Mississippi Senate committee approves bill to cut state superintendent’s salary

(The Center Square) — The Mississippi Senate Education Committee approved a bill that would cut the state superintendent’s salary on Wednesday.

New state Superintendent Robert Taylor was hired on Nov. 21 with a salary of $300,000, just $7,000 less than his predecessor, Carey Wright. At the time Wright was hired in 2013, she was the nation’s mostly highly paid state superintendent of education. She retired on June 30, the last day of the fiscal year.

Senate Bill 2334, authored by Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, would cut Taylor’s salary to $250,000. Since the bill would also place a $250,000 cap on the executive director of the Community College Board, the bill needs approval from the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee.

DeBar’s bill is similar to another bill that passed the Senate and failed in the House last session. The bill was approved with minimal discussion.

The committee also approved a bill, SB2164, by state Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, that would allow school districts to sell property to developers for “residential, mixed-use or other development activity to stimulate economic development activities within the district.”

Blount said during the committee meeting that the Jackson Public School District is experiencing a decline in the number of students.

According to data from the state Department of Education, enrollment in the district is down 58% over the past decade, sliding from 29,738 in 2013 to 18,710 this school year.

“There is concern in the district that allowing residential development would not be allowed under present law and this is why we’re asking for this to happen,” Blount said. “This gives the board more flexibility to explore development opportunities for buildings that are no longer being used as schools.”

Both bills are headed to the Senate floor. The deadline for bills to pass out of committees is Jan. 31, while the deadline for bills to be passed out of their originating chambers is Feb. 9.