Video: Longtime Dem. State Rep Speaks About Upcoming Session

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TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – For Steve Holland, the new year is off to a busy start.   Along with helping run his family’s funeral business, he is also preparing for next week’s opening of the 2013 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature.
“In a way I’m getting very excited about going back to the session,” Rep. Holland said.

This will mark the 30th year the Democratic lawmaker from Plantersville has served constituents of District 16 in the state legislature.

Representative Holland says there are a host of issues to tackle, but he believes one stands out above all others.

“My main emphasis remains funding public education at a level that’s adequate, I know the governor has a big merit pay proposal as one of his educational priorities, that’s well and good, I look here and it’s been five years since we’ve given a school teacher a raise in this state,” he said.

Holland  also believes community colleges need adequate funding to continue providing affordable higher education and training.

“Our community colleges are a diamond in the rough in the state of Mississippi, educates more kids , more adults than any other educational facet that we have,” Holland said.

Another hot button issue involves renewed calls for a state bond bill.   The democratic lawmaker believes action on a bond bill is long overdue.

“We went without a bond issue  the second year to my knowledge in my 30 year career that we have not passed a bond issue to take care of buildings, small municipalities, grants, local bridge programs,” Holland explained.

Perhaps the most controversial issue, the debate over whether or not to expand Mississippi’s Medicaid program.

“I’m for it and I’m for expansion of Medicaid, 100 percent .  And I think anybody who has studied economics will see that the economic input will far outweigh what it’s going to cost us .  I’ve been led to believe for 30 years that I’ve played in health care in this state, that one doctor adds 22 jobs to rural Mississippi,” he said.

Whatever issues come up, Holland and his colleagues will be making policy in the poorest state in the union.   The longtime Democratic lawmaker says he’s hopeful legislators on both sides of the political aisle will make decisions based on the best interest of the Magnolia state, instead of a conservative, or liberal ideology.