I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann for a chat about how he feels things are going in Mississippi and, more specifically, in his hometown of Vicksburg and surrounding areas in Warren County. Taking a look at recent polling commissioned by House Speaker Jason White, a lot of Hosemann’s concerns line up with what Mississippians say is important to them.

Near the top of the list are taxes and the expansion of Medicaid for the state’s working poor. Hosemann told me he’s a proponent of reducing the state’s grocery tax and said he will again advocate for it when the 2025 legislative session begins in early January. Hosemann also said he believes in Medicaid expansion and is hopeful November’s presidential election will be a step forward in helping make it finally happen in Mississippi. According to the poll conducted by the private firm Cygnal, which took place in late August and surveyed 500 Mississippi residents online and via text messages, general election voters indeed identified tax policy and healthcare as being among their most important issues.

But that wasn’t all. Voters also identified inflation and other economic issues and crime as being top priorities as the 2025 session looms just several months away. In our corner of the state, Hosemann said he is motivated to help Vicksburg realize its economic potential through improvements to infrastructure and existing tourist attractions, notably a $40 million investment by the state for a interpretive and conference center on 17 acres at the Vicksburg National Military Park. Coupled with improvements to the interchange at I-20 and Clay Street, Hosemann said he believes those projects alone could see a surge of “several hundred thousand” people a year visiting the River City. And that’s before we talk about the additions coming on the west end of our I-20 corridor with the new south port project and the Dick Hall Visitors Center.

According to the polling, 14.7% of respondents said eliminating the state’s personal income tax was the most important issue, while 14% pointed to reducing or eliminating Mississippi’s grocery tax as the most important issue. Overall around 84% support eliminating the state’s 7% tax on groceries and 64% want to see Mississippi’s 4.7% income tax done away with. Hosemann said achieving his goal in relation to the grocery tax would mean crossing the $1 billion mark in reduced taxes since he took office.

Hosemann also expressed frustration over the continued problems with flooding in the south delta, an issue that has disrupted the economic stability of Warren County farmers for 40 years. Hosemann said he’s anxious for a solution, but said the problem has persisted far too long and people have been misled by the U.S. government. While the flooding didn’t make a blip on the radar in relation to the recent polling, Hosemann said it is of the utmost importance for the people living in those areas.

“We need something to pump the water out so my people can still farm and live in their houses,” he said.

The poll commissioned by White also included a number of other statewide issues, including 46% of respondents who said the state’s certificate of needs program needs reform; 41% who support early voting; and 68% who support restoring the right to vote to those convicted of a felony.

The poll shows a wide array of issues are important to Mississippi voters, and Hosemann’s comments about the overall state of our state show he is plugged in to those concerns in a lot of key areas.

Blake Bell is the general manager and executive editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at blake.bell@vicksburgpost.com.