Bryant stops at steel mill as part of Jobs Tour

- The Dispatch: www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=13066

Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, spoke at Severstal Thursday as part of his Jobs Tour, a multi-city jaunt which has led him from furniture factories to solar panel plants to chemical companies across the state.

Bryant touted the benefits of manufacturing in the state, saying that Severstal, and companies like it, benefit communities not only by their presence, but also by the ancillary companies they attract.

As part of an overall jobs creation plan, Bryant is pushing a strategy he believes will help Mississippi develop and recruit new businesses and industries. Key facets of the plan include keeping corporate taxes low, eliminating inventory tax and promoting workforce training throughout the state.

"Ronald Reagan said, ‘I think the best overall social program is a job,’" Bryant said. "Considering our economy under the Obama Administration, those words may be more true now than when Reagan said them."

Bryant’s plan has scored praise from the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, the Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders and Contractors and the Mississippi Association of Realtors and Homebuilders Association of Mississippi.

"We’re extremely pleased to support Phil Bryant for governor because of his experience in supporting existing industry and in bringing new industry to our state," said Jay Moon, president and CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. "Phil won’t be starting from scratch, and he’s worked to develop new job opportunities all over the state."

John Bass, MMA’s director of government affairs, said his organization supports Bryant because of his track record in following through on promises to cut taxes, recruit new business and industry and create a "fair legal climate" for employers.

"If Mississippi is to grow and prosper, even during a national economic downturn, we must have someone with the right experience and right ideas about how to bring more jobs and opportunities to the people of our state," Bass said.

#Mississippi #Phil #Bryant #Governor #job #growth #Severstal #MMA #AGC #ABC #MAR #HAM #Jay #Moon

Bill Crawford–You can’t ‘fix’ an economy

[Resent id=12652758 2011-09-16 15:04:39 from mississippipep] | Hattiesburg American | www.hattiesburgamerican.com: www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20110914/OPINI…20324

Kwazy wabble, fixes are for things. An economy is not a thing to be fixed like a leaky faucet or tax loophole.

For example, over the past eight years Haley Barbour, Leland Speed, Gray Swoope and other members of the state’s economic development team have not been trying to fix Mississippi’s economy. Rather, they have worked to build, grow and champion Mississippi’s economy.

They attracted advanced manufacturing, defense-related, and energy industries. They built the Mississippi Blues Trail, attracted the Grammy Museum, and expanded tourism opportunities. They helped existing business and industry expand and reach new markets. They championed Momentum Mississippi and business innovation.

Just this month, in cooperation with the Mississippi Arts Commission, they kicked off the Mississippi Creative Economy initiative to help communities and entrepreneurs start and grow businesses based on Mississippi history, art, literature, and music.

"We have an extremely viable creative economy," Barbour told kick-off attendees. "61,000 people in Mississippi work in jobs or professions that are considered part of the creative economy. We have a history that’s out of this world. Artists, musicians, civil rights. People want to come and see what happened here and while they are here, it is our opportunity to show them something, sell them something, sing them something."

#Mississippi #Haley #Barbour #Leland #Speed #Gray #Swoope #Economic #Development #Tourism #job #growth #MAC

Analysis Caucus pushes diversity in contracting

| CanadianBusiness.com: www.canadianbusiness.com/article/44315–analysis-c…cting

During the Sept. 2 session, Legislative Black Caucus members pushed to include $2 million in bonds for a study of how many publicly-backed contracts are awarded to firms owned by minorities or women. A decade-old state law says the Mississippi Development Authority — the state’s job-seeking agency — should examine diversity in contracting, but lawmakers said a study has never been funded.

Mississippi Alliance for Diversity in Public Contracting cited MDA data showing that in 2010, less than 1 percent of money in public contracts was spent with minority-owned firms. Mississippi’s population is 37 percent black.

Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, said large companies dominate public contracts. He said officials sometimes talk about increasing participation by minority contractors, "but it’s basically that — lip service."

Horhn tried to amend the bond bill to say the state should set a goal of having 25 percent of the funds from loans or grants spent on socially or economically disadvantaged firms. The Senate Finance Committee defeated the amendment on a voice vote.
Sen. Terry Brown, R-Columbus, opposed including a minority participation goal.

"It opens it up to the lawyers and interpretation," Brown said.

Horhn tried to require MDA to study why so few contracts go to women- or minority-owned firms. That amendment also was defeated on a voice vote.

MDA Deputy Director Whit Hughes told lawmakers that setting specific goals for participation by minority contractors or subcontractors "would ultimately decrease our competitiveness."

The agency is not ignoring the issue, though. Starting this week, MDA is hosting a series of workshops in Gulfport, Tupelo and Jackson to teach small contractors about business practices designed to improve their companies’ operations. The semi-annual workshops were planned before minority contracting became an issue during the special session, an agency spokeswoman said.

The special session bond package had $100 million for HCL CleanTech Inc., which wants to build four plants to turn wood chips into cellulosic sugars that can be used in pet foods, cosmetics, lubricants and other products; and $75.25 million for Calisolar, which plans to build a plant in Columbus to make silicon metal for use in automotive parts, consumer electronics and energy products, including solar panels.

Consultant Dennis Cuneo said HCL CleanTech has 50 employees, half of whom are in Israel. He said most of the company’s Israeli research scientists are women. He said employment at the HCL CleanTech sites in Mississippi will be representative of the areas they’re in.

"Diversity is a good thing," said Cuneo, who was also involved in bringing Toyota to Mississippi.

John Correnti, chairman of the board for Calisolar, said the company will act as its own general contractor in Columbus. He said it will consider hiring minority subcontractors if they do quality work. "But we will not guarantee," he said.

#Mississippi #job #growth #taxes #minority #contracts #Terry #Brown #John #Horhn #MDA #Legislature #Senate #House

Calisolar turned down $275 Million in federal funds to pick Mississippi over Ohio

Link leader elaborates on new solar-silicon company – The Dispatch: www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=12880

Joe Higgins, CEO of the Columbus Lowndes Development Link, knew what Rotary Club members wanted: They wanted to know more about Calisolar. And Higgins was happy to oblige, talking at length about the new industrial-development project during the club’s monthly meeting, Tuesday afternoon at the Columbus Country Club.

When he took the helm of the Link eight years ago, Higgins came to the Rotary Club and asked members if they would leave Lowndes County if they were paid enough money to do so. He was floored by the response: Many people said yes.

At the time, he couldn’t figure it out. He wondered why this community didn’t believe in itself. He wondered why this community didn’t believe it could win.

Eight years, $5 billion in new investments and three major projects later, a triumphant Higgins had a new question for Rotarians: "Do you believe now? Because if you don’t, we’ve probably got a problem."

Higgins, along with a host of others, spent nearly a year trying to lure Calisolar, a California-based solar silicon manufacturer, to Columbus. When the company chose Mississippi over Ohio for its newest project, Higgins was elated.

Last week, Mississippi lawmakers approved a $75.25 million incentive package for the company, which promises to bring 951 high-paying jobs (starting salary before benefits will be $45,000) to the area. The incentive package includes a $59.5 million equipment and construction loan, along with $11.25 million for the necessary infrastructure and an additional $4.5 million for local workforce training. The total coast of the project is expected to be $600 million.

An additional 1,000 construction workers — making an average of $2,000 a week — are expected to be hired this fall, or more likely, at the beginning of next year, to build the 1 million-square-foot facility. It will be located east of Industrial Park Road, on 258 acres directly behind Mitchell Beer Distributing in the industrial park and will take a year-and-a-half to two years to build.

It’s a "development of regional impact," Higgins said, on par with similar projects like Severstal and Paccar. The facility will use around 170 MW of power, more electricity than the city of Columbus, and an average of 500,000 gallons of water and sewer per day.

"At the Link, we think this represents our third ‘super project’ in eight years," Higgins said. "For a town of this size … that’s pretty big stuff."

Company officials are expected to arrive in Columbus Thursday. Though they had received a $275 million conditional loan guarantee from the U.S. Energy Department in June to build in Ohio, Higgins said they followed in the footsteps of Kior and turned the money down.

The Mansfield News Journal, a newspaper in Mansfield, Ohio, reported this summer that company officials said they pulled out of the deal — which only allowed the money to be used in Ohio — because they could not meet a Sept. 30 construction deadline.

But Higgins suggested companies also might choose to decline Energy Department money for another reason — to maintain autonomy.

#Mississippi #Calisolar #Columbus #Lowndes #County #Joe #Higgins #Columbus #Lowndes #Development #Link #Economic #Development #tax #incentives #job #growth #legislature

Cindy Shivers Bryan–”We should spend our time in the legislature creating solutions”

Mississippi Senate Saves Jobs Incentive Bill « Cindy Shivers Bryan For House of Representatives: bryanforrepresentative.com/news/mississippi-senate…-bill

In a special session that was supposed to easily pass a bill to bring 1,800 jobs to Mississippi, House Democrats nearly derailed the bill by tacking on a $2 million disparity/minority jobs study, a project that has languished in the House for 10 years. When Republican Rep. John Moore attempted to amend the bill to take out the study whose $2 million would need to be borrowed, the Democrats balked and evoked the era of slave ships and repression, resulting in the tabling of the Moore motion in a party-line vote.

After passage of the jobs incentive bill—with the $2 million study—by an overwhelming majority, the Republican-controlled Senate responded by removing the study from the bill and sending it back to the House. Finally, the bill passed the House, paving the way for more jobs in Mississippi.

District 91 House of Representatives candidate Cindy Bryan observed the House political games firsthand.”The people of Mississippi, including citizens groups, the economic development office, and local and statewide officials, need to work together to bring jobs and vitality to Mississippi and not focus on issues that divide us,” Bryan said.”We should spend our time in the legislature creating solutions for education, infrastructure, and a positive direction for the future of Mississippi.”

#Mississippi #Education #infrastructure #job #growth #incentives. #Legislature #Republicans #Democrats

Dearing–Session was productive one for state

| The Natchez Democrat: www.natchezdemocrat.com/2011/09/07/session-was-pro…state

During a one day special session on Friday we approved Senate Bill 2001 that provides $175 million in incentives for Calisolar and HCL Clean Tech, whose locations in Mississippi will create about 1,800 jobs.

Calisolar will open a plant in Columbus that employs 951 workers whose salaries will average $45,000 a year plus benefits. The state’s assistance is in the form of a secured $59.5 million loan for the building and equipment, along with $15.75 million in grants for infrastructure and workforce training. The company will invest $600 million and Lowndes County will assist to the tune of $14.1 million.

Calisolar, a Sunnyvale, Calif., based company, produces silicon castings for solar panels and other industrial purposes.

During the 16-month construction phase that begins in early 2012, peak hiring is expected to reach 1,000.

HCL Clean Tech has proposed investing $1 billion to create a headquarters in Olive Branch, constructing three large scale commercial plants in the Booneville, Hattiesburg and Natchez areas and building a small scale commercial and research and development center in Grenada.

The company converts biomass to sugars that can be utilized as industrial bioproducts. They use a proprietary process to transform wood chips into cellulosic sugars that can be used for animal nutrition, surfactant, lubricants, cosmetics and fuel.

HCL Clean Tech will create 800 jobs paying average salaries of $67,000. The state will assist with a $100 million incentive package, consisting of a $95 million secured loan and a $5 million grant that can be used for either equipment, infrastructure or training.

More than 200 jobs will be in the Natchez area with an average salary of $65,000 plus benefits with another 200 plus jobs needed for construction.

Local incentives for the company have yet to be determined.

Also approved was a change to the existing Mississippi Advantage Jobs Rebate Program that will allow Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, to create 3,000 new jobs over the next four years. Those jobs will pay an average salary of $41,000 plus benefits.

If I can be of assistance, please call me at 601-359-3244 or e-mail me at bdearing@senate.ms.gov.

#Mississippi #opinion #Bob #Dearing #Natchez #Columbus #Legislature #job #growth #Economic #Development #Lowndes #County #Olive #Branch #Desoto #County #Adams #County

New plant to impact timber industry most

| The Natchez Democrat: www.natchezdemocrat.com/2011/09/04/new-plant-to-im…-most

NATCHEZ — A new plant that turns pine into sugars that can be used to make fuel and other products, should open in Natchez by 2015.

And while today might be too soon to fill out an application for more than 200 jobs up for grabs at HCL Cleantech’s Natchez Plant, state lawmakers and Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said the number of jobs — both directly and indirectly from the timber industry — will be very much worth the wait.

HCL CleanTech says the average salary among the five cities it plans to locate will be $67,000, plus benefits, and the company says it will invest $1 billion in the state.

The Mississippi state legislature approved a bond bill during a special session Friday that included a $100 million loan for HCL CleanTech Inc., which wants to build its headquarters and four plants to turn wood chips into cellulosic sugars that can be used in fuel, pet foods, cosmetics, lubricants and other products.

Mississippi Development Authority officials said the headquarters office in Olive Branch and a pilot processing plant in Grenada could open in 2012.

Russ said Natchez is slated to be the location for the first large-scale plant, which MDA officials said could open in 2015.
“Ours is the (site) third in line,” Russ said.

Construction of two other large plants should open in Booneville and Hattiesburg in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Russ said it could be two or more years before skeptics get to see dirt moving on the ground, but he has no doubt landing the company for the area will greatly impact the entire Southwest Mississippi region.

Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, said more than 200 construction jobs will be required to build the plant in a couple of years.

And with an abundance of pine supply in the area coupled with the lack of a big demand within 80 miles of Natchez, the new company could beef up a locally struggling timber industry.
“The job market in southwest Mississippi is getting a great shot in the arm,” Dearing said.

#Mississippi #economic #development #Natchez #Southwest #Mississippi #Chandler #Russ #Senator #Bob #Dearing #Legislature #job #growth #Timber #Industry

Olive Branch lures headquarters

Desoto Times Tribune > News > : www.desototimes.com/articles/2011/09/01/news/doc4e…1.txt

OLIVE BRANCH – A special legislative session called for Friday by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will be for the purpose of discussing a new industry that could create up to 800 new Mississippi jobs.

HCL CleanTech plans to invest $1 billion to establish the company’s headquarters in Olive Branch and eventually relocate its existing pilot facility to Mississippi, according to a statement from the governor.

"I think a corporate headquarters is an exciting opportunity for Olive Branch," said Mayor Sam Rikard. "It provides higher paying jobs than normal but what’s amazing about this series of projects, we’re not talking about a company just locating in Olive Branch, we’re talking about a legislative session that works to provide jobs in five Mississippi cities at the same time."

The company has also proposed to build a research and development center in Grenada and three large commercial plants in Booneville, Hattiesburg and Natchez.

#Mississippi #Olive #Branch #Haley #Barbour #Economic #Development #Sam #Rikard #Grenada #Hattiesburg #Natchez #Booneville #Legislature #job #growth

Senator Brown spills the beans on special session.

California www.pe.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California: www.pe.com/ap_news/California/MS_Special_Session_5…shtml

A Mississippi lawmaker said Friday’s special legislative session includes incentives to bring a California-based company to Lowndes County.

Republican Sen. Terry Brown of Columbus told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he has been briefed by local development officials about plans by Calisolar to open a manufacturing plant that would create 900 jobs.

The company uses silicon to make cells that are used in energy-producing solar panels.

The Commercial Dispatch (bit.ly/qULZSp) newspaper first reported Monday that there had been local speculation about Calisolar coming to Columbus, Miss.

Officials say Ohio also was competing for the Calisolar plant.

Brown told the AP that the new jobs could pay $40,000 to $50,000 a year. He said he didn’t know what kind of incentives the state will offer.

Calisolar officials did not immediately return calls to the AP on Wednesday.

Gov. Haley Barbour on Wednesday afternoon will announce specific projects to be considered during the session, which begins at 10 a.m. Friday.

Barbour said Monday that one economic development project will be on the session’s agenda, and officials were trying to finish details of another project that could be considered.

The chairman of Calisolar’s board of directors is John D. Correnti, according to the company’s website.

"I trust him with my life," Brown said of Correnti, who was CEO of a steel mill that opened in Columbus, Miss., in 2007.

The mill originally was called SeverCorr. It was taken over by a Russian company and changed its name to Severstal. Severstal bought out the shares of SeverCorr’s senior management, including Correnti.

The state issues bonds as long-term debt to finance big projects such as construction or repair of highways or public buildings, or to provide incentives to lure companies to Mississippi.

After legislators authorize bond debt, bonds are issued by the state Bond Commission, made up of the governor, the state treasurer and the attorney general.

The commission’s next meeting is Sept. 19. Barbour said Monday that the special session is timed to come before that meeting "so that these large projects can get started this winter, if the Legislature approves them."

#Mississippi #economic #development #Haley #Barbour #Terry #Brown #legislature #job #growth #bonds #Columbus

Mississippi PEP breaks 500 mark on Facebook

Thanks to all who have friended us on Facebook. We’ve broken the 500 mark in a very short amount of time, and are readying for our next step. This step will involve our followers and friends across several social media platforms telling us what issues are most important. You’ll be able to sign up for alerts on specific subjects in Mississippi politics and policy, get updates via your choice of email, SMS, Facebook or Twitter. You can check in on one of two blog sites, request feedback from your elected officials on specific policy issues our state is facing, and eventually we’ll offer the opportunity to chat live with elected officials on subjects via the internet. Audio and video is coming soon, too.

This is no ordinary political blog. It’s the online equivalent of a "town hall meeting" and with your participation we can make it a success. Pass this information around, share it with your friends. This is where technology meets the real world to create solutions.

Mississippi PEP is a project to educate voters and inspire leaders in our state. The Mississippi PEP sites are forums where readers can come together and debate how the news of the day relates to the larger story of developing strategies for Mississippi’s future. We hope to inspire discussion that leads to better understanding but also, more importantly, good solutions.

Education, Government Spending and Taxes, Transparency and Ethics, Public Safety, Entitlement Reform, Social and Cultural Issues, Economic Development, Job Creation, and the political action that attempts to influence the way Mississippi works through the problems associated with each–it’s all going on here.

What does all this mean? It means that when January rolls around and the Legislature is back in session, not only will you be hearing the news first hand, you’ll be telling your elected officials what you think about it, and they’ll be telling you what they will do to respond.

Communicate, Learn, Go Vote and change your state!

#Mississippi #Mississippi #PEP #Social #media #Facebook #Twitter #Wordpress #Blogspot #Linkedin #Tumblr #voters #Education #Government #Spending #taxes #Transparency #Ethics #Public #Safety #Entitlement #Reform #Social #Issues #culture #Economic #Development #Job #Creation #politics #Legislature