Gov Reeves Advocates Income Tax Elimination, Opposes Medicaid

In his State-of-the-State Address, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves advocated for the elimination of the state income tax, urging the Senate to follow the House's lead in passing related legislation. The House bill proposes phasing out the income tax, reducing grocery taxes, while increasing sales and gasoline taxes, which would net a $1.1 billion reduction in state funding. Although Reeves supports the elimination of income tax, he has previously opposed tax reforms that increase other taxes to compensate for revenue loss. The governor also called on legislators to resist Medicaid expansion, citing potential federal changes under the Trump administration. Mississippi Democrats, led by Sen. David Blount, criticized the tax plan, arguing it would disproportionately burden poorer residents by shifting focus from income to sales tax. The Senate, led by Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, has yet to propose its own tax reform plan.