JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi’s economy was the topic of topic of the 21st annual Hobnob on Thursday.

Lawmakers and business leaders met in the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson to discuss the state’s gains and the future of the Mississippi economy. State leaders pointed to low unemployment rates, investment in Mississippi businesses and tax cuts as contributors to economic growth.

Many elected officials argued that investing in healthcare will make the state more attractive for business, while Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) maintained that the elimination of the income tax will make the difference.

“I plan to continue to push for the full and the complete elimination of the income tax in the upcoming session,” said Reeves. “We have Texas to our west, Florida to our east, and Tennessee to the north. All three of those states have no income tax, and therefore all three of those states have a competitive advantage when we are recruiting for both business and industry and for individual talent, and we need to eliminate not only the income tax but eliminate their competitive advantage once and for all.”

Mississippi currently has the 5th lowest income tax in the country.