Governor considers lottery, taxes on internet sales for road money
Published 6:03 pm Thursday, May 31, 2018
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Gov. Phil Bryant says he’s still exploring a special legislative session to provide more state money for Mississippi’s roads and bridges.
Bryant told reporters Thursday that a potential U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing states to collect taxes on internet sales could provide a boost to Mississippi revenues.
The Republican governor says he could ask lawmakers to dedicate that money to transportation, along with proceeds from a state lottery and newly legalized sports betting.
Bryant says those revenues could be “very close” to providing enough money to fix roads and bridges.
They would likely provide the state more than $100 million a year. But that’s short of the $400 million transportation commissioners say is needed to prevent deterioration of the state highway network. Some cities and counties also have expensive needs.