This from the Public Service Comission:

Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley (D-Nettleton) was elected Chairman of the state Public Service Commission (PSC) by fellow Commissioners Lynn Posey and Leonard Bentz during the Commission’s monthly meeting in Jackson yesterday.

Presley, a former two-term Nettleton mayor, said serving as Chairman is an honor. “I thank my colleagues for their support. I look forward to 2010 being a very productive year for the PSC and one in which we make giant strides for the consumers of Mississippi.”

Commissioner Presley will serve as Chairman for the full year in 2010.

Read the press release here.

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In the midst of the legislative session kicking off, it seems the petition drive to place Voter ID on the 2011 ballot has been lost a bit in the shuffle.

Never fear, however, that the Republican Party is working hard to gather as many names as possible. If an email sent out yesterday by the Harrison County Republican Party chairman is any indication, they are a long way from making their goal.

Here’s an excerpt from the email:

Message from a Conservative trying to change corrupt elections:

I need your help on the Voter ID petition drive. This is a state-wide ballot initiative to require a photo ID when voting in order to prevent voter fraud.

Our goal for Jackson County is 5,547 signatures. So far we have collected 2,799. We need 2,748 more signatures in order to meet our goal. In order to achieve this, we need 70 people to collect one sheet (10 signatures) per week for all 4 weeks in January.

You’ll note the fear-mongering (and lying) that starts the email. The truth is that Republicans and Voter ID proponents have yet to point to ANY voter fraud that would be solved by Voter ID.

That said, having about half of Jackson County’s goal to go with a little over a month left seems a bit shocking. One would have thought Jackson County would have been one of the first counties the GOP would have signed up.

Could it be that people down there are more concerned about real issues instead of wedge issues? That’s a thought.

To be honest, I would have thought they were closer to their goal. I’ve been working under the assumption that the state GOP would not fail to get Voter ID on the ballot.

We’ll find out Feb. 14.

Edited by author to change name of county from Harrison to Jackson.

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The governor wants to essentially tax state workers more by forcing them to pay more into their pension plans. (Here’s the C-L story on the governor’s wishes.)

It’s ironic. The governor wants employees to pay more as he continues to demand more and more cuts to the state retirement funds. In other words, the governor wants employees to pay more now and receive less later.

Here’s a bet: The governor will support charging workers more, but he will fight to have unemployment taxes for businesses cut. Any takers?

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Paul Krugman, a renowned columnist and economist, has issued a warning about our current economic conditions and how we could see worst times ahead if we stop providing federal assistance too soon.

From his Jan. 3 column:

Here’s what’s coming in economic news: The next employment report could show the economy adding jobs for the first time in two years. The next G.D.P. report is likely to show solid growth in late 2009. There will be lots of bullish commentary — and the calls we’re already hearing for an end to stimulus, for reversing the steps the government and the Federal Reserve took to prop up the economy, will grow even louder.

But if those calls are heeded, we’ll be repeating the great mistake of 1937, when the Fed and the Roosevelt administration decided that the Great Depression was over, that it was time for the economy to throw away its crutches. Spending was cut back, monetary policy was tightened — and the economy promptly plunged back into the depths.

This shouldn’t be happening. Both Ben Bernanke, the Fed chairman, and Christina Romer, who heads President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, are scholars of the Great Depression. Ms. Romer has warned explicitly against re-enacting the events of 1937. But those who remember the past sometimes repeat it anyway.

As you read the economic news, it will be important to remember, first of all, that blips — occasional good numbers, signifying nothing — are common even when the economy is, in fact, mired in a prolonged slump. In early 2002, for example, initial reports showed the economy growing at a 5.8 percent annual rate. But the unemployment rate kept rising for another year.

And in early 1996 preliminary reports showed the Japanese economy growing at an annual rate of more than 12 percent, leading to triumphant proclamations that “the economy has finally entered a phase of self-propelled recovery.” In fact, Japan was only halfway through its lost decade.

Such blips are often, in part, statistical illusions. But even more important, they’re usually caused by an “inventory bounce.” When the economy slumps, companies typically find themselves with large stocks of unsold goods. To work off their excess inventories, they slash production; once the excess has been disposed of, they raise production again, which shows up as a burst of growth in G.D.P. Unfortunately, growth caused by an inventory bounce is a one-shot affair unless underlying sources of demand, such as consumer spending and long-term investment, pick up.

You can believe that Republicans will resist any future stimulus acts, but nothing should be ruled out at this point. Recovery is a long road, and we don’t want a relapse on our hands.

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Both Speaker Billy McCoy and Gov. Haley Barbour gave interviews over the past few days about the legislative session that began today.

This is going to be a contentious session because of the lack of funds and the huge budget deficits we are facing. While we are certain to see disputes — especially as the Democratic leadership stands firm against harming public health and public education — you can already see some agreements between the two parties on key issues.

For the Speaker’s interview, click here.

For the Governor’s interview, click here.

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Score one for judicial independence.

The Mississippi Supreme Court refused to review a case involving a ruling that Gov. Haley Barbour says hurts his tort reform legislation:

Barbour and the association had argued the decision undermined tort reform, increased health-care costs and potentially reduced access to health care in parts of Mississippi. The court on Dec. 3 refused to rehear the case with Justice Mike Randolph the lone dissenter.

It’s nice to see that their original ruling will stand, a ruling one can only presume the court rooted in law and not in politics.

Sorry, governor.

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Gov. Barbour has a lot of audacity. While our leaders in Congress are trying to pass health care reform, the governor is trying to scare the people of Mississippi saying expanding Medicaid and Medicare will cause our taxes to go up.

What the governor doesn’t tell you is that it’s his failed fiscal policies that have the state facing the highest unemployment and the most devastating budget cuts in decades.

Ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens have access to affordable health care should be a top priority of any state leader. If that means making tough decisions, then so be it. But we would not be facing the budget cuts that have ravaged our state or talking about any tax increases if Gov. Barbour had not failed to create jobs and improve our economy.

For the past four years, a bi-partisan group of legislators tried to raise the tobacco tax, but Gov. Barbour protected his former lobbying clients instead of doing what’s best for Mississippians.

Today, we’re spending tens of millions of tax dollars on debt services for Toyota, and we have not one job to show for it.

None of this is smart fiscal policy, and it obviously isn’t effective job creation policy either.

We need health care reform. I have confidence that our Congressional leaders will negotiate a bill that helps the American people. I don’t have the same faith in our top two state leaders to create jobs and put the needs of Mississippians ahead of their own selfish desires.

You can help. Call the governor and tell him to stop playing Washington politics, traveling the country so he can run for President and get back to work for the people of Mississippi. His phone number is (601) 359-3150, or call him toll free at (877) 405-0733.

You can also help us continue to fight against Gov. Barbour’s devastating fiscal policies. With your help, we can make sure that the voices of hard working Mississippians are not drowned out by the lobbyists and big business interests that seem to own Gov. Barbour and the Republican leadership in the Senate.

Please go online and donate today:

http://www.mississippidemocrats.org/contribute/

Democratically yours,

Jamie Franks

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A quick note from Jere Nash and the lack of tea parties supporting Gov. Barbour’s budget:

Republicans in Mississippi are finally going to have a chance to give the voters a peek at what small government looks like.  Funny I don’t see any tea parties in the state urging them on.

Rallies for school consolidations? I’m waiting for those. Will Phil Bryant, Stacey Pickering and Billy Hewes jump on stage for those?

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Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney announced a nearly 20 percent rate hike by State Farm for coastal residents:

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney approved the rate increase, rejecting State Farm’s request for a 45 percent rate hike along the Coast. New rates will apply only for current policyholders because State Farm is writing no new business in the three Coast counties.

Chaney said Monday that Allstate is requesting a 65 percent rate hike statewide. The Mississippi Insurance Department has asked for additional information from Allstate in reviewing the rate proposal. Chaney’s office did the same with State Farm before agreeing to the lower increase.

Chaney announced State Farm’s increase in a news release sent out Monday afternoon.

“To limit potential future increases and ensure rate stability in catastrophe-prone areas, the law allows insurers to charge consumers a reasonable rate,” Chaney said in the release. “I would have preferred that there be no rate increases at this time, but our role is to make sure the rates requested are not excessive and are justified and actuarially sound. I believe we have fulfilled that role.”

State Farm already had raised rates in the rest of Mississippi by 3.9 percent.

This is unconscionable. It is clear that State Farm is trying to push out the rest of the policy holders it has on the Gulf Coast, accept those wealthiest who can afford it the most. If anyone is taking notes, Chaney is enabling them.

It’s another sad day for Coastal residents who continue to get kicked in the teeth following Hurricane Katrina.

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Hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving and a long weekend.

Here’s a quick list of interesting news tidbits from around the state and across the nation.

STATE

• Gourmet beer lovers are hoping for higher alcohol contents
• Housing summit looks at needs on the Coast
• Daily Journal looks at consolidation of community colleges
• Homeless students a pervasive problem in NE Mississippi
• Lt. Gov. Bryant is expected to unveil his Commission for a New Mississippi findings today
• Sid Salter column on budget proposals
• David Hampton says we need to go to school to learn about health insurance

NATIONAL

• Congress is heading back to session with a heavy workload
• Paul Krugman argues for a jobs bill to fight unemployment
• How much will unemployment affect midterm elections?

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