Issues - Jobs

Since Haley Barbour took office in 2004, Mississippi has been on the right track in creating new, higherskilled, betterpaying jobs. It’s been a complete reversal from the four years before Governor Barbour’s administration took over, a period in which Mississippi lost more than 38,000 jobs.

Today, the right policies are making a difference. In three and a half years under Governor Barbour, a net of more than 40,000 new jobs have been created and the U.S. Department of Labor recently reported that Mississippi has achieved a record employment level – 1,161,700 people working as of June 2007. And, personal income has increased 15%.

Governor Barbour’s comprehensive job creation plan included ending lawsuit abuse through tort reform, more than doubling support for a reformed workforce training system, refusing any new taxes, and realigning Mississippi’s economic development incentive programs to create an environment friendly to job creation.

Earlier this year Mississippi landed one of the most highly sought-after economic development projects in North America, a new Toyota auto assembly plant that will initially result in 2,000 direct jobs, another 2,000 construction jobs, and a $1.3 billion investment in Northeast Mississippi. In addition, two major Toyota suppliers have already announced over $250 million of investment in North Mississippi, and other suppliers are expected to build plants, bringing millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the area.

Across many different sectors, Mississippi is making great strides. PACCAR, a manufacturer of diesel engines for heavyduty trucks, has broken ground in Lowndes County. General Electric Company will build a jet engine component factory near Batesville in what the company calls its most sophisticated manufacturing operation anywhere in the world. SeverCorr, one of the world’s most advanced steel mills, is already operating in Columbus.

From Navistar in West Point, PSLNorth America at Port Bienville and Tower Automotive in Meridian, to Raytheon’s expansion in Forest and ACCO Brands in Booneville, Mississippi’s economy is producing more good jobs than ever. Ergon and Bunge are investing $100 million in an ethanol plant in Vicksburg, and Mississippi Power will build a $1.8 billion coal gasification plant in Kemper County. Howard Industries in Laurel has added more than 1,000 jobs since the hurricane. Bearing Point’s sophisticated service center in Hattiesburg will soon be joined by a similar Comcast facility, a 600-employee Advanced Solutions Center in Madison. Corrections Corporation of America has announced a new $105 million facility will be built at Natchez and its Tutwiler facility expanded. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has begun a $100 million expansion in Yazoo City.

Rebounding from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, major Gulf Coast employers such as Northrup Grumman, Chevron and DuPont are being joined by new businesses – such as Trinity Yachts – in providing new jobs for Mississippians. Post-Katrina incentives are helping Coast businesses and residents get back on their feet after the worst natural disaster in American history.

Record employment, more and higher-paying jobs for Mississippians, unprecedented private and public investment in Mississippi – all these result from aggressive implementation of strong, responsible, effective economic development programs.

With a governor committed to not raising taxes and maintaining a structurally balanced budget, Mississippi is poised for job creation and continued longterm growth.