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I think state-level political activities in our state are beginning more and more to reflect the partisan ideals and philosophies of our national politics. And I don’t think that is a bad thing. When people go to the polls to vote, they ought fairly to be able to predict how their elected representatives would be likely to act on most major issues, and identification with the two major parties is one way for candidates and elected officials to help voters make their decisions about who they want to support. That doesn’t mean that people from the same party always agree or always vote the same way, but it is a major way of helping people predict what their elected officials will do. What is your favorite memory of Governor Fordice? I guess my favorite memory has more to do with personal than political activities. After he left office, he and I were partners in some hunting land, and he used to hunt often with my sons and me. His black Lab, Lance, was like a little child at that time, full of energy and enthusiasm, expecting to make a retrieve every time a duck was spotted. Of course, we missed as many ducks as we hit, and we used to belly laugh at the Governor trying to explain to Lance why there were no ducks for him to retrieve after a round of shooting. What is Governor Fordice’s legacy? I think the Governor’s primary legacy is proving that government can, in fact, be managed with business principles and fiscal responsibility. He made us keep what he called the “Morning Watch”, a tool he brought with him from the Army. Every day, he wanted a report on how many people the State had on its payroll, and how that compared with the previous month. With the help of the Legislature, he implemented the rule that the State could only budget to spend 98% of projected revenues in an upcoming budget year. When he came into office, he had to cut $75 million in spending within his first six weeks of office in order to comply with the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget. But when he left office, the State had about a quarter of a billion dollars in a rainy day fund. What are the biggest challenges facing county governments in Mississippi? County government is very close to the people, and affects many of the key components of folks’ every day lives – schools, libraries, roads, bridges, taxes, garbage, property values and the like. I think the biggest challenge we face on the county Board of Supervisors where I serve is the increasingly heavy burden that is pressed down to the local level as the federal and state governments carry less and less of the load that has historically been handled at that level. We are facing pressure in road and bridge construction and maintenance, educational infrastructure, human services and other key areas. In my county, thanks to a good rate of growth, we will be able to handle most of these challenges if we act prudently. But many counties are going to have very serious problems grappling with the newly imposed expenses they are being handed.
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Andy Taggart's career reflects his varied interests. He’s been the Chief of Staff to Governor Fordice, a partner at a major law firm, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Republican Party, a government relations consultant and the owner of a manufacturing company. Today he is the President and CEO of the Mississippi Technology Alliance, a Madison County Supervisor and the owner of a law practice that provides business council to its clients. Taggart grew up in Moss Point, graduated from Mississippi College in 1979 and received his J.D. degree from Tulane in 1984. He is married to the former Karen Bronson. They have 
