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Gov. Tate Reeves on Thursday vetoed a $13.2 million project at LeFleur’s Bluff in North Jackson as part of many line-item vetoes in a state infrastructure bill.
With Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith on hand, the Mississippi Children’s Museum announced the plans for the second phase of amenities on April 12, joining the LeFleur’s Bluff Playground, which opened in December 2021.
“What the government should not be in the business of, right now or at any other time, is spending taxpayer dollars on building more golf courses and upgrading private pools when there are far more appropriate ways to use this money,” Reeves said of his decision to veto earmarks.
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Other earmarks from the bill that were vetoed were:
– $1 million to build a parking lot at the Jackson Convention Center.
– $1 million to the Scenic River Development for their golf course.
– $250,000 to Briarwood Pool of Jackson.
– $2 million for the City of Jackson Planetarium.
– $500,000 to the City of Greenville for green space next to the Federal Courthouse.
– $1 million to the City of Pascagoula to assist with renovations of city offices.
– $50,000 to Arise and Shine Inc. in Copiah County.
– $200,000 to Summit Community Development Foundation for costs associated with the Stand Pipe project.
– $7.5 million in earmarks that would be distributed to private companies through the Mississippi Development Authority without the normal financial/economic impact analysis.
“Some of these line-item vetoes stem from my opinion that the state should not be the one responsible for funding city and county office buildings,” Reeves said. “They are responsible for caring for their own offices, and there is no reason to selectively fund certain municipalities.”
Reeves went on to say that if these cities and areas want to come back to the Legislature with “substantive” road and infrastructure requests, “We will be happy to consider them.”
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The biggest of the vetoes, though, went toward the Lefleur’s Bluff project, which had been touted as a significant economic development project which could draw visitors from around the state and region.
The project included walking trails that connect the entire museum complex and Otter Creek Golf Park, which would have had a design influence from Robert Trent Jones II.
“This is definitely worth our time and our money,” said U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith at the event announcing the project.
Hyde-Smith responded today by saying she is still behind the project.
“Sen. Hyde-Smith remains supportive of further development of LeFleur’s Bluff into an educational and recreational asset for the capital city and the state, and hopes the legislature and governor will revisit the option to invest this area,” Hyde-Smith’s director of communications Chris Gallegos said.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hyde-Smith secured $1 million in FY2022 federal transportation funding to support construction of a pedestrian bridge over Lakeland Drive to link the bluff with the Mississippi Agriculture Museum and other facilities north of Lakeland Drive.
The Mississippi Children’s Museum is part of the LeFleur’s Museum District, along with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, located near I-55 and Lakeland Drive in North Jackson.
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“On countless occasions, I have expressed the importance of having a strong and a safe capital city,” Reeves said Thursday. “Rather than invest money into what Jackson really needs, like more police officers, this appropriation throws millions of dollars into a golf course that is already failed. The expenditure becomes all the more inappropriate when considering there are three public golf courses within less than 5 miles of this location.”
The original golf course on the site was 18 holes and had been redesigned, including just 10 holes to make way for the park’s other amenities.
As for the planetarium, which is currently closed, Reeves said, “I have serious concerns for its ability to sustain itself as an ongoing concern and a $2 million cash infusion will not change that opinion.
“Let’s be honest, Jackson is not one suburban golf course and re-launched planetarium away from thriving,” he said. “It needs serious investment in safety. We must continue to find ways to invest in our capital police and get crime under control. Until then, these projects will never be viable.”
In response to the veto of the planetarium funding, Jackson’s deputy director of cultural services, David Lewis, said the news came as a surprise to the city.
“We are shocked and discouraged by the news about the Governor vetoing the $2 million funding for the Planetarium,” Lewis said in a press release from the city. “We are hoping to open a line of communication with the Governor’s office to review our options. The Planetarium project is one that takes a beloved facility and brings it back to life for Mississippians to visit, be inspired by and to learn from. We know that our project will infuse STEM learning principles into our exhibits, bolster our growing tourism product by attracting national visitors, and strengthen the redeveloping downtown fabric in the Capital City.”
Reeves also announced the signing of multiple pieces of legislation, appropriating hundreds of millions of dollars for major infrastructure improvements across the state. The investments include road and bridge repairs, drinking water improvements and more.
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“We’re strengthening our roads, bolstering our bridges and increasing access to clean drinking water,” Reeves said. “These investments will not only help us pave roads but pave the pathway to economic prosperity. By building better roads and constructing stronger bridges we give Mississippians the tools necessary to run their businesses, provide for their families, and get to work safely.”
The discussed legislation included:
HB1630, Mississippi Department of Transportation Appropriation
– $1.426 billion appropriation for MDOT.
– $45 million for maintenance program.
– $35 million for capacity program which provides for new construction of major projects needed to add efficiency to system.
– $40 million needed for a federal match that will go towards street projects.
– $100 million for the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Program, which focuses entirely on local roads and bridges.
– Legislative authority to make salary adjustments for staff, greater flexibility to invest budget into team.
SB2822, Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant Program Act of 2022
– Makes $450 million available for grant program.
– $400 million in one-to-one match grant, $50 million in additional grants to small municipalities.
– Authorizes multiple rounds of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure grant projects.
HB1538/HB1421, ARPA Rural Water Associations Infrastructure Grant Program & Appropriation
– Invests $300 million into the program.
– Money will assist rural water associations in the construction of eligible drinking water infrastructure projects.
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