Harrison County Republican Club News

Utility Update: Public Service Comissioner Leonard Bentz

Brandon Payne — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 23:46:45 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Public Service Comissioner Leonard Bentz

Hello to All in Harrison County!

First, my family and I want to thank you for all of your support. It is an honor to continue to represent you for another 4 years, and I will do my best to make effective decisions on your behalf.

We’ve been busy in Jackson, most recently trying to stop HB 825, which would remove oversight the PSC has over AT&T. This Bill is a terrible idea for the Consumer because it would take away the ability this Commission has to rectify complaints on the Consumers behalf. Complaints against AT&T have increased each year as it is, with 4,361 documented complaints in 2011 alone. Also at risk is the authority to regulate the service terms and conditions of AT&T and rates for some lines. This can lead to pretty expensive nightmares when dealing with things like billing disputes. One of the most costly issues is that the Bill would take away some $850,000-$900,000 of the utilities tax base. Other regulated utilities would have to make up this difference. Finally, HB 825 would no longer require AT&T to be a carrier of last resort, meaning many rural areas could find themselves without reliable service. Removing Commission oversight is dangerous and has serious consequences for Consumers.

Another area under PSC jurisdiction is the No Call Law. I am continuing to work to strengthen the No Call Law. By eliminating the exemptions of whom may call you, we will be able to stop annoying telemarketers even further. We have been able to hold many accountable, issuing fines and putting that money back into the program to help stop even more unwanted and sometimes fraudulent telemarketing calls. To date we have issued Millions of dollars in fines and registered more than 260,000 Mississippians on the No Call List. The list is now permanent and you do not have to re-register your number.

Also, in the latter part of last year, I requested that major utilities offer Business Incentive Plans for both new and existing businesses. These incentives will encourage small business growth, helping the bottom line, and aid in expanding our economy.

I remain dedicated to making sure that we have a reliable, affordable utility infrastructure in place. If you have a utility question or concern, please call my office at 800-356-6429.

Again, my sincerest appreciation for your support and prayers,

Congressional Update: U.S. Senator Roger Wicker

Brandon Payne — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:18:40 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Senator Roger Wicker:

It was great to join with Republicans from across Harrison County recently. I appreciate the chance to hear from you about how things in Washington are affecting you and your family.

One issue, the rising price of gas, has come to the forefront over the past month. Families across Mississippi are paying a staggering amount at the pump. I remain committed to an all-of-the-above-approach to address our energy needs. We need to expand conventional energy exploration on land and offshore. This is why I support exploring for oil and gas in ANWR and in the Outer Continental Shelf’s deep waters. Those areas hold 24 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

America faces great challenges from growing economic opportunities to cutting the Federal debt, and maintaining a strong national defense. I want to continue to promote conservative principles to address these issues. I stood against the bailouts, the President's trillion-dollar stimulus, and Obamacare, but much work remains to be done to stop the growth of the federal government and put America on the right path.

I encourage you to vote on March 13, and I ask for your support.

Legislative Update: State Senator Michael Watson

Brandon Payne — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:01:18 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

State Senator Michael Watson

I hope all is well with my friends in Harrison County. Thank you for all of
your hard work in furthering the conservative movement here in Mississippi.
By way of a quick update from Jackson, the first couple of months have been
rather busy for the veteran crowd as we have been fine tuning legislation
before introducing it. Additionally, several of us have been trying to make
sure the freshmen get settled in by talking them through the legislative
process, introducing them to staff and agency heads, and most importantly,
showing them where the restrooms are located! While we are talking about
the freshmen, thank you so much for sending Senators Tindell and Smith.
Both have exhibited great ability and quickly made their mark at the Capitol
as two rising legislators. I look forward to seeing you around the Coast
and will do my best to keep you updated as the session progresses. Take a
look at www.senatorwatson.com, or you can find me on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/michaelwatsonmississippi.

Governor Haley Barbour: Remarks to Celebrate President Ronald Reagan’s 101st Birthday

Brandon Payne — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:16:45 GMT

Courtesy of YallPolitics.com

Governor Haley Barbour

Remarks to Celebrate President Ronald Reagan’s 101st Birthday
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library
February 6, 2012

Thank you. It is a high honor for me to be asked to speak at the celebration of President
Reagan’s one hundred and first birthday, and I want to thank Mrs. Reagan and The Ronald
Reagan Library for inviting me.

As RNC Chairman in 1994 I was delighted President Reagan allowed me to organize an eightythird birthday dinner for a couple of thousand of his closest friends in Washington. It was a big GOP Gala, featuring Lady Margaret Thatcher and launching the 1994 campaign that led to the greatest mid-term majority sweep of the twentieth century.

As always, the President was spectacular, and it turned out to be his last public event in
Washington.

That November he wrote me a very generous note about the ’94 victory, and according to
Annelise and Marty Anderson’s book, Reagan: A Life in Letters, that note was the last personal letter President Reagan ever wrote anyone.

So, this opportunity is not only heady stuff for a boy from Yazoo City, Mississippi, it is a unique chance for me, his one-time White House Political Director, to put the 2012 presidential election in the context of Ronald Reagan’s Republican Party.

Of course a hundred and one years ago, Ronald Reagan was born into a Democratic family, and he remained a Democrat for decades.

But the Republican Party of 1911 was in what would become a familiar state: a divided party, with two wings.

The next year Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat and one of only three men elected and re-elected president without ever receiving a majority of the popular vote, won the White House because of the split. He got to run against two Republican presidents: Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, so great was the rift in our party.

For nearly seventy more years the Republicans were basically divided. Dewey vs. Robert Taft; Rockefeller vs. Goldwater; even Ford vs. Reagan.

But after 1980 Ronald Reagan put a stop to that; he melded the GOP into one broad mainstream. It was, and is, the conservative party of the United States, while the Democrats are the liberal party.

He didn’t unite our party by pushing pastels, or trying to find the lowest common denominator. Reagan never had his finger up in the wind, trying to figure out what to be for.

He flew under bold, bright colors, and everybody knew where he stood.

He stood for individual freedom and personal responsibility; for smaller, limited government, with lower taxes and less spending, with rational regulation. He was a free trader and an internationalist, who realized that the path to peace was through strength.

Certainly he was the most conservative president of my lifetime; and the most successful.
In the 2012 campaign every candidate has invoked Reagan and compared him or herself to
Reagan. I don’t blame them a bit.

But let me make sure one thing about Reagan’s Republican Party is clear: Reagan did not
demand or expect everyone to agree with him on every issue. He wasn’t a purist.

Indeed one of my favorite Reaganisms is, “Remember, a fellow who agrees with you eighty
percent of the time is your friend and ally, he is not some twenty percent traitor.”

President Reagan had an incredibly loyal following and one reason for this was that he
recognized and tolerated the fact that his supporters didn’t agree with him on everything. They knew where he stood, understood their differences on this issue or that, but they supported him.

In 2012 some candidates are vying to be the most conservative candidate, and some voters are seeking purity in their choice.

In politics, purity is a dead dog loser. You need unity, and purity is the enemy of unity.
In a party that will receive some seventy million votes in the November election, it’s silly to
think that everybody will agree on everything. My wife and I don’t agree on everything.

Reagan not only knew all his supporters wouldn’t agree with him on every issue, he also knew he had to compromise in order to achieve his policy goals.

After all, Reagan had a Democratic majority in the House every day he was president. While there were still quite a few conservative House Democrats back then, the President had to compromise to get big things passed, and did he ever get them passed: the Reagan economic plan; Social Security Reform; Immigration Reform; the 1986 Tax Reform; to name a few.

These were big and hard to get enacted. But Reagan knew he had a Democratic House, and he had the skills and the commitment to negotiate the deals and pass the laws that helped end the malaise that had led to the worst recession since the Depression. His work made it Morning in America again. Indeed these policies led to the greatest explosion of economic growth and expanding prosperity in the history of the world.

For President Reagan politics was an aspiration, not a destination. He saw – and strove to reach that Shining City on the Hill, but he never imagined he’d get there in one fell swoop.
Instead, he moved us toward that ideal place and the principles it represented. Moving us is what motivated him. Despite his career as an actor, it was not the role to which Reagan aspired, but our achieving the goals.

He set the highest goals, but accepted progress toward those goals, one or a few steps at a time. Ronald Reagan had an ideology, a strong philosophy with matching principles; but he was not an ideologue. He didn’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

We admire him today not only for his vision but for his accomplishments. They resulted from his ability to accept imperfect improvement on the road to something even better.

President Reagan brought us together because he pushed us in the right direction. Results
oriented, he left us a legacy of principled pragmatism.

That gave us a united Republican Party.

It also gave American presidents a model of leadership that is sorely missing today: a
determination to work effectively with Congress, while being tolerant of those in either party who had different views from his own.

To be a good Republican you didn’t and don’t have to agree with President Reagan or anybody else on everything. Yes, we’re the conservative party of the United States, but we are a big broad party with a wide mainstream. It’s a party that in Reagan’s day received sixty percent of the popular vote for president and carried every state but one.

Reagan’s vision and the results it produced meant sixty percent of American voters voted for him; and we must always run our party so that the sixty or so percent of voters, who are willing to vote for our candidate for president or governor, feel comfortable and welcome in the GOP, not that they will agree on every issue.

Both our eventual nominee and our supporters know the stakes of this year’s presidential
election. Whoever we nominate will not be perfect.

But whoever wins our nomination will, along with President Obama, present America with two dramatically different visions of our nation and of the principles and policies needed for our future. Those two visions will be farther apart than any competing visions in our lifetime; and possibly ever.

The Obama Administration program was the biggest lurch to the left in our history. More
spending, more borrowing, more taxing, more government control over the economy and our lives. And with miserable results.

And that is what the 2012 election must be about: Obama’s policies and the terrible results
caused by those policies.

Compare for a moment the record of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid program with that of Ronald
Reagan’s program, each having come into office facing enormous problems, economic and
otherwise.

While the Obama campaign and its allies in the news media are hailing the “great”
unemployment figures, this recovery is anemic, especially compared to the Reagan expansion of
1983 forward.

In fact, as Phil Gramm recently noted in the Wall Street Journal, Reagan’s policies ignited a
recovery so powerful that if it were repeated today, per capita GDP would be $5,694 higher than it is with Obama’s slow growth policies. That would equal $22,776 more for a family of four.

And instead of millions having dropped out of the workforce, some 16.9 million more Americans would have a job if the Reagan growth rate replaced the tepid outcomes under Obama. What kind of recovery is it when 1.2 million Americans became so discouraged that they quit looking for work last month alone? In January five times more people quit looking for work than got a job!

Unlike Reagan, Obama can’t run on his record. If this election is about Obama’s policies and the awful results those policies have produced, he’ll be back in Chicago next year, organizing communities.

But we Republicans have to make the campaign a referendum on Obama’s record, and not get hung up on purity from our nominee.

In 1980, I’m told President Carter’s political aides celebrated Reagan’s nomination, considering him the easiest Republican for Carter to beat. They thought moderate Republicans and Independents would abandon him; find him too conservative.

Of course, those moderates and Independents plus a lot of Democrats - who came to be known as Reagan Democrats - made 1980 a referendum on Carter’s record; asking themselves, “Am I better off today than I was four years ago?” And Ronald Reagan became the fortieth president in a rout.

Our job is to set purity aside, and I think a lot of our fellow conservatives are coming to the
conclusion that the stakes are too high to pursue perfection.

More than anything else, people ask me, “Who has the best chance to beat Obama? That’s who I want to be for.”

I remind them of Bill Buckley’s old adage, “Our duty is to be for the most conservative
candidate who can win in November.” And remember, whoever we nominate will be far, far
better than Obama.

Let me close by saying that Ronald Reagan’s Republican Party must have a place for every voter who knows Barack Obama shouldn’t be president – and that’s a majority of Americans; and our mission is to make them feel welcome and needed as part of our effort: as voters, volunteers, or donors... and hopefully all three.

Our campaign must make this election a referendum on Obama’s counterproductive policies and his record of failure.

Our attitude must be one of unity, because Americans are right to say they are concerned, for the first time in their lives, that their children and grandchildren will not inherit the same country they inherited.

The stakes of the election are that high, and if we practice what Ronald Reagan taught us, we will win a great victory in November.

Thank you for this honor. I hope I have done the President’s legacy justice.

Volunteer Request from the Palazzo Camp

Brandon Payne — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:11:15 GMT

Congressman Steven Palazzo, candidate for re-election in Mississippi’s 4th Congressional district, is searching for volunteers to help him for the March 13th Republican Primary election. Please send your contact information to info@palazzoforcongress.com if you are interested in volunteering or would like a yard sign or bumper sticker or you may call 228-265-7820. His campaign office is located at 2202 25th Avenue, Suite B in Gulfport.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Jake

Jake DeVantier
Political Director
Palazzo for Congress
901-485-8426
jake@palazzoforcongress.com

Congressional Update: Congressman Steven Palazzo

Brandon Payne — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:21:13 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Congressman Steven Palazzo:

Last year in Congress, I spent my time working with the leadership team to ensure conservative Republicans' values and voices were heard in the House. I voted on a budget that cut $6.2 trillion in government spending and reduced deficits by $4.2 trillion over the next ten years. I voted to repeal and defund the government takeover of healthcare. I voted in favor of the 27 conservative, job-creating bills that House Republicans sent to the Senate where Democrat leadership has continued to ignore them. After closing out the first legislative session of the 112th Congress in 2011, I came home disappointed, but not discouraged.

In a new year and a new Congress, conservatives face similar challenges. President Obama has shown he remains commited to railroading the American people with backdoor appointments and continuing to stand in the way of good, job-creating policies, like allowing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. He has publicly stated that in this election year he will abandon all appearances of working with Congress to get anything done, choosing instead to make Congress his campaign opponent. Rather than truly reflect on the state of our union, he resorted to divisive, flawed rhetoric that simply doesn't match up to the reality of the past three years. And when given the choice to govern, he has made it clear he will once again ignore the budget deadline set for February 3rd, for the third time since taking office, making him the most delinquent president when it comes to delivering a budget.

I and many others in the House remain committed to staying the course and continuing to work to reverse the harmful policies from this administration. I have worked with House Armed Services Republicans to bring forth an alternative solution to looming defense cuts proposes by this administration; our plan would save $127 billion without putting our men and women in uniform out of work or putting our national security in jeopardy. Just this week we are voting to repeal one of the worst pieces of the government take over of health care, the CLASS Act, which even Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has admitted is a costly, unworkable idea with "no viable path forward." And I remain committed to working for passage of the RESTORE Act, which will bring much of the BP oil-spill fines back to the Gulf Coast states, to those most affected by this devastating spill almost two years ago.

I was proud to be able to be with your group last August, and I look forward to being with you again sometime soon. I'd also like to extend a personal invitation to join me and Majority Leader Eric Cantor this Saturday, February 4th, at the Gulfport Yacht Club. For more information, please visit http://palazzoforcongress.com/news/save-the-date/.

Don't hesitate to let me know how my offices can be of assistance to you by visiting my official website at www.palazzo.house.gov. Finally, I want to thank Harrison County Republicans for your continued interest and support in these crucial issues facing our nation. Together, we are changing the conversation in Washington, and we will put our nation back on the path to prosperity and purpose once more.

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Judicial Update: Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner

Brandon Payne — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:00:21 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner:

Thank you for the support in my campaign for Justice Court Judge. I
am proud to represent Harrison County in this seat and I am excited to
serve our community in this capacity.

Harrison County is divided into two Judicial Districts. I am working in the First Judicial District, which is seated in Gulfport. Many may not know, but Harrison County completed new Justice Court Buildings for Gulfport and Biloxi during
the previous year of 2011. These buildings are very attractive and
sufficient to accomadate the duties of the Court. This will help
provide professional effiency and appearance.

I researched statistics for the previous year of 2011 to help inform you all of the involvment and role of Justice Court in our community. There were 8,411 civil cases filed through the Gulfport Jusitce Court Office in 2011. There were 12,783 criminal cases filed through the Gulfport Jusitce Court Office. The
civil and criminal combined total 21,194 cases, which are only the statistics through one Judicial District in Harrison County. High numbers through the Court are not something to be proud of, but should be a concern for our community. I can assure you that the Harrison County Justice Court Judges are working hard dealing with everyday issues and we are directly involved with the community dealing with these cases. I am proud to have a part in this service and I l look forward to helping resolve our communities issues.

You may contact the Harrison County Justice Court Offices as follows:
Gulfport Office: 228) 865-4203
Biloxi Office: 228) 435-8250

Your Justice Court Judges by representative districts is as follows:
District 1: Judge Albert Fountain (Biloxi)
District 2: Judge Brandon Ladner (Gulfport)
District 3: Judge Dianne Ladner (Gulfport)
District 4: Judge Melvin Ray (Gulfport)
District 5: Judge Bruce Strong (Biloxi)

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Legislative Update: State Senator Tony Smith

Brandon Payne — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:11:17 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

State Senator Tony Smith:

Wow, the last few weeks here in Jackson have been amazing. No one could ever prepare you for this experience. It reminds me much of being in the restaurant business…moments of boredom interrupted by moments of panic!

I do want to say what an honor it is to serve the people of District 47 and have such wonderful friends and supporters in the Harrison County Republican Club. I do believe that the South Mississippi delegation is poised to make a great impact in our State.

I am pleased with the committee assignments that I received from Lt. Governor Tate Reeves. I will be serving on the following committees: Local & Private (vice chair), Insurance, Transportation & Highways, Finance, Public Health & Welfare and Public Property.

I will be posting weekly updates on my Face Book page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Senator-Tony-Smith/280786901977500.

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Municipal Update: Gulfport Councilman R.Lee Flowers

Brandon Payne — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:05:57 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Gulfport Councilman R.Lee Flowers:

Gulfport has a great year ahead of us. With the planned reopening of Gulfport's front yard, Jones Park, once again the jewel of the Mississippi Gulf Coast will be ready for public use. What better way to make that announcement than kicking it off with a three day celebration called Gulfport Music Fest. Our inaugural year was a great success in the streets of Downtown. We expect the attendance will continue to grow along with the number of acts this year.

Along with the great events planned for this year, we have our challenges. Much of the infrastructure put into the ground as the subdivisions and neighborhoods were first built has begun to deteriorate. Just as many cities and the nation, Gulfport has to address our aging infrastructure while we continue to bring service to citizens that were annexed 18 years ago. By state law, the enterprise fund for water and sewer service must remain self sustaining. The council remains resolute in determining a pricing structure that allows customers to pay for only what they use while keeping the burden on those with limited incomes bearable.

R.Lee Flowers

Councilman, Ward 6

Gulfport, Mississippi

(228)265-0806

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Legislative Update: State Senator Sean Tindell

Brandon Payne — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:33:29 GMT

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

State Senator Sean Tindell:

The first four weeks of the 2012 legislative session have been very busy working on new legislation, organizing committees, and meeting with various constituents and leaders about their concerns.

I feel honored to have been named the vice president of the tourism committee and appointed to serve as the secretary on appropriations. In addition to those committees I was also appointed to serve on the following committees: Energy, Minerals, and Public Utilities, Corrections, Environmental Protection and Water Resources, Judiciary A, and Judiciary B. Currently I am working on several bills that would strengthen our exploitation of vulnerable adult laws, lower taxes on tag renewals, and offer incentives for economic development on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you would like to contact me feel free to email stindell@senate.ms.gov or call me at 228-342-5963. begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 228-342-5963 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club

Wicker to boycott Cordray hearing to protest Obama 'recess' appointments

Brandon Payne — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:00:29 GMT

Source: TheHill.com

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/206873-wicker-to-boycott-cordray-hearing-to-protest-recess-appointments

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) on Thursday afternoon said he would boycott a planned hearing next week in which Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray will testify, as a way of protesting Cordray's recess appointment to that post when the Senate was not in recess.

"Let me be explicitly clear," Wicker said on the Senate floor. "Richard Cordray is not the duly constituted director of the CFPB. His purported recess appointment does not comply with the Constitution, and is in fact a nullity.

"I will not provide the administration with the appearance of legitimacy in this action, and I will therefore not be in attendance at next Tuesday's hearing."

South Mississippi - House Chair and Vice Chair Assignments

Brandon Payne — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:55:24 GMT

The South Mississippi chair and vice chair assignments:

Appropriations: Herb Frierson, Chairman

Banking and Financial Services: Hank Zuber, Chairman

Conservation and Water Resources: Jessica Upshaw, Chairman

Constitution: Scott DeLano, Chairman

Ethics: Manly Barton. Vice Chairman

Fees and Salaries of Public Officers: John Read, Chairman

Gaming: Richard Bennett, Chairman

Marine Resources: Casey Eure, Chairman; Jeffrey Guice, Vice Chairman

Rules: Mark Formby, Chairman

http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/htms/h_cmtememb.xml

Public Employees' Retirement System

Brandon Payne — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:29:26 GMT

Courtesy of: www.YallPolitics.com

Gulfport Mayor and PERS Commission Chairman George Schloegel spoke Wednesday at the Harrison County Republican Club, giving those in attendance a rundown of the work he and fellow Commission members recently undertook at the behest of former Governor Haley Barbour.

Schloegel said the Public Employees' Retirement System isn't "completely broken but it needs some attention."

The PERS Commission Chairman noted, "There's not as many people in the system coming into the program and people are living longer so we're paying out more. We're downsizing government, which is good, but there's not as many to support the program."

According to Schloegel, PERS collected around 88 cents for every dollar it distributed in the 1980s. "The rule of thumb," he added, "is if you can stay around 80 cents you're doing pretty good. Then the legislature decided that we were doing so well why not add some benefits to retirees."

The former CEO of Hancock Bank would not say if the Legislature erred, but he did add, "They were betting on the fact that the stock market would always go up. That was a bad bet to make."

Now PERS collects around 62 cents for every dollar distributed and its unfunded liabilities have risen from $1.9 billion in 1998 to $12 billion in 2011.

Schloegel said, "We would have to shut down all of state government for the next three years to balance it."

The employer (meaning Mississippi taxpayers) contributed 2% to PERS in 1953; now the employer's portion sits at 14%. Employees' contributions to PERS in 1953 was 4%; now employees contribute 9%, something former Governor Barbour fought to raise in recent years seeing the poor road PERS was traveling.

In this vein, the PERS Commission is recommending that the employer (again, taxpayers) and employees each contribute 7.5%.

Schloegel noted that PERS is currently "$483 million in the hole for what we're paying out versus what we're taking in."

As for the much debated and discussed 13th Check, the Chairman says the practice began as a way to offer a cost of living adjustment to retirees, "but the time value of money compounds the interest meaning a person receiving a $363 dollar monthly check could get a 13th check for some $8000" since the Legislature made the practice retroactive. He says this was something the Legislature and many others did not fully comprehend.

PERS paid out some $1.6 billion this year. Of that figure, Schloegel noted the 13th Check is $400 million. He said, "If you give somebody something three consecutive times it becomes an entitlement."

Schloegel also mentioned that the PERS Commission recommended that there ought to be a regular annual review/audit of PERS as constitutionally outlined. He says this is not currently being done. He further added that the report should be submitted to the State Treasurer or an independent agency for review.

Another recommendation was that PERS should not keep all of its assets in the stock market. Such a practice can be unsafe given the recent volatility.

Schloegel also promoted adding private citizens independent of the outcome of their decisions to the PERS Board. "It would be in the best interest of the taxpayers," he said.

As for SLRP, the legislature's own special retirement plan, Schloegel said the benefit accounted for close to $1 million, not a significant expenditure to PERS. But the issue here isn't the cost necessarily; he noted, it was whether or not it was the right thing to do.

The Chairman closed by acknowledging any solutions would not be easy given the passions the discussion creates, but the effort is indeed worth it. "We didn't get into this over night and we can't fix it over night. We can fix it over the next 10 years, gradually, but it's up to the legislature. The Commission was just a recommending body."

Courtesy of: www.YallPolitics.com

Gene Taylor won't seek Congressional Seat

Brandon Payne — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:17:37 GMT

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor told the Sun Herald this afternoon that he isn’t going to run this year for the Fourth Congressional District seat, which he held for more than 20 years before being defeated by Republican Challenger Steven Palazzo in 2010.

Today is the deadline to qualify for the race, but Taylor said Friday he wouldn’t seek the seat this time around.
“I loved being in public service, and there may be other opportunities at other times, but not now,” Taylor said.

Courtesy of the SunHerald

Joe Nosef Elected New Republican Party Chairman

Brandon Payne — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:24:54 GMT

The Mississippi Republican Party has elected Joe Nosef of Jackson as its new Chairman.

At a meeting today in Jackson held by the Mississippi Republican Party’s Executive Committee, Nosef was elected by a unanimous vote shortly after the resignation of former Chairman Arnie Hederman.

“As we begin a new year with solid Republican leadership in the Governor’s office, the Mississippi Legislature and our Congressional delegation, I am honored and excited about the opportunity to help the Mississippi Republican Party grow even stronger in 2012 and beyond,” said Nosef. “My commitment as Chairman is to focus on building active organizations in every county, recruiting good, qualified candidates, and providing an effective voice for communicating our conservative principles and ideas for the future.”

“I am very appreciative of Arnie Hederman’s leadership as Republican Party Chairman,” Nosef stated. “He leaves a very successful framework for building the party."

Governor Phil Bryant expressed his support for Nosef’s election as Chairman today by saying, “I have worked with Joe for years, and I am confident that he is the best person to lead our Party forward. He has proven his ability to work with Republicans all over the state and will be able to get our message out with strong communication skills."

Nosef grew up in Clarksdale & attended Ole Miss earning both undergraduate and master’s degrees in accounting. He graduated from Ole Miss Law School and also obtained an LL.M. degree in taxation from the University of Florida at Gainesville. Nosef has practiced law in the Jackson area for more than fifteen years. During this time, he has served on boards of various charitable organizations in the metro area.

Upon his inauguration in January of 2004, Governor Haley Barbour appointed Nosef to serve as Chief Counsel where he served until November 2006, when Governor Barbour named him Campaign Manager for his re-election campaign in 2007. After Governor Barbour’s successful reelection, Nosef served as Chief of Staff for then Lt. Governor Phil Bryant during 2008. He served as Chairman of the Phil Bryant Campaign for Governor and Executive Director of the Phil Bryant Gubernatorial Transition. Nosef currently practices law at Watkins & Eager PLLC in Jackson. Nosef is married to the former Amy Wallace of Laurel. They are the parents of two children, both of whom attend Jackson Academy. The Nosefs attend St. Richard Catholic Church in Jackson.

Courtesy of the MSGOP and YallPolitics.com

2012 State Senate Committee Listing

Brandon Payne — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:48:27 GMT

Mississippi State Senate
Committee Listing

Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
   Nancy Adams Collins, Chairman; J. P. Wilemon, Jr., Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Terry W. Brown; Eugene S. Clarke; Joey Fillingane; Steve Hale; W. Briggs Hopson III; John A. Polk

Agriculture
   Billy Hudson, Chairman; Russell Jolly, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Eugene S. Clarke; Nancy Adams Collins; Phillip A. Gandy; Angela Burks Hill; Robert L. Jackson; David Jordan; Haskins Montgomery; Willie Simmons; Melanie Sojourner; Giles Ward

Appropriations
   Eugene S. Clarke, Chairman; Terry C. Burton, Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Terry W. Brown; Albert Butler; Videt Carmichael; Nancy Adams Collins; Hillman Terome Frazier; Phillip A. Gandy; Tommy A. Gollott; Alice Harden; Angela Burks Hill; W. Briggs Hopson III; John Horhn; Robert L. Jackson; Gary Jackson; Sampson Jackson II; Russell Jolly; Perry Lee; Chris McDaniel; Willie Simmons; Melanie Sojourner; Sean J. Tindell; Bennie L. Turner; Brice Wiggins; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Business and Financial Institutions
   Gary Jackson, Chairman; J. P. Wilemon, Jr., Vice-Chairman
      Members: Nickey Browning; Kelvin E. Butler; Videt Carmichael; Sally Doty; Josh Harkins; Robert L. Jackson; Will Longwitz; Haskins Montgomery; Rita Potts Parks; Bill Stone; Giles Ward

Compilation, Revision and Publication
   Derrick T. Simmons, Chairman; Dean Kirby, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hob Bryan; Chris McDaniel; Gray Tollison; Bennie L. Turner; Michael Watson

Congressional Redistricting
   Merle Flowers, Chairman; Chris McDaniel, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hob Bryan; Terry C. Burton; Eugene S. Clarke; Nancy Adams Collins; Joey Fillingane; Hillman Terome Frazier; Willie Simmons

Constitution
   Michael Watson, Chairman; Will Longwitz, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hob Bryan; Joey Fillingane; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Chris McDaniel; Bill Stone; Gray Tollison; Bennie L. Turner

Corrections
   Sampson Jackson II, Chairman; Lydia Graves Chassaniol, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Videt Carmichael; Alice Harden; Angela Burks Hill; Russell Jolly; Dean Kirby; Derrick T. Simmons; Willie Simmons; Sean J. Tindell; Brice Wiggins

County Affairs
   Nickey Browning, Chairman; Billy Hudson, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Phillip A. Gandy; Russell Jolly; David Jordan; Will Longwitz; Philip Moran; Melanie Sojourner; Bill Stone

Drug Policy
   David Jordan, Chairman; Michael Watson, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Nickey Browning; Albert Butler; Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Sally Doty; Phillip A. Gandy; Tommy A. Gollott; Chris McDaniel; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Economic Development
   John Horhn, Chairman; Steve Hale, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Eugene S. Clarke; Sally Doty; Joey Fillingane; Merle Flowers; Tommy A. Gollott; Haskins Montgomery; Rita Potts Parks; Bennie L. Turner

Education
   Gray Tollison, Chairman; Nancy Adams Collins, Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Terry C. Burton; Videt Carmichael; Steve Hale; Alice Harden; Angela Burks Hill; W. Briggs Hopson III; Russell Jolly; David Jordan; Chris Massey; John A. Polk; Brice Wiggins; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Elections
   Chris McDaniel, Chairman; David Blount, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hob Bryan; Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Joey Fillingane; Merle Flowers; Hillman Terome Frazier; Tommy A. Gollott; John A. Polk

Energy
   Merle Flowers, Chairman; Giles Ward, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Nickey Browning; Terry C. Burton; Videt Carmichael; Phillip A. Gandy; Robert L. Jackson; Gary Jackson; Sampson Jackson II; Haskins Montgomery; John A. Polk

Enrolled Bills
   Alice Harden, Chairman; Kelvin E. Butler, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Perry Lee; Philip Moran; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Environment Prot, Cons and Water Res
   Tommy A. Gollott, Chairman; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Albert Butler; Angela Burks Hill; W. Briggs Hopson III; John Horhn; Billy Hudson; Russell Jolly; Kenneth Wayne Jones; David Jordan; Perry Lee; Melanie Sojourner; Sean J. Tindell; Giles Ward; Brice Wiggins

Ethics
   Bennie L. Turner, Chairman; Gary Jackson, Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Albert Butler; Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Phillip A. Gandy; Russell Jolly; Perry Lee; Will Longwitz

Executive Contingent Fund
   Robert L. Jackson, Chairman; Gray Tollison, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Kenneth Wayne Jones; Bill Stone; Giles Ward

Finance
   Joey Fillingane, Chairman; Merle Flowers, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Nickey Browning; Hob Bryan; Kelvin E. Butler; Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Sally Doty; Steve Hale; Josh Harkins; Billy Hudson; Kenneth Wayne Jones; David Jordan; Dean Kirby; Will Longwitz; Chris Massey; Haskins Montgomery; Philip Moran; Rita Potts Parks; John A. Polk; Derrick T. Simmons; Tony Smith; Bill Stone; Gray Tollison; Giles Ward; Michael Watson

Forestry
   Melanie Sojourner, Chairman; Giles Ward, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Albert Butler; Nancy Adams Collins; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Phillip A. Gandy; David Jordan; Bill Stone; Michael Watson

Highways and Transportation
   Willie Simmons, Chairman; Perry Lee, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Nickey Browning; Hob Bryan; Albert Butler; Kelvin E. Butler; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Merle Flowers; Tommy A. Gollott; Josh Harkins; John Horhn; Billy Hudson; Russell Jolly; Dean Kirby; Philip Moran; Rita Potts Parks; Tony Smith; Giles Ward

Housing
   Hillman Terome Frazier, Chairman; Chris Massey, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Eugene S. Clarke; Merle Flowers; Alice Harden; David Jordan; Dean Kirby; John A. Polk

Insurance
   Videt Carmichael, Chairman; Rita Potts Parks, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Nickey Browning; Eugene S. Clarke; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Angela Burks Hill; John Horhn; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Dean Kirby; Will Longwitz; Derrick T. Simmons; Tony Smith

Interstate and Federal Cooperation
   Kenneth Wayne Jones, Chairman; Sampson Jackson II, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hillman Terome Frazier; Alice Harden; Dean Kirby

Investigate State Offices
   Albert Butler, Chairman; Videt Carmichael, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Hillman Terome Frazier; Steve Hale; Michael Watson; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Judiciary, Division A
   W. Briggs Hopson III, Chairman; Bennie L. Turner, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry C. Burton; Kelvin E. Butler; Eugene S. Clarke; Sally Doty; Joey Fillingane; Merle Flowers; Hillman Terome Frazier; Steve Hale; Dean Kirby; Will Longwitz; Haskins Montgomery; Derrick T. Simmons; Sean J. Tindell

Judiciary, Division B
   Hob Bryan, Chairman; Chris McDaniel, Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Sally Doty; W. Briggs Hopson III; Sampson Jackson II; Perry Lee; Derrick T. Simmons; Sean J. Tindell; Gray Tollison; Bennie L. Turner; Giles Ward; Michael Watson; Brice Wiggins; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Labor
   Kelvin E. Butler, Chairman; Robert L. Jackson, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Albert Butler; John Horhn; Billy Hudson; Chris Massey; Philip Moran; Derrick T. Simmons

Legislative Reapportionment
   Merle Flowers, Chairman
      Members: Terry W. Brown; Hob Bryan; Eugene S. Clarke; Nancy Adams Collins; Joey Fillingane; Hillman Terome Frazier; Chris McDaniel; Willie Simmons

Local and Private
   Perry Lee, Chairman; Tony Smith, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hob Bryan; Kelvin E. Butler; Tommy A. Gollott

Municipalities
   J. P. Wilemon, Jr., Chairman; Bill Stone, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry C. Burton; Kelvin E. Butler; Lydia Graves Chassaniol; Kenneth Wayne Jones; David Jordan; Perry Lee; Chris Massey; Chris McDaniel; Melanie Sojourner

Ports and Marine Resources
   Brice Wiggins, Chairman; Josh Harkins, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Videt Carmichael; Eugene S. Clarke; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Robert L. Jackson; Gary Jackson; John A. Polk; Willie Simmons; Sean J. Tindell; Michael Watson

Public Health and Welfare
   Dean Kirby, Chairman; Hob Bryan, Vice-Chairman
      Members: David Blount; Terry C. Burton; Nancy Adams Collins; Merle Flowers; Hillman Terome Frazier; Alice Harden; Josh Harkins; W. Briggs Hopson III; Gary Jackson; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Rita Potts Parks; Willie Simmons; Tony Smith; Melanie Sojourner; Gray Tollison; Bennie L. Turner; Brice Wiggins

Public Property
   David Blount, Chairman; Sally Doty, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Terry C. Burton; Albert Butler; Josh Harkins; Robert L. Jackson; Tony Smith

Rules
   Terry W. Brown, Chairman
      Members: Terry C. Burton; Merle Flowers; John Horhn; Billy Hudson

State Library
   Deborah Jeanne Dawkins, Chairman; Albert Butler, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Kelvin E. Butler; John Horhn; Willie Simmons

Tourism
   Lydia Graves Chassaniol, Chairman; Sean J. Tindell, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Albert Butler; Kelvin E. Butler; Tommy A. Gollott; Josh Harkins; W. Briggs Hopson III; John Horhn; David Jordan; Chris Massey; Melanie Sojourner

Universities and Colleges
   Terry C. Burton, Chairman; John A. Polk, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Hillman Terome Frazier; Steve Hale; Alice Harden; Josh Harkins; W. Briggs Hopson III; Billy Hudson; Gary Jackson; Perry Lee; Haskins Montgomery; J. P. Wilemon, Jr.

Veterans and Military Affairs
   Haskins Montgomery, Chairman; Philip Moran, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Nancy Adams Collins; Phillip A. Gandy; Sampson Jackson II; Rita Potts Parks; Bennie L. Turner

Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
   Giles Ward, Chairman; Angela Burks Hill, Vice-Chairman
      Members: Gary Jackson; Sampson Jackson II; Chris Massey; Chris McDaniel; Philip Moran; Derrick T. Simmons; Bill Stone; Gray Tollison; Michael Watson

http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/htms/s_cmtememb.xml

Happy New Year!!

Brandon Payne — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:07:41 GMT

Happy New Year from the Harrison County Republican Club!

This message has some important info pertaining to our upcoming 2012 year.

First I'd like to thank all those who joined us for our Christmas festivities. We had a great time at both events and congrats to the numerous folks that left with "presents". Listed at the end of this email are our Christmas party sponsors. Please thank them for their support. And a big thanks goes out to our future Speaker of the House Philip Gunn.

2012 is going to be an exciting time for our organization. We have had some great success over the years but we're about to ascend to another level.

WEBSITE:
We've created an informative and user friendly website-

www.HarrisonCountyRepublicanClub.com (2012 memberships are available online)

This site will allow you to keep track of all our events, manage your membership and see info pertaining to our Republican candidates and elected officials. You'll also be able to provide feedback to our board members, see photos from past events and catch the headlines from the most widely read political blogs. Please take a minute to visit the site and let us know what you think.

We also have a brand new facebook fan page (open to the public):
www.facebook.com/hcrepublican

Our current facebook group page will soon be available only to our paid membership.

MEMBERSHIP:

Although we are keeping our regular membership rate a very low $25 dollars a year, we have created a higher level of membership for those who have been wanting to provide greater support to our organization.

Welcome to the Elephant Club!!

The new level of membership will be called the Elephant Club. This $100 dollar annual membership provides you reserved VIP seating at all our lunches and events. You will also be invited to participate in Elephant Club only "after-hours" events featuring some of our key political leaders (the first event to be announced soon). This membership level also provides you special recognition on our website and at our events. You will also receive a custom "Elephant Club" lapel pin signifying your financial commitment to the organization.

MEETINGS:

Our meetings will remain on the 3rd Wed of each month at the Great Southern Club (11:30a-1p). We will also hold evening events periodically to recruit and retain the numerous folks who want to be members but can't always make an 11:30a-1p lunch meeting. All of our events will be listed well in advance on our website.

TIME FOR ACTION!!:

Our 1st meeting for 2012 will be Wed Jan 18th 11:30a-1p at the Great Southern Club. Our speakers will include our new Republican Party State Chairman Joe Nosef and Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel. Chairman Nosef will be outlining his priorities for 2012 and Mayor Schloegel will be providing us an update on the PERS Commission report.

If you have not done so already, please go to our website www.HarrisonCountyRepublicanClub.com and begin your 2012 membership. We will now have printed name tags for all paid members, so make sure your membership is in ASAP. We will also have our Elephant Club lapel pins and reserved seating for those who choose the higher membership level.

Please bring a guest. Your board will provide a top notch program and environment but it's up to all of us to grow our club.

We can't do it without you!

See you Jan 18th.

Your 2012 Board of Directors:

Brandon Payne - President

Ashley Comstock - Vice President

Andrew Hinkebein - Secretary

Russ Guess - Treasurer

Joe Cloyd - Immediate Past President

Wayne Tisdale - At Large

Barbara Allen - At Large

Haley Broom - At Large

Todd Hairston - At Large

Dan Bomar - At Large

Please thank our Christmas Party gift sponsors:

(Tony Cvitanovich) Mary Mahoney's - (Elaine Stevens)Thirty-Two (IP) - (Barbara Allen) Allen Toyota - (Rob Stinson)Lookout Steakhouse - (Terry Robinson) Newks - (Susan Varnes)CQ (Treasure Bay) - (Romy Simpson) Negrotto's Gallery - (Bob Taylor) Half-Shell - (Scott Weinberg) Blow Fly - (Tom Wall) Classy Chassis - (Russ Griffin) Souvenir City - (Rob Stinson) Salute - (Barbara Allen) Allen Hyundai - (Sophie Nord) Chimneys - (Ashley Comstock) Range53 (gun range) - (Don Halle) Vintage Station - (Andrew Hinkebein) Biloxi Boat and RV Show - (Kevin Felsher)Gulf Coast Sport's Memorabilia - plus Jeff Wallace, Brandon Payne and Dan Bomar

HCRC Elects 2012 Executive Board

Andrew Hinkebein — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:24:49 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

14 November 2011

HCRC Elects 2012 Executive Board

The following members were elected to Board positions:

President: Brandon Payne

Past President: Joe Cloyd

Vice President: Ashley Comstock

Treasurer: Russ Guess

Secretary: Andrew Hinkebein

Members At Large:

Todd Hairston
Barbara Allen
Dan Bomar
Haley Broom
Wayne Tisdale

Per the guidelines established by the HCRC Constitution, the new Board will officially take office at 12:01am on Sunday, January 01, 2012.

Click here to email HCRC President Brandon Payne with any questions about the Harrison County Republican Club and to get involved.

You can sign up for our email list here so you don’t miss any events.

Monthly luncheon meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the top of Hancock Bank in downtown Gulfport (Great Southern Club) unless otherwise notified. Admittance is $15.00 per person. Meetings run from 11:30a-1p. There are guest speakers each meeting. Socials are held on a To Be Announced basis and may take the place of luncheons.

Harrison County Republican Club News

Utility Update: Public Service Comissioner Leonard Bentz

Congressional Update: U.S. Senator Roger Wicker

Legislative Update: State Senator Michael Watson

Governor Haley Barbour: Remarks to Celebrate President Ronald Reagan’s 101st Birthday

Volunteer Request from the Palazzo Camp

Congressional Update: Congressman Steven Palazzo

Judicial Update: Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner

Legislative Update: State Senator Tony Smith

Municipal Update: Gulfport Councilman R.Lee Flowers

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Gulfport Councilman R.Lee Flowers:

Official Commentary Written Exclusively for the Harrison County Republican Club:

Legislative Update: State Senator Sean Tindell

Wicker to boycott Cordray hearing to protest Obama 'recess' appointments

South Mississippi - House Chair and Vice Chair Assignments

Public Employees' Retirement System

Gene Taylor won't seek Congressional Seat

Joe Nosef Elected New Republican Party Chairman

2012 State Senate Committee Listing

Mississippi State Senate Committee Listing

Happy New Year!!

HCRC Elects 2012 Executive Board

Mississippi State Senate
Committee Listing