MS coast economics lag behind

LONG BEACH, Miss. - The Mississippi Gulf Coast’s economy lags behind other regions of the state underscoring the need for lawmakers to keep BP settlement money on the coast, according to Gulf Coast Business Council President Ashley Edwards. The Gulf Coast “has not realized the same economic momentum” as the overall state since 2010, Edwards told attendees of Jan. 12’s University of Southern Mississippi’s annual Economic Outlook Forum at the Gulf Park campus. The coast’s recovery has been stymied by Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession of 2008 and the 2010 BP oil spill. “The perception has often been that the coast region, with its maritime economy, does better than the rest of the state,” he said. “That’s not necessarily true.” (Source: Sun Herald 01/13/17)