JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) approved and vetoed various pieces of legislation on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Many of the vetoes involved funds for the City of Jackson.
The governor vetoed the following:
- $1 million for a parking lot at the Jackson Convention Center
- $ 1 million to the Scenic River Development for their golf course
- $250,000 to Briarwood Pool
- $2 million for the City of Jackson Planetarium
- $500,000 to the City of Greenville for green space next to the Federal Courthouse
- $13.25 million for a golf park and trail at LeFleur’s Bluff
- $1 million to the City of Pascagoula for the renovation of city offices
- $50,000 to Arise and Shine Inc. in Copiah County
- $200,000 to Summit Community Development Foundation for costs associated with the Stand Pipe project
- $7.5 million in earmarks that would be distributed to private companies through the Mississippi Development Authority without the normal financial/economic impact analysis
We are shocked and discouraged by the news about the Governor vetoing the $2 million funding for the Planetarium. We are hoping to open a line of communication with the Governor’s office to review our options. The Planetarium project is one that takes a beloved facility and brings it back to life for Mississippians to visit, be inspired by and to learn from. We know that our project will infuse STEM learning principles into our exhibits, bolster our growing tourism product by attracting national visitors, and strengthen the redeveloping downtown fabric in the Capital City.
This project is led and directed by young people, like myself, who work day in and day out to create spaces that will advance our state, give back to our community and attract others to see what great things we have in our great state. We hope to come alongside the Governor’s office to help them see that vision so that we can move forward together and re-establish the funding we’ve requested.
David Lewis, City of Jackson Deputy Director of Cultural Services
“Jackson needs investment in safety. We need more police, not planetarium spending that has already been proven to be wasteful. When we get that fully funded, we can consider luxury items,” said Reeves.
The governor struck down the proposals two weeks after other Republican officials, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn, attended an event to celebrate plans for improvements at LeFleur’s Bluff.
“I’ve been trying for a long time to get the state out of the golf course business,” Reeves said.
LeFleur’s Bluff is already home to the Mississippi Natural Science Museum and the Mississippi Children’s Museum, and the playground there was recently improved. The state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks had said a redesigned golf course and the adventure trail would make the area “one of the best urban parks in the country.”
Reeves said three public golf courses are within a short drive of LeFleur’s Bluff.
The office for U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith released the following statement about the veto for LeFleur’s Bluff.
Senator Hyde-Smith remains supportive of further development of LeFleur’s Bluff into an educational and recreational asset for the capital city and the state, and hopes the legislature and governor will revisit the option to invest this area.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s Office
Reeves also approved three bills related to infrastructure improvements. Those bills are the Mississippi Department of Transportation Appropriation (HB1630), Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant Program Act of 2022 (SB2822) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Rural Water Associations Infrastructure grant Program and Appropriation (HB1538/HB1421).
“We’re strengthening our roads, bolstering our bridges and increasing access to clean drinking water,” said Reeves.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.