McRae: Giving thanks for Mississippi
By Treasurer David McRae
There is perhaps no better time of year to reflect on the many blessings in our lives than Thanksgiving. Around our family dinner table, we each traditionally give thanks for one thing that year. Our pets and fellow family members are popular go-to’s. A table full of stuffing is almost always on someone’s list as well. But this year, for me, I am truly struck by how grateful I am to live in this state, to serve this state.
I’ve always felt fortunate to have grown up in Mississippi. It is here that our family saw an opportunity to launch the family business, working beside some of the hardest working Americans our country has to offer. It is here that I made my first and oldest friendships and learned who I was. It is here that I chose to raise my own family, surrounding our kids with those who share our values and spirit of hospitality. And it is here that I choose to serve today.
From my post as State Treasurer, I see a state that is ready to deliver the American Dream to its people. As inflation rises, Mississippi remains one of the most affordable places in the country to start a business, raise a family, or purchase a home.
While there is still room to grow, our education system is improving at a faster clip than almost any state in the nation. In fact, the Education Week Quality Counts report has ranked Mississippi second in the nation for improvement in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
At the same time, companies are increasingly choosing to grow here. This October, for example, Steel Dynamics, Inc., announced a $2.5 billion investment that will create approximately 1,000 jobs with an average salary of almost $100,000. This represents the largest economic development project in Mississippi’s history.
Of course, there is still work to be done to move Mississippi forward, but nowhere is more primed for that growth than the Magnolia State – and for that, I am grateful.
As I’ve traveled the state these last four years, it has become abundantly clear that Mississippi is full of the most kind, generous, helpful, and hard-working people I know. Whether I’m in Biloxi, Vicksburg, Southaven, or Tupelo, Mississippians are there to lend a helping hand and a thoughtful prayer.
Mississippi is my home, and I’m honored, grateful, and lucky to be able to serve this place and the people who live here.
From my family to yours, I hope you have a warm (and filling!) Thanksgiving.
Mississippi Treasurer David McRae is the 55th Treasurer for the State of Mississippi. In this role, he helps manage the state’s cash flow, oversees College Savings Mississippi, and has returned more than $80 million in unclaimed money to Mississippians. For more information, visit Treasury.MS.gov.
