Tupelo, Miss. (Daily Journal) – In his State of the State address, Gov. Tate Reeves endorsed Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann’s approach to spending federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
“I want to echo and appreciate the sentiment from Lt. Gov. Hosemann. We must stay focused on those investments that will have an impact not for one or two years, but for one or two generations. I whole-heartedly support his plan to put the bulk of that money into local infrastructure projects that can put those concerns behind us for years,” Reeves said during his speech.
Hosemann has consistently said he believes the bulk of ARPA funds should be spent on what he calls “generational projects.” He also has advocated for spending that would be used as matching funds for local governments to help them pay for projects.
While specific legislation has not been filed, Appropriations Vice Chairman John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, outlined the Senate’s plan. It would set aside $750 million as matching funds to upgrading water and sewer infrastructure. Smaller counties and municipalities would receive a larger state match, and some of the money is designated specifically for rural water associations.
In general, this approach is a smart one. It allows local governments to have a greater say in how the money is spent, while at the same time asking them to help fund larger projects. Of course, the details will matter. Lawmakers must work to ensure that these funds can be spread across the state and that all areas have an opportunity to receive a proportional share, based on need.
But $750 million is only a fraction of the $1.8 billion in federal funds Mississippi has to spend. The Senate passed a bill allocating $177 million to different agencies, the bulk aimed at upgrading the state’s mental health system.
Mississippi is under federal court order to make changes in the mental health system. Polk authored a bill that would provide $86 million to the Department of Mental Health and another $18.5 million to community mental health centers.
The Senate would also use $59.1 million to fund more caseworkers and upgrade services through the Department of Child Protective Services, which has for years been underfunded to the detriment of at-risk children across the state.
Both goals are laudable. They are also vital to some of the most vulnerable populations in our state. We applaud the Senate for taking this action.
The House leadership has been largely silent on how ARPA funds should be spent. We hope they will follow the lead of the Senate and governor, capitalizing on the opportunity to address serious issues and bring about generational change for Mississippians.