The Anti-Cigarette Tax Man Former Senator Tommy Robertson Selected By Barbour?!?

From The Communities for a Clean Bill of Health blog:

Governor Barbour released the names of those appointed to his Tax Study Commission yesterday- Jan 23. The list included the infamous former state Senator Tommy Robertson. Robertson, as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, blocked legislation that would have increased the cigarette tax up to a $1.00 while cutting the grocery tax by half. In August, Robertson was soundly defeated in the Republican primary largely due to his opposition of that popular piece of legislation.

The Complete List Of Tax Study Commission Members



Michael Watson who defeated him was asked about the legislation in the Mississippi Press:

Q. Sen. Robertson is responsible for the death of the grocery tax/tobacco tax swap legislation that would have lowered the tax on unprepared food items from 7 percent to 3 percent, and increased the tax on tobacco products to as high as $1 per product. Robertson refused to introduce the Senate bill in this year's session and the issue died in committee. Do you think the Senate should have been allowed to vote on the tax swap proposal and do you plan to support similar legislation in 2008?

A. The Senate definitely should have had a chance to vote on the proposal. A senator is there to represent the people who put him in office and that cannot happen if he or she isn't given the chance to vote on the issues. I think the tax swap is a great idea, but I think the numbers still need a little work. Replacing an increasing revenue with a declining revenue just doesn't make good economical sense. There are numbers that will make the swap work. It's our job to find them.

Lee County Democrats Tackle Grocery Tax in this Ad

This is almost identical to a previous ad targeting Senator Robertson in the Republican primary in Jackson Country, but how much originality is in political advertising anyway?

Killer Haley Barbour Diary on Kos

Check It Out and if you have a DailyKos account Recommend It!

An excerpt:

Our Democratic candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor are running on trying to cut the regressive grocery tax, the highest in the country. Barbour, a former top tobacco lobbyist, still with financial ties to his former lobbying firm, has repeatedly killed the tax swap legislation that would cut the food tax and offset the revenue loss with a raise of the third lowest tobacco tax in the country. Even the current incumbent Lt. Governor, Republican Amy Tuck has championed the tax swap.

I wonder why?

Barbour had been among the tobacco industry's top lobbyists prior to returning to Mississippi. Between 1998 and 2002, such tobacco companies as Phillip Morris, RJR Nabisco, Brown and Williamson, and U.S. Tobacco paid his firm $3.8 million. The firm has collected more than $2 million in tobacco revenue since Barbour became governor.

Barbour’s grip on power here has even members of his own party scared of him:

To this day, few in the GOP have dared cross Barbour on the matter. Recently, lobbyists from the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program asked several Republicans to pledge to raise the tobacco tax. They encountered near-universal resistance. "A lot of Republicans are saying, Do you know what you're doing? If I sign this thing, then Haley will come and dump more money into my opponent's campaign,'" says Roy Mitchell, the program's director.

And he rewarded his friends with Katrina money for towing the line on the food/tobacco tax swap legislation:

This year, legislators tried again, introducing two more bills that would have halved the state's grocery tax and raised the cigarette tax by $1. Barbour didn't even lift his veto pen this time around--the bills died at the hands of Senate finance committee chairman Tommy Robertson. Oddly, Robertson had been a vocal advocate of previous tax-swap bills. Earlier this year, however, he and two other Republican legislators--who, in their day jobs, are lawyers--had received a $1.2 million contract from the Mississippi Development Authority, which is overseen by the governor, to help homeowners finalize their Katrina grants. The contract raised more than a few eyebrows. (In an interview, Robertson said the contract--which was cleared by the state ethics commission on a party-line vote--had "absolutely nothing" to do with his stance on the tax swap.)

Sure Tommy.

Again go Check It Out and if you have a DailyKos account Recommend It!

Haley Barbour's Robertson Edorsement Ad

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This is a little behind, but I only recently learned how to embed audio. If you can listen to this and still believe that voters didn't know that if they wanted to support Robertson they would vote for Robertson, then you are delusional. Robertson fell to Republican base voters. If the media would get over it's love affair with Haley Barbour (this means you Sid Salter and The Sun Herald), then perhaps voters would realize that this is in fact a valid race with a clear choices for Mississippi.

Clarion Ledger On Barbour's Missing Coattails

By bottling the bill in his committee, Robertson protected Barbour, a former Washington tobacco lobbyist, from being publicly embarrassed by a popular bipartisan bill hiking the tobacco tax. Robertson apparently counted on his incumbency and Barbour loyalty to keep him invulnerable at the polls. He counted wrong.

So did Ross, apparently, in trying to stick so close to Barbour. In the waning days of the bitter GOP primary, Ross even tried to smear Bryant for the state auditor's joint appearances for charity with former attorney general Mike Moore, who successfully won the $4.1 billion lawsuit settlement with Big Tobacco that created the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi to prevent kids from smoking.

The fact both men may have missed is that as popular as Barbour may be, voters still judge candidates on their own.

Average Mississippians want tax cuts, especially on necessities like food, and don't feel any need to protect Big Tobacco.

In addition, when Ross tried to link Bryant with Moore, he may have boosted Bryant's numbers among women. GOP soccer moms don't want their kids smoking any more than Democrat soccer moms, and Moore has been a popular spokesperson for protecting kids.

The full Clarion Ledger Editorial

Where in the World Are Barbour's Coattails?

Due to polling I'd been told about several weeks ago, I knew that Robertson was in trouble, but then Barbour made his choice clear. He recorded a radio ad endorsing Robertson and I doubt many of the folks who voted for Michael Watson didn't know who the Governor favored.

Going against the will of their "popular" incumbent Governor, Jackson County Republicans overwelmingly chose newcomer Michael Watson over one of Barbour's closest allies.

Ignore what the prognasticators are telling you. I think it is clear that Mississippi voters don't share the love for Barbour that Sid Salter and many editorial boards do. The people see the truth and they want change.

The Democratic Party sent out this release:

When a powerful state Senate ally of Republican Gov. Haley Barbour lost a bid for re-election, it became more clear than ever that the governor’s political coattails aren’t as long as he thought.

Barbour endorsed state Sen. Tommy Robertson of Moss Point – the Senate Finance Committee chairman who single handedly killed a proposal in the Legislature this year to cut the state sales tax on groceries. Barbour even recorded a radio ad for Robertson.

“But Haley’s staunch support did nothing,” said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. “Voters chose someone completely different. Haley couldn’t even help an incumbent state senator win another term.”

On Tuesday, Democrats made their choice for governor overwhelmingly clear by nominating John Eaves for the job.

Unofficial and incomplete returns show that Eaves received 286,557 votes, or 70 percent, in the Democratic Party primary. Eaves, in fact, received 115,635 more votes than the 170,922 Barbour received in winning the GOP nomination.

Eaves’ strong performance in the Tuesday primary shows that momentum has shifted to him and the Mississippi Democratic Party. It also sets up a distinct contrast of styles between Eaves and Barbour.

Over the next three months, voters will learn more about Eaves’ support for such issues as better health care and consistent education funding every year.

“It’s clear Haley’s coattails are worn, ragged and frayed,” Dowdy said. “It’s a new day in Mississippi. And with John Eaves, we have a candidate for governor who will offer this state the kind of dynamic leadership we have been sorely lacking.”

Remember it was Robertson who blocked the grocery tax cut so that the Governor wouldn't have to go through with his veto threat. That veto would have shown the public where the Governor stood; a place clearly out of the mainstream. If "Holy Haley" Barbour can't save a close and important ally, what does that say for where he stands with the voters?

Races I'm Watching Tonight Update 3

Democratic Primary Insurance Commissioner's Race - You Know Why
With 84% reporting Gary holds onto a 51% lead.

Republican Primary Agricultural Commissioner's Race - With Lester as the nominee Democrats can make this a race.
Lester Spell survives and will go on to be beat by Democratic candidate Rickey Cole

Democratic House Seat 115 - I'm rooting for Chip Barnes to upset DINO Randall Patterson
DINO Patterson beats Chip Barnes 69% to 31%. Look for Patterson to possibly switch parties before the next election unless he feels that he will be unable to win as a Republican in this Democratic district.

Senate District 46 on the Coast: I want Baria over Cuevas.
With 86% reporting Baria leads 53% to 47%

Senate District 10: I want Mona Pittman to win.

Senate District 51: I want Watson to beat Robertson.
With 62% reporting Watson Leads 61% to 39%. Barbour loses one of his biggest allies in the Senate.

Democratic Supervisor District 2 in Jackson County:
Melton Harris wins with 53%!

Republican Supervisor District 4 in Jackson County:
With 100% Reporting the incumbent comes in second and will face the former incumbent in the runoff.

With 78% Reporting:

93% Haley Barbour

70% John Arthur Eaves

57% Phil Bryant
43% Charlie Ross

72% Robert Smith
20% John Windsor
08% Jabari Toins

52% Delbert Hosemann
37% Michael Lott
08% Jeffrey Rupp

47% Mike Sumall
36% Todd Brand
17% Jacob Ray

55% Lester Spell
45% Max Phillips

51% Gary Anderson
49% George Dale

Races I'm Watching Tonight Update

Democratic Primary Insurance Commissioner's Race - You Know Why
Maybe he'll pull it out. We need you Gary!

Republican Primary Agricultural Commissioner's Race - With Lester as the nominee Democrats can make this a race.
Thanks Lester for a $55 million dollar boondoggle and a race in November.

Democratic House Seat 75 - There are two good Democrats, but it could be an upset.

Democratic House Seat 117 - I'm rooting for Chip Barnes to upset DINO Randall Patterson

Senate District 48 on the Coast: I want Baria over Cuevas.

Senate District 10: I want Mona Pittman to win.

Senate District 51: I want Watson to beat Robertson.

Tommy Robertson: "Tax It"

You may have seen the stories about this ad, but Cotton Mouth is the first to bring it to you online. :)

Tommy Robertson will likely be defeated in the primary. He has an able opponent in the primary in Michael Watson who is a slightly less corporate loving Republican. Robertson already had high negatives due to a history with drunk driving and his obvious opposing the will of the people on this issue should be enough to push Watson over the top.

Ray Vecchio Speaks in Pascagoula / Senate 51

Ray Vecchio is the Democratic candidate for Senate District 51 Which is primarily rural Jackson County. He will face either incumbent Republican Senator Tommy Robertson or challenger Michael Watson

Ross Wants Stubborn Leadership; Franks Wants A Diverse Mississippi

In the Mississippi Press Association debate (like it should be and not a Barbour demanded forum) the candidates differed greatly on how they would choose committee chairman, arguably the most important thing a Lt. Governor will do in their term.

Republican Charlie Ross promised to appoint chairmen who share his views. He also made a point of saying that his views shouldn't be influenced by others' opinions when making the decisions over committee chairmen. He's either showcasing his ability to be as stubborn as a goat in not taking into consideration others' opinions or he's not being completely truthful. I hope it's the later because we don't need another in office as stubborn as our president.

Democrat Jamie Franks promised diverse leadership that represented Mississippi. He promised that both black and white senators would be represented amoung the chairs. In a great show of bi-partisanship and his desire to make government work he also indicated that if elected Republicans would not be shut out of those seats. Franks was most specific when he stated that Sen. Tommy Robertson would NOT be returning as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Roberson has been very much a lapdog of Haley Barbour and after early support for the tax swap was instrumental in killing it.

Republican Phil Bryant declared his intention to include many groups, specifically including teachers (who by his own admission have been ignored by many Republicans), in the decision making process. This is just a cop-out. He could have indicated the kind of people he would support, but instead he indicated that he'd wait till after the election to decide.

Source Material included this Hattiesburg American Article.

Homeowner Grant Program Funds Misspent

Natalie Chandler reports massive waste in the program developed to help Coast families return home:

Airfare for employees' significant others, limousine rental agency services and last-minute plane tickets topping $1,400 are among taxpayer-funded items purchased by the Maryland-based company hired to manage a Hurricane Katrina grant program.
...
Travel expenses aren't the only things being questioned. Federal auditors also recently found problems with Reznick's grant calculations, saying the state allowed it to deduct unnecessary costs from some homeowners flooded in the storm. "As a result, the homeowners did not receive the maximum benefits from the program," according to an audit issued last month by Housing and Urban Development's inspector general's office.

Barbour farmed out the contracts with little oversight and you can see the result. Also from the article is Gene Taylor's reaction:

Said 4th District U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor of Bay St. Louis, a Democrat: "To spend that money on anything other than getting people back in their houses, or the realistic cost of doing the administrative work to make it happen, any luxuries or unnecessary trips are unacceptable."

Through a press release the Democratic State Party Chairman Wayne Dowdy had this to say:

Haley Barbour must be held responsible for this reprehensible action. As the state's chief executive officer, he has direct control over the Mississippi Development Authority by appointing its executive director and, therefore, is responsible for the pathetic way the Homeowners Grant Program has been managed.
...
Haley Barbour loves to boast across the state about all the money he's brought to Mississippi post-Katrina, about how we have a chance to rebuild the Coast as never before. But how can Haley boast when we hear reports about the pathetically managed Homeowners Grant program? And how can he boast when hundreds of people continue to live in FEMA trailers almost two years after the storm?

Democrats backed oversight when the program was started, but Barbour's Republican allies in the Senate blocked H1318. Three Republican have directly financially benefited including Republicans Sen. Tommy Robertson, Rep. Jim Beckett, and Rep. Jim Simpson. On homeowner grants Barbour and the Republicans want no oversight. One has to wonder why.

The Clarion Ledger Article