Candidate Q&A: House District 87
Election 2023
Our public education questionnaire is offered to candidates in statewide and legislative elections. Search for candidates’ questionnaire responses below. Election dates: Primary – August 8, 2023, General – November 7, 2023
General Election Candidate:
Joseph “Bubba” Tubb (Incumbent)
Kim Fagan (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
I am a licensed Mississippi teacher and have worked in the Lamar County School District as well as having my children attend schools in Lamar (Oak Grove and Sumrall schools). I will always support teachers and more money (of course!), but I feel that the START Act salary raise needs to be revisited. We are losing our mid career teachers because they are feeling devalued because all of the money will go to the first time teachers with less experience; because the focus of the pay raise was to add the money on the front end to retain new college graduates so they would stay in our area.
There is only about a $2800 approx. difference between what a brand new teacher with no graduate degrees or experience will make vs a teacher who has taught for years, has multiple graduate degrees and certifications. This is not much of a morale booster for our teachers, and they should be paid more money. I think our Attendance Officers have been left out of the loop as well, and I’m very disappointed that the Legislature continues to fail them as well as supplemental employees and our Teacher Assistants. The TA raise is only $2000 and spread out over time; and some school districts have said they would add more hours to the TAs to offset the raise. It’s nothing to brag about going from $15,000 to $17,000 especially with inflation. Many TAs are actually licensed teachers trying to get a full time teaching contract, and TAs must have 48 hours and or take a variety of tests sometimes to get employed. So this salary increase needs to be revisited, and I promise to do this and/or there is always the possibility of offering our supplemental employees and TAs the ability to get unemployment during summer months like some other states do. If a TA isn’t in a contract like a teacher is, I don’t see why this isn’t possible.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
As we know, the MAEP provides funding for many things and one being insurance. Teacher and school district employee insurance cost is a complaint from educators a lot especially when they are on a family plan with a high deductible. I would look at ways to work with insurance companies to provide a more cost effective option for insurance coverage. Basic operational costs such as maintenance, facility and the like, could also be negotiated with the companies that the school district is using for these services. I know my district outsources to a janitorial franchise and perhaps better prices could be negotiated to keep the overall cost down. Therefore the 27% of the base student cost could be used in more cost effective ways. In earning my MBA and being a business owner of multiple businesses in my career, I feel confident that with creative financing and community outreach, we could exhaust other options before raising any taxes.
There are creative financial ways to ensure that the budget is being spent wisely. I believe in community contributions to their children’s education too and fundraisers, donations are also important to help add to the funding such that our students are getting the support they need to obtain the best educational experience possible without having to increase taxes for the taxpayers.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
I feel that we should always have a system of checks and balances, transparency and accountability. I read an article recently that said our state has not checked Medicaid recipients’ eligibility in 3 years. MS experienced with a “de facto Medicaid expansion” and determined recently that 44% of reviewed enrollees were found ineligible. I would ask WHY did MS experience with this regardless of Covid or not. During March of 2020 and June of 2023 Mississippi’s Medicaid rolls exploded upward adding over 187,000 people. This was not due to the state’s unemployment numbers because they are at an all time low, and wages went up but this was due because for the last 3 years states throughout our county like MS stopped checking eligibility. This is a lot of wasted money that could have been used in other areas to provide more services to our citizens.
I mention this situation to say that a lot of money is wasted and it’s up to the Legislature to work diligently to find where funds are going and to weed out funding in wasteful areas.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
I support school choice and parent choice to send their child to the school that they feel will best educate their child. I do not feel that just because a family lives in a certain school district that they must go to that school. If parents do not have this choice and are forced to go to a certain school then yes, I would support vouchers.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes I do but I also feel that it takes support from the families as well to ensure they send their child to school healthy and ready to learn. The parents/guardian hold responsibility in their child’s success as well. If a child is not being taken care of at home this directly affects how a child learns at school.
I believe it should be and I feel that our SPED teachers should be paid a higher salary for those working with the more severe cases because the teacher has to take on many roles. I would look into why this has been underfunded every year because without this information it would be hard to map out a plan. Perhaps a higher percentage of overall budget should be evaluated.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Absolutely.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
I believe parents and teachers must be a team. As I mentioned before, parents have the responsibility to make certain their child is healthy and prepared to come to school to learn. I know that some parents may not have the means to provide as they would like to but there are many programs in place such as free meals at school and the ability to take advantage of programs that offer food, and free or reduced medical, dental and mental health programs. Schools also have counselors available for students who may need extra attention. I feel legislators could identify and research the possibility of funding additional certifications and or classes that counselors and educators could take part in so they can better assist our students so that they have the ability to obtain the best education possible.
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
Yes I do but I feel that the START Act needs to be revisited. I feel mid career teachers, attendance officers, teacher assistants and supplemental employees should have gotten more pay. Attendance officers have not gotten raises in 20 years (some have not and they only make $28,000 to mid 30,000s and have an overload of students they are responsible for per school), the TAs were promised more money and have yet to see it and the $2000 raise is to be spread out over a time period and TAs were only making $15,000 and going to $17,000 is still not sufficient when inflation is much higher. Many TAs are actually licensed teachers trying to get a full time position and most TAs have to have 48 hours or specific tests to get hired. Some districts said they may add more hours to the TA day so that they could offset the salary increase. I would make sure that this could not happen in my district and I would fight for more money. When you do the math, TAs work 187 days, so they make approx. $11 a hour. They were making just $10.00 before this raise. I don’t know many people who can survive on this salary and many TAs I’ve worked with are single parents having to work another job after they leave school. TAs and supplemental employees are the backbone to our schools, they deserve a lot more!
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
I believe in term limits so I would think that if someone was retired they may be at retirement age mid 60s. I’m in support of a two term limit or a certain age for legislators. If someone was younger and retired I do not see a issue with this. Legislators do not make a very high salary. MS actually has one of the lower salaries. So I don’t think drawing retirement while serving as a legislator is a problem.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
Yes, I work and have worked with many educators and administrators who can give counsel to me when deciding on bills and I’m a researcher by nature. So I will commit to actually reading bills before I vote on them so that I will understand exactly what I’m agreeing to for my district and for my voters. I do not take other’s words for what’s in a bill, I will read it myself and I will make my own decisions. I also will promise to never go along with a group to vote a certain way. I’m a free thinker and I’m always going to do what’s best for the people of my district and for Mississippians and our future. I want the best possible education system in place for my children’s children.
I’m not easily intimidated. I don’t go along to get along. This is a promise because I’ve seen other representatives promise that they will not give into pressure and then give into pressure. My opponent in District 87 has the lowest score in the entire House of Representatives for voting on conservative bills according to his most recent ACU score from CPAC. To me this sounds like he gave into pressure. I am a good negotiator in my other careers, can work well with others but at the end of the day, I will always vote in a way that I promised when I campaigned, I took no donations from any special interest groups, I am an educator myself, so I will always do what’s best for my constituents who put me in office and what’s best for students in my district.
Joseph "Bubba" Tubb (Incumbent)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
My oldest son graduated from Clinton High School and my youngest attends Oak Grove High School.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
Education is such a key component to the livelihood of our State. I feel very sure I can find the money to make sure we bring every teacher’s pay level to at least our neighboring states. I would agree to fully funding this. Being honest there are areas in our system that need to be viewed from a business approach. Being a businessperson my promise to you is I will work hard to find ways to better spend the dollars already being received before I will commit to asking the taxpayers for any additional to fully fund.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
I will always look for good common sense ways to increase services for those in need but I will also look for ways of cutting government services in those areas not providing a return on investment.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
I will not if it makes common sense. There are areas in the State with failing public schools and I feel those kids deserve another option if possible.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
I believe every child should have the right to learn. My question would be to ask what are the reasons it has not been funded since 2008? Without this knowledge I will not commit either way.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
My Grand Dad Jackson M Tubb served as Mississippi’s Superintendent of Education from 1945-1968. To my knowledge he served longer than anyone has held the office. I say this to say I know he faced the same issues we are facing today. Stress, poverty, learning disorders, psychological problems I feel are no different today than when my Grand Dad was serving. The only difference is there is a much bigger light being shown on it. The biggest obstacle that no legislation can solve is the lack of good parenting and parent involvement in their kids’ schooling. Discipline used to given at home as well as in the schools and the parents ALWAYS backed up the school and the teachers. My child hardly ever brought home homework in middle school because they did it all at school I understand because of the growing number of parents unwilling to make sure their kids get it done. We have gotten so tied up in political correctness we have lost this somewhere along the way. Putting prayer back in school may be a good start. 🙂
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
Yes, yes, yes.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Yes. If they run a campaign and win I cannot see why someone would be against it.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
Yes. Absolutely. The superintendents of Lamar County and Forrest County and many many retired and active teacher friends that will be advising me as well.
I am a business person. My promise to you is I will always do what is best for my District 87 but also what is best for the State of Mississippi.
