Mississippi: Friend or Foe?

[northernbizzkit1]

This is a state-wide issue that I am curious to see what your opinion is. Is the state of Mississippi actually an enemy with Tennessee? So far, the Tunica casinos take money that could be spent in Tennessee and place them in slot machines. Luckily, the lottery was legalized, but should be up the ante and go for a full gambling legalization? Tunica casinos make it known that they will cash welfare checks, so why shouldn't Tennessee start a campaign to stop giving the state of Mississippi a hefty allowance? At the same time, Trent Lott was partly responsible for the massive quagmire as far as the route of I-69 through Memphis. He, as well as other Mississippians, attempted to get it to nearly bypass the whole city, but that would not be heard, so now I-69 forms I-269, an outer loop, around Memphis to cut into the state of MS where Mr. Barbour prefers. Furthermore, these Deep South foes are making it where the interstate clips Arkansas and stays in Mississippi for a longer sting (winner of the losers, in my opinion ). So, what are your opinions, Tennesseans? What is up with MS?!?!

[doormanpoet]

You should have seen Tunica 10 years ago! I don't mind what they are doing. They needed the jobs.

[monsoon]

I didn't realize there was so much going on in Mississippi.

[nashvol85]

What is this "Mississippi" that you speak of?

[GaTechGuy]

I hear its a nice river.

[sleepy]

Interstate 69 is going through the middle of Memphis. It will join I-240 where the spur from US 51 joins 240, and the interstate will head south and be double-signed as I-240 and I-69. At the I-55/I-240 junction, I-69 will then be double-signed with I-55 south and continue that way until it reaches I-269 in Hernando.

Btw---DeSoto County MS is the 35th fastest growing county in the US, up from 39th in 2003.

[ricky_the_great]

where exactly through the middle of memphis... they were unable to get I 40 to go all the way through memphis. is this plausible? i thought it was just running through the way eastern part of the county.

[sleepy]

where exactly through the middle of memphis... they were unable to get I 40 to go all the way through memphis. is this plausible? i thought it was just running through the way eastern part of the county.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My post says exactly where it's going--right where there's a freeway already called I-240 and after the I-240/I-55 split, it will follow current I-55. It's the blue line. No new freeway will be built. The existing freeway will be double-signed with two lanes added.

I-269 will take the place of TN 385 which is partially the outer loop around Shelby and DeSoto Counties.

[Claws]

Wow, those Mississippians are ruthless. I guess they're just bitter that their state is worse.

[Clobber]

I think MS hurts TN. They particularly target Memphis for competition. It appears rare that MS looks to work with Memphis to compete with other regions in the country to improve the region and trigger overall regional growth. Instead, it appears that MS looks to siphon growth away from Memphis. Sometimes, cooperation exists (see boxing), but it looks rare. If the state can't see that an economically-weakened Memphis hurts Tennessee as a whole, they're myopic, or even perhaps spiteful, of Memphis.

It would be more in Tennessee's best interest than the Memphis' region to have casino gaming legalized in the state. More beneficial for the Memphis region would be a balanced entertainment menu with offerings in different portions of the region. Maybe throw a theme park between Memphis and Jackson, TN, and have high-speed rail go from there to downtown Memphis and into Mississippi. It wouldn't happen. But it doesn't do Tennessee any good for Mississippi to seize the entertainment title for the region. Mississippi revenue does almost nothing for Memphis, and much less for Tennessee.

[Memphis10]

New poster...longtime reader...

this is an old thread but i was reading it and had to reply.

Are u guys kidding or for real?...Look at how u talk about the state. Now that the state is trying to do something you say that it doesnt want to work with Tennessee...but have Tennessee work with Mississippi b4 the casinos?.....I doubt that it did....How about Arkansas...now the state isnt a threat but West Memphis,Arkansas has added slot machines to its Greyhound Racetrack...so 10 years down the line will u say the same for that state?...Im from Clarksdale,MS moved to Memphis,TN and now live in Atlanta,GA. All I heard from people in Memphis about the state are negative things. Memphians are Mississippians worst critics.

[Clobber]

New poster...longtime reader...

this is an old thread but i was reading it and had to reply.

Are u guys kidding or for real?...Look at how u talk about the state. Now that the state is trying to do something you say that it doesnt want to work with Tennessee...but have Tennessee work with Mississippi b4 the casinos?.....I doubt that it did....How about Arkansas...now the state isnt a threat but West Memphis,Arkansas has added slot machines to its Greyhound Racetrack...so 10 years down the line will u say the same for that state?...Im from Clarksdale,MS moved to Memphis,TN and now live in Atlanta,GA. All I heard from people in Memphis about the state are negative things. Memphians are Mississippians worst critics.

[Memphis10]

What u said is so true...but I mean could u blame the state? You talk about it like its a red-headed stepchild..lol...The 3 states do need to work very hard together to draw in more Fortune 500 companies and other business to the area but Tennessee let alone Memphis is so hard on the state of Mississippi. "Mississippi revenue does almost nothing for Memphis, and much less for Tennessee" Ive never heard of one states revenue doing something for another states. "air traffic from Memphis international; as well as initial longstanding resistance to supporting the Regional Med" I dont think the Tunica Airport will draw business away from MEM...not by a long shot..and I think MS is working with Memphis' Regional Med...Most of the patients from the Northwest MS are flown to The MED via helicopter... but until all the negative mindsets that people have for each other stops then a unified region isnt in the works till that happens...

[miami1855]

The same would have to be said for Illinois (Metropolis) and Indiana (Evansville) when you talk about Nashville and Clarksville. Their casinos are only about an hour/hour and a half from Tennessee.

Also, how much money was lost in Clarksville and Chattanooga back when people had to cross the border to buy lottery tickets?

[Clobber]

What u said is so true...but I mean could u blame the state?

[Rardy]

On the other hand, competitiveness makes cities more efficient, cheaper, and a better place to do business. If there were no DeSoto or Crittenden counties with which Shelby County had to compete, I seriously doubt it would be at all competitive, and would lack much, much more than it already does. Competition is what capitalism and American politics are all about. What if Shelby's only competition was Davidson or Pulaski, do you think we'd have PILOTs or tax incentives? Sure, but not nearly like we do now. So then that begs the question, would we have picked up 2 Fortune 500's in the past year...? I doubt it.

Sure, it makes politics more difficult, and it makes funding a pain having to work with 3 state legislatures when most comparable cities only have 1 to deal with. But that's not the fault of DeSoto or Crittenden -- they're as much caught in that scenario as we are.

I also think Jackson, MS has been much more willing to work with Memphis than Nashville has been with DeSoto. That's probably due to the realities of size, but as DeSoto and Tunica grow, I really think Nashville is going to have to be more cooperative. Don't trash MS too much -- they've done a heckuva lot for the Memphis metro, including fighting tooth and toenail for 69 to even be a reality a decade ago when it was still proposed. And what benefits DeSoto benefits Shelby. They've gotten a lot of things Shelby never even had a chance of getting. My two cents.

[Clobber]

On the other hand, competitiveness makes cities more efficient, cheaper, and a better place to do business. If there were no DeSoto or Crittenden counties with which Shelby County had to compete, I seriously doubt it would be at all competitive, and would lack much, much more than it already does. Competition is what capitalism and American politics are all about. What if Shelby's only competition was Davidson or Pulaski, do you think we'd have PILOTs or tax incentives? Sure, but not nearly like we do now. So then that begs the question, would we have picked up 2 Fortune 500's in the past year...? I doubt it.

Sure, it makes politics more difficult, and it makes funding a pain having to work with 3 state legislatures when most comparable cities only have 1 to deal with. But that's not the fault of DeSoto or Crittenden -- they're as much caught in that scenario as we are.

I also think Jackson, MS has been much more willing to work with Memphis than Nashville has been with DeSoto. That's probably due to the realities of size, but as DeSoto and Tunica grow, I really think Nashville is going to have to be more cooperative. Don't trash MS too much -- they've done a heckuva lot for the Memphis metro, including fighting tooth and toenail for 69 to even be a reality a decade ago when it was still proposed. And what benefits DeSoto benefits Shelby. They've gotten a lot of things Shelby never even had a chance of getting. My two cents.

[Memphis10]

I also think Jackson, MS has been much more willing to work with Memphis than Nashville has been with DeSoto. That's probably due to the realities of size, but as DeSoto and Tunica grow, I really think Nashville is going to have to be more cooperative. Don't trash MS too much -- they've done a heckuva lot for the Memphis metro, including fighting tooth and toenail for 69 to even be a reality a decade ago when it was still proposed. And what benefits DeSoto benefits Shelby. They've gotten a lot of things Shelby never even had a chance of getting. My two cents.

[idlewild]

I don't see Nashville ever helping out!

[Kheldane]

Why would anyone live in Mississippi or Arkansas when those states have an income tax? I would definitely live in TN and I don't see any long-term credible threats to the business success of TN coming from any states surrounding it because we have the most pro-business environment around...And the keystone of that pro-business environment is the lack of an income tax. If you're a doctor that owns your own practice where would you live? A lawyer? Where would a department of banking professionals bringing home six-figure salaries want to live (from a tax perspective). Exactly. I've been to DeSoto & I didn't see a shread of difference between DeSoto and Germantown, east Shelby. I don't know why anyone would even live in DeSoto & pay those higher taxes (maybe someone can tell me?).

[Rardy]

Why would anyone live in Mississippi or Arkansas when those states have an income tax? I would definitely live in TN and I don't see any long-term credible threats to the business success of TN coming from any states surrounding it because we have the most pro-business environment around...And the keystone of that pro-business environment is the lack of an income tax. If you're a doctor that owns your own practice where would you live? A lawyer? Where would a department of banking professionals bringing home six-figure salaries want to live (from a tax perspective). Exactly. I've been to DeSoto & I didn't see a shread of difference between DeSoto and Germantown, east Shelby. I don't know why anyone would even live in DeSoto & pay those higher taxes (maybe someone can tell me?).

[tennreb]

Tennessee has much higher property taxes and higher sales tax on everything, especially food. The reason people flock to DeSoto is because it's a cheaper place to live.

[Kheldane]

Desoto is only cheaper if you don't make very much money. Mississippi has a 5% income tax, and while it has lower property taxes, it has a very high vehicle tax. In many counties, it is over $1000/yr for a $30k vehicle.

[idlewild]

Yeah you are right, I-69 will go through Tipton County which will make it more attractive eventually.

[Rardy]

Exactly! All the high-income people are smart enough to realize TN allows them to keep a larger portion of their income. I doubt the property tax difference would be enough to make someone choose one over the other if that person is making enough to worry about the income tax. Did that come out right? I'm trying to say that even if a rich person bringing home 6 figures is mad about higher TN prop. taxes, I doubt it will be enough to make them consider moving to MS and paying an income tax. Plus there is always Fayette County or Tipton County which are surely cheaper - and have no income tax. They are further out, - but hey - eventually Tipton will have I-69, right?