• PLATFORM •"My platform is based on individual, corporate and government responsibility, with checks to keep them all in balance. I believe in less government interference in business and don't believe we should participate in an escalating tax system that creates a mammoth machine that controls every aspect of our personal lives. I am a conservative with traditional Mississippi family values and I intend to make certain my children inherit a state that is fiscally sound." Tyner said he is seeking the Republican nomination for Governor because he believes "that Mississippi Republicans deserve an opportunity to vote for a candidate who has lived and worked in the state all his life. I didn't come home to run for the office of the Governor of Mississippi, I am at home. Mississippi is a proud state and is made of a diverse group of hard working God fearing citizens that deserve a strong leader."
Tyner Proposes Specific Policy Changes in His Gubernatorial Bid.
(Jackson, MS) Tyner outlined his platform and some of the specific proposals for reforming state Government, mentioning that the public is tired of hearing the rhetoric and wants specific policy provisions so they can select the best candidate to lead this state.
Tyner has consistently maintained that in order to get back on the right track, we must get back to Traditional Mississippi Family Values which is the 1st plank in his platform. At speaking engagements and debates all over Mississippi, Tyner has announced his platform as follows:
1.) God & Family. Return to an emphasis on traditional Mississippi Family Values to correct other social and economic ills that plague our State & Nation.
2.) Education. Tyner has maintained that the single issue that separates our country apart from every other nation in world is a strong public school education that is accessible to all regardless of their nationality or socioeconomic status.
3.) Economic Developments. Tyner has stated repeatedly that his emphasis on economic development is to realigned all development projects to support Mississippi small businesses on an equal footing with regard to cash benefits and tax breaks.
4.) Crime. Tyner believes in supporting law enforcement through increased wages, training and state of the art equipment.
Policy Proposals.
1.) Family Values. Tyner has proposed that we shrink government and government welfare so that more resources are available on the local level. "Our churches, synagogues and community action groups are much better equipped to provide social services rather than the government. Mississippi is at the top of all polls concerning generosity and will always take care of the sick, the poor, the hungry and the homeless. Continuing to grow government to handle these mattes will lead to an increase in taxes, which will cut the availability of resources on the local level to provide these services. Furthermore, the bureaucracy associated with government welfare makes it almost impossible to make the recipients accountable. When these services are provided on the local level, those administering the benefits have first hand knowledge of the needs and whether or not the beneficiary is abusing the available support." Of course, corporate welfare should be eliminated as well. Only those corporations that can afford high priced lobbyists receive our tax dollars through corporate welfare.
2.) Education: Parental involvement works. Private schools are successful because of parental involvement in policy decisions both large and small. In studying the differences between failing schools and those that are remarkably successful, the largest difference appears to be parental involvement in the school’s policy decisions as well as the parents involvement with the child’s homework and extra curricular activities. Therefore, I propose the following:
1.) As Governor I will insist that all public schools provide for parental involvement in policy decisions by requiring a Board of Trustees made of interested parents.
2.) Draft legislation that allows a parent a tax credit if they donate money directly to their public school of choice, implementing a limitation on the amount of credit available.
3.) Encourage the development of online classrooms where a parent can access the progress, assignments and curriculum for every class in which their child is enrolled. In this manner, if a student starts falling behind, the parents will know it immediately rather than getting a surprise during regular reporting times. Allowing the parents insight to the teacher planning of lessons will also allow them to volunteer to assist the teacher when the parent has special knowledge that might assist the entire classroom of students.
4.) Economic Development: The state should not be in the economic development business other than to provide the infrastructure necessary to attract good industry and service businesses to our state. Additionally, existing small businesses should not be forced to compete with big businesses that are supported by the state through cash incentive, workforce training and tax credits. I therefore propose the following:
1.) We emphasize assisting our own Mississippi Businesses and their expansion opportunities as a priority over attracting new businesses. We can grow our current Mississippi small businesses to add jobs instead of just bringing in new business.
2.) Enact laws that prevent the government from giving tax incentives and cash benefits to any business that will be competing with small businesses already in existence in Mississippi for 5 years or more, without giving the same benefits to the existing businesses.
3.) Emphasize the infrastructure of Mississippi as a reason to do business here (such as transpiration, trained workforce, lower taxes for all business and a state where people want to live because of our quality of life) rather than bribing industry to come here with tax incentives and cash benefits. This will provide for slow, steady, sustained growth rather than artificial growth controlled by government.
5.) Crime: I propose the following specifics to address Crime in Mississippi:
. White Collar/Corporate Crime: Recently, thousands of Mississippians saw their retirement accounts wiped out by corporate fraud from the likes of Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, etc. The depth of the fraud was incredible including the "buying off" of the brokerage houses and accounting firm to create mythical balance sheets and books. I propose that we adopt similar legislation to that of Florida where the brokerage houses who are involved in the deception will be responsible for replacing those retirement accounts and other accounts devastated by these types of corporate misconduct.
2. Violent Crime: Enact a criminal statue to deal with the crime of killing an unborn child such as in the case of Laci Peterson, so that the murder of the child and/or mother may be prosecuted with the same penalties. The crimes could be prosecuted together or separately.
3. Crime Lab: Adequate funding and training for our crime lab. It must be expanded to deal with the volume of evidence that needs to be authenticated properly. Currently we are using out of state labs and don’t even have a forensic pathologist capable of performing some of the more advanced DNA testing needed in today’s courtrooms. Part of the backlog of criminal cases is caused by the lack of resources and personnel at our state crime lab.
©
Copyright Mitch for Mississippi 2003. All rights reserved.
Paid for by Friends of Mitchell Tyner for Mississippi.