kate Royals, Mississippi Today’s community health editor who worked as a writer/editor at UMMC between stints at the news organization.
Mississippi Today nor any of its employees have been subpoenaed or been named as a party in any lawsuit related to the contract dispute.
The communications between UMMC and several prominent statewide medical groups are also subject to the subpoena, including the board of trustees of the Mississippi State Medical Association and the board of governors of the Mississippi Hospital Association.
Officials at Blue Cross and UMMC declined to comment for this story. A representative for the Mississippi State Medical Association declined to comment, and a representative for Supertalk Radio did not return a request for comment.
“MHA has not seen the subpoena and is not a party to the dispute; but, we hope the matter can be quickly resolved,” said Richard Roberson, general counsel and vice president at the Mississippi Hospital Association, in a statement.
UMMC has been out of network with Blue Cross, the state’s largest insurer, since April 1 due to disagreements over reimbursement rates and Blue Cross’ quality care plan. Since then, UMMC has spent nearly $279,000 on digital ads, commercials and billboards attacking Blue Cross. The insurer claims the campaign was “designed to disseminate false and defamatory statements about Blue Cross to the public.”
UMMC itself is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit because as a political subdivision of the state, Mississippi law grants UMMC sovereign immunity for defamation committed by its employees.
As UMMC voluntarily ended its contract with Blue Cross, the insurer claims that UMMC’s messaging that Blue Cross “forced out” or “excluded” the medical center from its network has harmed its business and reputation. The alleged defamation occurred through various public statements made by UMMC officials and through advertisements it has run over the last four months, according to the insurer.
Blue Cross is seeking an injunction against the continued publication and dissemination of the statements it considers defamatory as well as monetary damages from defendants. In addition to unnamed UMMC employees, the insurer sued Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Alan Jones, Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs, and Marc Rolph, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing.
Editor’s note: UMMC, through an ad agency, has placed paid advertisements about the BCBS dispute on Mississippi Today’s website. Advertisers have no input in the editorial process.
Editor’s note: Kate Royals, Mississippi Today’s community health editor since January 2022, worked as a writer/editor for UMMC’s Office of Communications from November 2018 through August 2020, writing press releases and features about the medical center’s schools of dentistry and nursing. A longtime journalist in major Mississippi newsrooms, Royals had served as a Mississippi Today reporter for two years before her stint at UMMC. At UMMC, Royals was in no way involved in management decisions or anything related to the medical center’s relationship or contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi.
BILOXI — Captain Mike Moore missed half the peak tourism season while restoring one of the Gulf Coast’s oldest attractions: Sailfish, the shrimping boat.
But even with wrapping up his boat trips early last year and the late start to the season this spring, Moore said his business is going strong. It’s been another solid summer for the coast’s tourism economy, which attracts about 14 million people a year and makes up a third of the state’s overall visitor spending.
“It’s been great,” Moore said. “Have I had better years? Yeah, but I also never had a situation like this before. We made the decision to restore the boat to brand-spanking-new. It was a long-term goal.”
Moore isn’t alone in his successes. Hotels have boasted high occupancy rates. The gaming commission has reported solid tax revenue from the state’s casinos.
Numbers are good – they’re mostly better than before COVID-19, but not as high as they were last year when the coast’s drive-in mark surged while tourists were still hesitant to fly and some destinations were still locked down. But as summer wraps up, many business owners are heading into the fall with the weight of uncertainty.
Experts are debating if the U.S. is already in a recession, inflation is on the rise and fuel costs are up. Those realities came up in Tuesday’s tourism board meeting at Coastal Mississippi, the region’s tax-funded tourism marketing agency. The board was voting to approve the latest budget.
“This is changing now because of economic unrest, fuel costs, the competitive set being open – fully open, is the huge question mark,” said Coastal Mississippi executive director Judy Young, referring to the agency’s expected revenue in 2022 and 2023. “I am less worried about economic unrest and fuel costs as I am about a whole country being open. Because this will be the first full fiscal year where we don’t have that advantage.”
Spring break and summer are the coast’s peak months of sustained business. Last year, coast tourism businesses saw all-time highs most leaders didn’t expect to continue quite as strongly.
In April of 2021, the state’s gaming commission collected a record-breaking $19.8 million in tax revenue. This April, that same period of tax collection was lower at $14.5 million. Still – this April’s tax collection was $2 million higher than it was in pre-pandemic April 2019.
Hotel occupancy rates hit 80.3% in June in 2021. This June, they dipped slightly to 77.5%, according to data from industry analyst STR, Inc. That translates to more than 211,000 non-casino hotel rooms sold – lower, but still steady.
“It’s been really strong for all our hotels all across the board,” said Roxy Condrey, whose company Rain Residential manages five area hotels. “The rates have increased and the occupancy as well. We are getting a lot of traffic. People discovered us over the period of COVID restrictions, introducing us to some of these new target markets.”
Condrey’s boutique properties – like Ocean Spring’s The Roost, The Inn and Hotel Beatnik – are still turning high booking rates. Most often visitors are booking at least three months out to snag a stay in one of the trendy spots, such as The Beatnik’s 1960s-style cabins.
But August marks the start of a seasonal slow down until business booms again in October, when the coast’s three counties are swarmed with classic cars during Cruisin’ the Coast.
“We are seeing numbers that aren’t as good as last year but strong compared to three and four years ago,” Condrey said. “I feel good about it but inflation is definitely taking hold and I do foresee some of this slowing down.”
The Coast’s key visitors are from nearby regions: Baton Rouge, Jackson and Mobile. Coastal Mississippi is trying to grow its reach, advertising to new target markets such as Memphis, Birmingham and Atlanta.
That’s why high gas prices are top of mind. In Mississippi, average costs at the pump have dropped some in the last month but are still about $1 higher than they were this time last year, according to the American Automobile Association.
But Moore, the shrimping boat captain, is optimistic. He’s noticed a decent chunk of travelers who are still driving cross country in RVs.
“We have seen plenty of people out and about. As crazy as the world is you’d think it would be slower,” Moore said, referring to economic uncertainties. “But I think the thought process is still: I’m tired of being locked up and I want to enjoy myself.”
But with those uncertainties in mind, Young and Coastal Mississippi are forecasting internal revenue this year hitting about $6 million dollars. Going into the next fiscal year, the agency is forecasting a moderate increase to $6.45 million dollars.
Young told her board she doesn’t want to overcommit their budget, given the possibility that the country’s gross domestic product could drop again for a second-consecutive quarter.
“I’d rather be conservative on the front side and go back with an amendment to increase revenue later, when there are more things known than to shoot high and then have to do a decrease,” Young said at the Tuesday meeting. “It just doesn’t sit well with my competitive nature to go backwards.”
After some back and forth, the board ultimately agreed unanimously.
JACKSON, Miss. – Taxpayers could save nearly $350,000 a year if state-issued cell phones with little to no usage were turned off. This finding comes from a report issued by State Auditor Shad White’s office today.
“My office has handled some of the biggest fraud cases in state history, but we’re also committed to looking for savings in the smallest corners of state government,” said White. “If we repurposed this money spent on unused cell phones, we could pay for 11 new police officer salaries or put 14 new police cruisers on the streets every year.”
The report shows that 30% of the over 2,100 analyzed mobile devices had little to no usage. The devices came from five state agencies whose combined annual budgets represent nearly 75% of the state’s yearly spending. The report also identified opportunities for state agencies to rightsize certain cell phone plans to reduce unnecessary spending. It concludes with recommendations all state agencies can use to reduce cellphone costs and save taxpayer money.
“We could be putting thousands more textbooks in classrooms each year instead of paying for unused cellphones,” said White. “Low-usage cellphones are just another opportunity for the state to reinvest money spent into more important areas.”
The full report is available online at the Auditor’s website under the “Reports” tab. Visit www.osa.ms.gov to learn more.
The Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable is seeking to elevate the experiences of Black women and girls who face barriers to accessing health care through its Mississippi Voices project.
The group is offering Mississippi women $200 to share their health care stories with them as part of the ongoing project.
Cassandra Welchlin, executive director of the Roundtable, said centering the lived experiences of women in Mississippi is essential to effectively advocating for health care policy changes, primarily Medicaid expansion. Mississippi is one of 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. If state leaders were to expand Medicaid, at least 225,000 Mississippians would qualify for health care coverage. Many of those who would qualify currently exist in the “health care coverage gap” where they cannot afford private insurance but make too much to qualify for Medicaid.
The project is a partnership with the Mississippi Center for Justice and the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program and is funded by Community Catalyst, a nonprofit national health advocacy organization.
Welchlin said that her organization is primarily focused on the economic security of women in the state, and that health care advocacy is inseparable from that mission.
“We know that it (access to quality health care) serves as an equalizing force, particularly in communities of color … Health care can break you or can make you,” Welchlin said.
The project started in 2020 with eight focus groups held across the state where women across generational and economic lines shared their experiences of the state’s health care system. They heard horror stories of women putting off needed exams and surgeries because they couldn’t afford their insurer’s copay. Some women were not taking needed medications every day in order to make their supplies last longer.
Welchlin said a goal of the project is equipping the women with the knowledge and communication skills they need to organize in their own communities and hold their elected officials accountable.
“It’s important that they get to control that narrative, because they know what they’ve been through and what they need,” Welchlin said.
Welchlin said that a common thread that emerged throughout the project is that difficulty accessing health care exists for women across the board, regardless of their level of education and employment.
Regina Lewis is a 45-year-old Jackson native who, despite having a master’s degree, struggles to pay her medical bills.
Lewis works for a small nonprofit organization that doesn’t provide health insurance. This forced her to get insured through Mississippi’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, which features only a few providers.
Lewis says her insurance plan is lackluster and doesn’t include many in-network providers in her area. She has been seeing the same OB-GYN for 15 years, but has to pay out of pocket to see him because he’s not in her provider network. That kind of doctor-patient relationship was just too valuable for her to give up.
“It shouldn’t have to be that way,” Lewis said. “We should have a choice to receive quality care where we’re comfortable.”
Lewis also suffers from high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and gastroparesis. Some of her medications don’t have generic equivalents, the only medication types her insurance covers, so she has to pay $250 each month to manage these chronic conditions.
Welchlin said another major problem is that women aren’t believed when they tell health care providers what their needs are and that they aren’t invited into the decision making process with their doctors.
Lewis experienced this when she was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a disease that partially paralyzes the stomach and prevents the organ from emptying itself normally.
Only two treatment options were presented to Lewis, she said. One was a medication that had serious side effects, and the other was having a gastric pacemaker installed that would stimulate her stomach muscles with electricity, but that came with a high risk of repeated infections.
Lewis declined both options. To her, the added risks outweigh the benefits. Those were the only treatment options presented to her, so she manages the condition herself by severely limiting her diet. She feels like if she wasn’t a Black woman or had better insurance, she would have received better, more compassionate care.
“It’s like some doctors and people look down upon you because you have this type of health insurance instead of a true commercial insurance,” Lewis said.
To share your health care story for Mississippi Voices, text “MSVOICES” to (833) 621-1953.
Editor’s note: Black Women’s Roundtable has placed paid advertisements on Mississippi Today’s website. Mississippi Today maintains a clear separation between news and advertising content. As such, advertisershave no influence or control over Mississippi Today’s editorial decisions.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi – During the August 1 Work Session of the Hattiesburg City Council, the first draft of an ordinance regulating golf carts and low-speed vehicle usage on city roads was presented by Ward 1 Councilman Jeffrey George.
The ordinance, as currently drafted, requires that all golf carts and low-speed vehicles operated on public roads within the City be registered through the City Clerk’s office. It also limits the operation of these vehicles to roads with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less. The city’s Traffic Committee can also prohibit other roads based on traffic counts, recommendations by governing authorities, street design and other factors.
“With the increased use of golf carts and low-speed vehicles around Hattiesburg, it was important to propose an ordinance that establishes set standards for the operation of these vehicles – with an emphasis on ensuring that the safety of those on golf carts, pedestrians and motor vehicles is a priority,” said George. “This ordinance, if passed by the council, will help enhance the quality of life in our city. It will also make sure that everyone is following the requirements of the law.”
Additional regulations outlined in the ordinance include:
Vehicles must meet safety equipment requirements under 49 CFR Section 571.500 (headlamps, front and rear turn signal lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, reflect reflectors, exterior mirror mounted on driver’s or passenger’s side, parking brake, VIN number or Serial Number, Type 1 or Type 2 seatbelts, proper windshield and an alert sound).
Drivers operating a golf cart or low-speed vehicle must have a valid driver’s license and proof of financial responsibility as required by state law.
Operation is limited to the outside lane of multi-lane streets and roads, where applicable.
Operation is subject to all applicable laws of the State of Mississippi and the City related to traffic and parking, along with corresponding penalties, not specifically addressed herein.
Operation is not permitted within the barricaded confines of any festival, event or road closure where typical vehicular traffic is prohibited.
The current draft will be reviewed by council members and the community for additional feedback. George hopes to present it for a vote during the August 16 council meeting.
“Golf carts and low-speed vehicles have the potential to enhance livability in our city. However, basic safety standards that comply with state and federal law are necessary. Additionally, any ordinance must seek to protect those in golf carts as well as those in motor vehicles,” said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. “I appreciate Councilman George’s commitment to passing a sound ordinance and Hunter White in our traffic department for working to establish a system that checks all of the boxes.”
If passed in August, Hattiesburg will join eight additional cities in Mississippi to pass a similar ordinance.
Golf-cart and low-speed vehicle ordinances are becoming more common after the passing of Senate Bill 2605 in the 2021 session of the Mississippi Legislature. This bill made it legal for cities and towns to pass ordinances to legally allow these vehicles operable on city streets.
Residents who wish to provide feedback about the ordinance can send questions or concerns by phone at 601-545-4501 or by email to [email protected] or [email protected].
GOLF CART & LOW-SPEED VEHICLE ORDINANCE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (AS THE DRAFT IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY)
1. Why is an ordinance necessary?
In 2021, the Mississippi Legislature passed Senate Bill 2605 giving municipalities the authority to pass ordinances for golf-cart and low-speed vehicles to match the needs of a community. As it currently stands, the operation of golf carts and low-speed vehicles is illegal within the city limits of Hattiesburg. The ordinance will not only make it legal but make provisions that prioritize public safety.
2. How much will registration be?
At this time, the fee structure has not been determined.
3. If I already have a golf cart or low-speed vehicle, will I have to register it for legal use?
Yes. If the ordinance is passed, legal use will require registration of the vehicle with the City Clerk’s office. All registered vehicles will be required to place a decal on the golf cart or low-speed vehicle proving registration.
4. Once registered, can I drive my golf cart on any city street?
No. Registered golf carts and low-speed vehicles should only be operated on public roads and streets in the city where there is an established speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less. The city’s Traffic Committee can also prohibit other roads based on traffic counts, recommendations by governing authorities, street design and other factors.
5. Once I have my registration, will it have to be renewed?
Registration will remain valid for as long as the registrant is the owner of the golf cart or low-speed vehicle. Replacement decals for those that are lost or damaged can be purchased for an additional fee.
6. Once registered, can I drive my golf cart on any city street?
No. Registered golf carts and low-speed vehicles should only be operated on public roads and streets in the city where there is an established speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less. The city’s Traffic Committee can also prohibit other roads based on traffic counts, recommendations by governing authorities, street design and other factors.
7. Who will enforce the ordinance?
The Hattiesburg Police Department will enforce all traffic and road-based regulations listed in the ordinance. Citations will be written for unauthorized operation of a golf cart or low-speed vehicle.
8. What if my golf cart is missing a few of the street legal requirements?
All golf carts and low-speed vehicles will be required to meet the operable safety standards before being registered.
9. Can an underage driver operate my registered golf cart or low-speed vehicle under my supervision or authority?
No. The ordinance regulates that all drivers operating a golf cart or low-speed vehicle must have a valid driver’s license and proof of financial responsibility as required by state law. Underage driving will not be permitted.
10. What happens if my underage driver is pulled over for operating our family’s golf cart or low-speed vehicle?
The Hattiesburg Police Department will issue a citation for unlicensed driving. This is considered a misdemeanor and the fine is $445.
WASHINGTON – Mississippi businesses and residents affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes March 22, 2022, may apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced today.
Administrator Guzman made the loans available in response to a letter from Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves dated July 18, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. Businesses and residents in the declared area can now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. The declaration covers Holmes County and the adjacent counties of Attala, Carroll, Humphreys, Leflore, Madison and Yazoo in Mississippi.
“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Mississippi with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans,” said Guzman. “Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
To assist businesses and residents affected by the disaster, the SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in Durant, Miss., at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 4:
Customer Service Representatives will be available at the DLOC to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help individuals complete their applications. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the DLOC are encouraged to wear a face mask.
“Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets,” said SBA’s Mississippi District Director Janita Stewart.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
“Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, French drain, or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 2.94 percent for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.438 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s and should apply under SBA declaration # 17539.
Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to [email protected]. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 30, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 1, 2023.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Getting the chance to work at Mississippi Center for Public Policy has been a summer well-spent, to say the least.
My knowledge of the intricacies of the policies that have created our great state has grown tremendously. I have not only learned where our state could improve, but also how these policies need to be implemented, and the exact measures to take.
My knowledge of communications has had a huge learning curve as I was exposed to areas of content creation in the media, political technicalities, and advertising which were entirely new and valuable assets to carry on into my future career, whatever it entails.
I hope that more young Mississippians can get involved with the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, whether it be through the internship program or the new leadership academy which I had the privilege to get to work on these past couple of months. MCPP is well-led, well-researched, and well on track to providing our state with the right policy-based solutions. It was an incredible learning experience for me, and I know that others would be lucky to receive the same tutelage as I did through such efficient mentors.
It’s now been three years and counting since investigations began into the largest public fraud case in Mississippi history — a case that involves powerful public officials, former pro football stars and pro wrestlers, and tens of millions of dollars.
And to date, authorities have provided scant information on those investigations, and judges have tried to stifle those involved. Most public information about the case has come from investigation and reporting by Mississippi Today, often to the chagrin of state officials.
State officials have assured that federal authorities will run the case to ground, and that punches are not being pulled on any powerful or famous people involved in the theft or misspending.
But to date, to quote former Gov. Phil Bryant about his own role in the scandal, “It doesn’t look good,” and there appear to be many incongruities about the case and investigations.
Brad Pigott fired from case
State leaders can’t get their stories straight on why attorney Brad Pigott was dismissed from leading the state’s lawsuit to try to recover millions in stolen or misspent welfare dollars.
First, Mississippi’s welfare agency chief said officials were blindsided by Pigott’s subpoena of communications between the USM Athletic Foundation, former Gov. Phil Bryant and others over $5 million in welfare money spent on a USM volleyball stadium. But then emails showed Pigott gave them a draft of the subpoena 10 days before he filed it.
Gov. Tate Reeves, who said he signed off on Pigott’s dismissal, first said Pigott, as a semi retired sole practitioner, wasn’t up to leading such a lawsuit (despite having done so for a year). Then later he said Pigott also had a “political agenda” and was seeking the media spotlight.
Pigott said it was because he was looking into the roles of Bryant, the USM Athletic Foundation and other powerful and connected people or entities Reeves and others didn’t want him looking at.
State Auditor Shad White spearheaded the initial investigation and charges with a local district attorney — for eight months — without contacting federal authorities. Federal investigation experts said this seems odd, given the case involved tens of millions of federal dollars, and federal authorities have more resources to fully investigate and prosecute such a case.
At the time the auditor and Hinds County DA charged six people in early 2020, the then-U.S. attorney for Mississippi complained he was surprised by the move and only learned of it from media reports.
Subsequent reporting by Mississippi Today that former Gov. Phil Bryant — a close friend and former boss of White — was set to accept stock from a company involved in the fraud scheme in the days before White made arrests. Announcement of the arrests prevented the deal from going through, a Mississippi Today investigation showed. Did the decision to bring charges stymie or delay federal intervention, or give others involved a chance to take cover?
White has said that after the initial arrests, his office and the DA turned everything over to the FBI and have been working closely with federal authorities.
Auditing firm was limited in what and who it could examine
The Mississippi Department of Human Services and auditor’s office hired prominent national accounting firm Clifton Larson Allen for up to $2.1 million for a forensic audit to get to the bottom of where the money went.
But CLA was limited in what and whom it could examine. In its findings, it noted it was not given access to the former welfare director’s computer hard drive or financials and it was limited in whose emails it could examine — initially just those of the welfare director, then later a few more lower level employees. CLA noted in its reports that it perhaps would have found more misspending had it not been severely limited in where and at whom it could look.
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Bryant as the ‘whistleblower‘
Since the 2020 arrests, White has called Bryant the whistleblower in the case — though the fraud tip White says Bryant turned over to his office pertained to a small portion of the larger welfare scheme.
But more recently, communications obtained by Mississippi Today between Bryant and others — including Bryant agreeing to accept stock from a company involved in the scheme — cast doubt on the idea of Bryant being the whistleblower.
Here’s a text exchange between Bryant and the company’s owner around the time of the alleged whistleblowing:
“Is this your company mentioned in the second paragraph (of a news article on arrests)?” Bryant wrote.
The company’s owner said yes, that he’d been subpoenaed and “just gave them everything.”
Attorney General Lynn Fitch has been mostly silent about the largest public fraud case in state history, and her involvement appears to have been limited to signing off on a civil case attempting to recoup misspent money.
Asked recently whether she had any interest in leading a state investigation into the case, Fitch said: “Certainly the AG’s office is very engaged, but that’s pending litigation and I cannot comment … We are very invested in it. I just cannot comment any further.”
Auditor White initially said he took the case to the notoriously understaffed and backlogged Hinds County district attorney’s office for expediency — to quickly halt the fraud and misspending.
More recently, White said he brought in the Hinds DA, a Democrat, to bring bipartisanship to an investigation that might involve powerful Republicans.
Many known recipients not included in civil recovery case
MDHS is suing 38 people or companies trying to “claw back” $24 million of the at least $77 million in stolen or misspent federal welfare money.
But those not named in the lawsuit to date have been the subject of much discourse. The lawsuit, for example, doesn’t address the largest purchase made in the scheme — $5 million in welfare money spent to build a volleyball stadium at USM, with the payments disguised as a lease. Reeves shied away from committing to recoup those funds, saying he didn’t know if the payments were illegal, despite the fact that a defendant in the criminal case has already pleaded guilty, admitting that he defrauded the government by paying welfare money to the USM athletic foundation.
One defendant in the case recently filed a subpoena for Bryant’s communication and records involving the volleyball stadium, and has claimed Bryant directed her to spend welfare dollars, including to pay former NFL star Brett Favre $1.1 million in welfare money for speeches he allegedly never gave.
Never-ending gag order and lack of public information
The initial auditor/Hinds DA case has been the subject of judicial “gag orders” for nearly two years — aimed at preventing defendants, attorneys and prosecutors from speaking to the media about the criminal charges.
Most recently, gag orders were extended to include Auditor White and the new welfare director talking about former welfare Director John Davis, who faces criminal charges. The two opposed this, saying such an order amounts to unconstitutional prior restraint and would “severely interfere” with their responsibilities as public officials.
It is unclear whether there will ever be a state-level trial in the case, or when these gag orders might be lifted. The gag orders have appeared to be only mildly effective.
Federal authorities have given no public information about any investigation into the welfare fraud and refused even to confirm they are investigating, although state officials said the feds are.
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