Miss Gov Reeves announced he will end the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The Center Square

"(The Center Square) – Federal rent and utility payments will be no more in Mississippi.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provides up to 15 months free rent and utility payments, will come to an end Aug. 15.

The governor says the program incentivizes people to stay out of the workforce and the state is returning the money earmarked for the program.

“Mississippi isn’t afraid to make hard decisions to improve our workforce participation. That’s what we’re doing today,” Reeves said in a release. “This program has essentially become: If for whatever reason you can’t pay your rent or utility bill, taxpayers will pay them for you. Mississippi will continue to say no to these types of liberal handouts that encourage people to stay out of the workforce. Instead, we’re going to say yes to conservative principles and policies that result in more people working.”

“If the poorest state in the country can send back federal welfare money, that sends a message there is a problem,” Taylor said, saying the expansion of welfare programs across the country is keeping people poor.

“It is not the key to prosperity,” Taylor said. “Expanding welfare programs keeps people poor.”

According to the release, the governor touted the state as being 10th best in the country for handling the COVID-19 pandemic, said unemployment is the lowest in state history, and the drop in unemployment is 13th in the country.

Mississippi, according to the release, brought in $7.4 billion in tax revenue over the past fiscal year, which was an increase of $1.45 billion above the state’s estimate.