Legislative Update 25

July 20, 2008

Dear Friends,

This past week I had the opportunity to participate in the Program for Emerging Political Leaders in Charlottesville, Virginia. The program, organized by the nonpartisan State Legislative Leaders Foundation, was hosted by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

This unique learning experience put legislators from over 30 states in a classroom setting for four days. Before classes started we were encouraged to check partisan politics at the door and come ready to learn from one another.

I found the conversations with legislators and faculty members to be highly educational. I hope that this experience and added perspective helps me to become a better representative.

To read more about the program, visit http://www.darden.edu/html/news_article.aspx?id=15178.

Medicaid

As many of you know, we will be returning to Jackson on August 4 in an effort to resolve the current Medicaid funding deficit. Before I left for Virginia, I wrote the following letter to the editor on the subject of the Governor’s threat to make cuts to the program. The letter appeared in the Clarion Ledger, Sun Herald and Hattiesburg American.

This week the Governor said that he has no choice but to cut Medicaid, a program that serves over 600,000 Mississippians. In making his case, the Governor has blamed the Legislature, the Mississippi Constitution, and most recently, a Hinds County Chancery Court. This argument, while frightening to countless Mississippians, has no logical or historical linchpin.

On the long road to Medicaid cuts, Governor Barbour has had countless opportunities to take a detour. During the regular session, the House of Representatives passed a cigarette tax increase that would have more than funded the current deficit. During the Special Session, the House offered to meet the Governor half way and fund Medicaid partially through a cigarette tax increase and partially through the Governor’s hospital tax increase. Finally, the House offered a bill that would have postponed Medicaid cuts until 2009. All of these alternatives have been flatly rejected by the Governor.

Medicaid deficits are nothing new to this state or to this Governor. In 2005, the Department of Medicaid saw its deficit balloon to $250 million, $160 million more than the current shortfall. Despite this troubling figure, the Governor never raised the specter of cuts to the Medicaid program.

This year, the legislature appropriated $567 million to Medicaid. That is more than enough money to carry the Medicaid program well into both this fiscal year and the 2009 legislative session.

During this time of economic uncertainty, it is not fiscally responsible to increase the burden on Mississippi’s healthcare providers or the sick people who rely on their services. It would be even less prudent to carve up the healthcare program that serves our most vulnerable citizens.

Make no mistake, if the Governor makes good on his promise to cut Medicaid, it will be his decision and his decision alone. Unfortunately, we will all have to pay for it.

The Governor’s Decision to Suspend the Sentence of Michael Graham

In a widely criticized decision, the Governor signed an order on Thursday that will suspend the sentence of convicted murderer Michael Graham.

Those of us living in Pascagoula at the time of the murder of Adrienne Klasky will never forget the brutal way her life ended or the sadness her death brought to her family, friends and community. The thought that her murderer will be stepping into freedom a mere 19 years after that horrible day offends any reasonable sense of justice and raises serious public safety concerns.

In response to the Governor’s decision, I intend to explore the legislative options available for limiting a Governor’s authority to commute or suspend sentences where a convict has committed a premeditated murder. As always, I would appreciate your input on this subject. I would also ask that you join me in praying for Ms. Klasky’s family who has had to revisit a tragic chapter in their lives.

How to Contact Me

If you have any questions or concerns, I invite you to call me on my cell phone at 228-326-7649 or e-mail me at bjones@house.ms.gov. Please feel free to forward this report to folks in our district and let me know if I need to add someone to my list.

I will also be posting my updates and House related news on my campaign website at www.electbrandonjones.com.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Brandon