Briefs: Mississippi cuts from schools, gives cash to Nissan; UN warns inequality bad for health

July 27, 2014
Issue 

Mississippi cuts $1,3 billion from schools, gives $1.3 billion to Nissan

“Since 2008, Mississippi has violated a constitutional mandate to adequately fund the state’s public K-12 schools,” Reader Supported News said on July 23. “Mississippi has spent $648 less per student than it did in 2008. Currently, Mississippi has underfunded its public schools by at least [US]$1.3 billion.

“In May of last year, the United Auto Workers released a study showing that Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi, plant was getting $1.33 billion in tax breaks from the state in return for Nissan’s promise to provide Mississippians with good-paying, full-time jobs …

“Mississippi would even pay $90 million in interest on the debt incurred to reward Nissan with its lavish tax breaks. Mississippi has already given $378 million to Nissan, which paid for its access roads, water usage, and worker training.”

UN warns inequality bad for health

“United Nations experts warned on July 24 that growing inequality was hindering improvements in lifespan, education and income in a world where the 85 richest people have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest,” Morning Star Online said that day.

“With nearly a third of humanity poor or vulnerable to poverty, governments need to put a higher priority on creating jobs and providing basic social services, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in its annual report.

“It warned that improvements in longevity, education and income are slowing down. “

The report noted “widespread sense of precariousness in the world today in livelihoods, the environment, personal security and politics”.

It said nearly half of all workers are in insecure or informal employment while some 842 million, or about 12%, of all people go hungry.

Morning Star reported: “The report also reflected a growing conviction among poverty alleviation experts that gains made in the late 20th century risk being eroded by climate change, a global 'race to the bottom' by big corporations that is forcing more workers to live on less and government budgets 'balanced on the backs of the poor,' said report lead author Khalid Malik.”

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