When I took office in January 2020, the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition’s (MPACT) Legacy Plan had a 72 percent funding ratio. What this means in practical terms is that taxpayers were about to be on the hook for over $125 million. I am a fiscal conservative to my core, so asking for a taxpayer bailout wasn’t in the cards … Read More
A Treasurer’s View of Trump’s Victory
America has just completed one of the most consequential elections in our history – an election that largely hinged on a single question: Are you better off today than you were four years ago? Given that President Trump amassed more than 300 electoral votes and the support of more than 72 million Americans, the answer was proclaimed loud and clear: … Read More
Legislative Updates for Mississippi College and Career Savings
Americans owe about $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, according to Pew Research. Now, I want to be clear: That’s a hefty sum that is difficult for many families to manage, but I don’t believe it’s right to ask taxpayers to take on the costs others have incurred. Just think how unconscionable it would be if the government forced you … Read More
Unclaimed Money is Headed Your Way
The seasons are changing, which means many of us are tucking away the shorts and pulling out our coats and gloves. With that in mind, I’d like you to think for a moment about the excitement that comes when you reach into that winter coat pocket and find a stray bill or two that you forgot about before packing it … Read More
Why We “Dig” College Savings
This month, your College and Career Savings team attended the MHSAA Volleyball State Championship Games in Clinton. While we had a lot of fun cheering on the teams, we had a bigger purpose: We had some cash to give away! I’ll admit: It wasn’t exactly cash. Instead, it was $5,000 worth of scholarships, delivered in the form of a Mississippi … Read More
Mississippi: A model for the nation
I have long believed that Mississippi could be a model for the country. As the national economy faltered, Mississippi produced historic investment returns. When the federal government was taking more money from hardworking Americans, Mississippi was returning in excess of $100 million in unclaimed money to our citizens. And as was reiterated earlier this fall, when America’s credit rating weakened, … Read More
Don’t Spend More Than You Make – Balancing the Budget
Don’t spend more than you make. It’s as simple as that. In Mississippi, we live by this rule, yet the federal government spends far beyond its means. In Mississippi we make good with taxpayer dollars, we don’t spend more money than we have, we save and invest, and we always balance our budget for the year. Washington needs to take … Read More
$100 Million Returned – And Still Going!
When I became your State Treasurer, I promised to find and return your unclaimed money. That’s because it’s not the government’s money, it’s yours. This August, your State Treasury hit a historic milestone: $100 million was returned to Mississippians through our unclaimed money program in just over four years. It was a feat never accomplished, so we set out on … Read More
The Beginning of the End of ESG
I have some good news for those who have been following our fight against Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing: The beginning of the end just might be upon us. For years, myself and others have railed against this woke investment strategy, which mandated that companies put a leftist political agenda ahead of consumers and those with whom they had … Read More
School is Back; So is MPACT
School is back in session and so is the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) program! Now through May 31, families can enroll in MPACT to lock in today’s tuition rates and pre-pay a child’s university or community college tuition (in part or in full). Over the last twenty years, the average cost of college tuition and fees has increased … Read More