House Concurrent Resolution 37

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE STATE OF POVERTY IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, RECOGNIZING THE STATE'S 20 POOREST COUNTIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE OVERALL STATUS OF OUR STATE, AND ENCOURAGING THE IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR ECONOMIC VIABILITY THROUGH INCREASED AWARENESS AND CREATION OF OPPORTUNITY BY EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL 82 COUNTIES AS IT RELATES TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RANKINGS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature acknowledges the state of poverty in the State of Mississippi and recognizes that improving the economic and social rankings will require a focused, coordinated effort to improve its rankings; and

WHEREAS, this coordinated effort to improve this overall status of our state will focus on the state's twenty (20) poorest counties and strive to encourage the improvement of their economic viability through increased awareness and creation of opportunity by emphasizing the importance of the inter-relationship with all 82 counties as it relates to the social and economic rankings in this state; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi ranked first in the percentage of the states' populations in poverty; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked first in the percentage of unemployed in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked first in the percentage of children in poverty; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked second in the percentage of the population in the Supplemental Security Income program; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked forty-seventh in the average annual pay in manufacturing jobs; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked forty-eighth in the average annual pay; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked forty-ninth in the percentage of the working age population participating in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked forty-ninth in the New Economy index; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked fiftieth in per capita personal income; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked fiftieth in gross state product per capita; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked fiftieth in the number of government employees; and

WHEREAS, the twenty (20) poorest counties reflect an unemployment rate ranging from twenty-seven and seven-tenths percent (27.7%) to forty-six and four-tenths percent (46.4%) and the relative magnitude of poverty varies between counties and has a significant impact on the entire social and economic rankings of the state, poverty reduction, job and industry losses and the well-being of their citizenry; and

WHEREAS, these twenty (20) counties constitute the highest percentages of poverty level which has a direct and adverse effect on various lifestyle components, including a direct correlation to low levels of educated population per capita, high incidences of teen pregnancy and health-related issues, high rates of unemployment, increased job loss and lack of potential, high rates of high school dropouts and reduced economic potential by virtue of social, economic and educational demographical history; and

WHEREAS, these counties contribute substantially to the gulf of disparity and poverty levels in the state as they relate to economic viability and sustainability by exhausting state and federal resources for continued funding for health and social services; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative that these counties are provided an increase in adequate housing, quality child-care and work opportunities, as well as additional training and opportunities in educational attainment; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi recognizes that improving the economic and social rankings will require a focused, coordinated effort to improve its rankings:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE

CONCURRING THEREIN, That the State of Mississippi supports greater, coordinated, collaborative efforts to improve the state's economic and social rankings, and it declares that reducing the number of people in poverty is the most important effort in the quest to improve its economic and social rankings, and the state calls for and encourages agencies, public and private entities to take critical fundamental action, to provide guidance and assistance and to enhance public infrastructure for the enhancement of social and economic growth.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the heads of all state agencies, major public and private entities, to the twenty (20) poorest counties, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.