Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ proposed budget for the upcoming year includes money for teacher pay raises, a water and sewer improvement grant program and a plan for eliminating the state income tax, according to recommendations he released Monday.
The Republican governor also used his spending plan as an opportunity to promote several conservative political talking points: increasing the number of police officers in the state, banning critical race theory and removing names from Mississippi’s voter rolls.
“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to fight back against the violent crime that in some areas has gone unchecked?” he said at a news conference. “Are we going to allow the lie that many children are inherently racist by birth to be taught in our classrooms?’”