By Nick Cumberland

District 113 State Representative Hank Zuber continued his fight this legislative session to try and prevent campaign funds from being used as personal income. “I was personally disappointed with the 2008 legislative session. The original house bill died, but I was able to get to the podium on an amendment on a senate bill. Unfortunately, that effort died on a procedural motion.”

Hank Zuber began his political career after being elected in 2000. Zuber grew up in Ocean Springs and is an alumnus of Ocean Springs High School. After graduation, Zuber received his undergraduate degree from Millsaps College and his jurist doctorate from Ole Miss. Zuber has operated his own law firm for the last 5 years.

Campaign finance has always been a touchy subject on the national level as well as the state level. Eliminating special interest influence in government would be a positive step in helping streamline the political process, and help our government make the right decisions for the voters. “Mississippi is one of the last states where using campaign money as personal income is legal. I think its wrong and I am going to continue to work until the bill passes,” said Zuber.

With the 2008 session over, Governor Haley Barbour will have to call a special legislative session to discuss the approximately $90 million deficit in Mississippi’s Medicaid program. Lawmakers seem to be leaning towards a hike in cigarette taxes or a hike in hospital taxes to fund the program.

In other bills, Zuber has proposed legislation that would set time limits for state public officials to become lobbyist after leaving office. Currently there is no waiting period for the switching of sides, but with the proposed bill public officials would have a four-year waiting period before they would be able to lobby state lawmakers. “I think the ability to leave the public office and immediately become a lobbyist creates an appearance of impropriety,” said Zuber.

Zuber also saw positive steps being made towards coast transportation with projects moving forward on creating four lanes on Highway 15 to US 98, and the progress on expanding Highway 57. “The completion of the new Jimmy Buffet’s Magaritaville will definitely help boost the recovering coastal economy. We also have suppliers of the new Toyota plant locating in Tupelo that will boost the economy for northeast Mississippi.”