State Treasurer Tate Reeves visitedBrookhaven Wednesday to speak to Kiwanis Club members about hisaccomplishments in office and his ideas to better Mississippi’seconomy.

    “The number one priority we need is job creation,” Reeves said,”while understanding that the government does not create the jobs,just the environment for jobs to be created.”

    The Republican expressed a strong belief that a key to economicdevelopment in Mississippi is getting people from out-of-state tovisit at least once.

    “If we can ever get people to come once, they’ll like what theysee,” Reeves said. “If we can ever convince those with capital toinvest to come here just one time, they’ll like it. We need ourfuture leaders to work hard to get those people here.”

    He said the second priority should focus on improving theeducational attainment level of citizens. Not only is it a greatthing for children now, he said, but it also will have greaterdividends on long-term economic development.

    Reeves, Mississippi’s treasurer since 2003 and now a candidate forlieutenant governor, went on to describe some of the duties heperformed during his time as state treasurer.

    One of the core functions of the treasury office is handlingunclaimed property, according to Reeves. While in office, Reevesclaimed to have given $75 million back to Mississippians inunclaimed property.

    Reeves explained unclaimed property consists of old utilitydeposits, old checking accounts and the like.

    His best day as a public servant came when he was able to hand acheck to a woman in Corinth whose father died. Processing theunclaimed property of the woman’s father enabled Reeves to give hera check for $243,000.

    Reeves recalled the woman, tears in her eyes, looking up at him andsaying, “Honey, with that much money, I got to have me a hug.”

    Unclaimed property is good for the individual and for localeconomies, Reeves said.

    “Consumers tend to consume,” he said. “If I come to Brookhaven witha thousand dollars for someone, they’re going to go right out intothe town and spend some.”

    Reeves encouraged every citizen to check the state treasurywebsite, http://www.treasury.state.ms.us/, to see if they haveunclaimed property in their name. According to him, one in fourMississippians has unclaimed funds.

    Revisiting education, Reeves said his office has set up two typesof funds people can use to save money for their child’s collegeeducation.

    There is a pre-pay fund in which a deposit is made and turned overto the child when that child is ready for college. The other,Reeves said, is like a 401(k) plan in that parents choose how theyinvest and what all goes into the account.

    Reeves stressed that because of these funds, 35,000 children nowhave money to go to college, and that not one cent is fromtaxpayers because it all comes from those participating in thetreasury office’s funding options.

    Reeves also took questions from the Kiwanis crowd. One member askedReeves why he decided to run for lieutenant governor after beingtreasurer.

    “I believe that having someone who understands the economic thingslike budgets, and having someone who stands up for his beliefs,like I have, is exactly what is needed in the legislature,” Reevessaid.

    Another question Reeves answered was about getting new viablebusinesses to stay in the state.

    Reeves explained that one of the first things site consultants lookat is whether or not a workforce exists within a small radius fromthe worksite.

    “But in Mississippi, people choose where to live, then they decidewhere to work,” Reeves said.

    It is important to make site consultants understand this because itis not as usual in other parts of the country, he said.

    At the end of his speech, Reeves summed up his reasons for biddingfor the lieutenant governor office of Mississippi.

    “If you want things done as they have been done in the past 20years, then I’m not your guy,” he said. “If you want someone withtrue, fiscal conservative values and who will stand up for hisbeliefs, I’m your guy.”