DuPree touts experience in governor run

Published 6:00 pm Friday, October 7, 2011

Johnny DuPree is undeterred by theodds.

    “People say, ‘Do you have a chance to win?'” said the Democraticcandidate for governor Thursday night at a political rally inLincoln County. “Well, if I wasn’t in this race I would have a zerochance of victory. But I am in it.”

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    DuPree, the current mayor of Hattiesburg, faces Republicancandidate and current lieutenant governor Phil Bryant in the Nov. 8general election. Bryant is widely perceived as the clearfront-runner in the race.

    DuPree addressed some of the differences between himself and Bryantin an interview after the rally.

    “I want to emphasize my experience on Main Street,” said DuPree,contrasting this with Bryant’s background in state government.

    Dupree described his background as a member of the Hattiesburgschool board, Forrest County Board of Supervisors and Hattiesburgmayor. He said his leadership experience has not been at theCapitol, but close to the people his decisions affect.

    This was a point he emphasized in the rally, held at the LincolnCounty Civic Center.

    DuPree said he knows what it is like for local leaders who mustimplement policies or deal with budget cuts mandated by leaders inthe state Capitol.

    “I want to get local leaders in on the front end instead of theback end,” DuPree said.

    He touted his record of never raising taxes in his 10 years asmayor.

    Taxes was a point he picked up on after the rally in an interview,explaining his plan to exempt public school teachers with threeyears of experience from paying income taxes on their teacher’ssalary.

    “This is a way of saying ‘you’re important’ to them,” Dupree said.”We ought to treat them like professionals.”

    DuPree said he is unaware of whether any other states have tried asimilar tax exemption for teachers.

    To the question of how this decreased revenue would affect thestate budget, he said, “You find money for what you think isimportant.”

    And education is something Dupree believes should at the top of thepriority list.

    “Better education brings improvements in other areas like healthcare,” he said.

    With the November election almost a month away, and facing Bryant’swidely presumed lead, DuPree said he plans no changes to hiscampaign

    “We’re going to do the same thing we’ve been doing: meeting groupsand people,” he said.

    Regardless of November’s outcome, the mayor also stressed the needfor cooperation within the state.

    “We’ve got to not fight each other like they are doing inWashington,” he said. “Let’s make Mississippi a place people wantto stay.”

    He urged the importance of participation in that process by votingto those in attendance at the rally.

    “I hope you will vote for me, but vote for somebody,” DuPree said.”But I think people want a new look.”