Newton County residents stand to benefit from the passage of the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act during a special session of the Legislature last week.
Rep. Randy Rushing, R-Decatur, said MIMA will do a lot of good for Newton County and its residents.
“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “I think it’s probably the most significant piece of legislation we’ve passed since I’ve been there, the past seven years.”
MIMA diverts 35 percent of the state’s use tax on online purchases to cities and counties to be used for bridge and road projects. Cities and counties will each receive 15 percent of the funds directly from the Department of Revenue, while the remaining five percent is put into the Local System Bridge Project fund, a state fund used to help municipalities repair bridges without placing extra pressure on residents.
Part of the casino sports betting revenue will also go toward the new infrastructure fund, which is expected to contribute about $5 million each year.
How much each county gets is based on population, Rushing said. For Newton County, available funds for roads and bridges will increase by about $550,000 per year after a 4-year phase-in process.
Additionally, the municipalities within the county, Union, Decatur, Newton, Chunky and Hickory, will receive some of the money as well. The exact figures for cities were not available but Rushing said the amounts will be calculated using population numbers. Whatever amount municipalities receive, he said it will be a big help in maintaining and repairing infrastructure.
“It’s major legislation,” he said. “It’ll take four years before it’s fully implemented. It’ll start out about 25 percent a year and increase each year for four years.”
This year, Rushing said, Newton County can expect to see about $100,000 in additional funding. That will double next year to about $225,000 and keep increasing yearly until MIMA is established fully.
With a 4-year phase-in period, Rushing said it will take some patience before municipalities will see the full benefit of the program. However, he said, “it’s coming.”
“This will be something that will benefit for a long time,” Rushing said. “Newton County will get a little over $550,000 every year on top of what they already have. And, we did it without raising taxes.”
