NATCHEZ &045; A state with the lowest per capita income in the country or a state with the fastest growing per capita income in the South &045; where would you want to live?

Mississippi Economic Council President Blake Wilson told Adams and Franklin county leaders Tuesday they’re living in both states.

Mississippi falls under both categories, Wilson said at an MEC caucus luncheon held at the Natchez Convention Center.

&uot;Depending on what data sets you look at you can paint whatever picture you want of Mississippi,&uot; Wilson said.

The purpose of Tuesday’s caucus was to explain the goals of Blueprint Mississippi &045; a report that outlines the state’s economic development hopes &045; and to gather opinions about the report.

&uot;Blueprint Mississippi helps us to see that maybe some of our challenges aren’t as great as we perceive them to be,&uot; Wilson said.

That doesn’t mean the state doesn’t have challenges, he said. But the Blueprint evaluates where Mississippi is today on a number of factors and outlines where it needs to be five and 10 years down the road.

The report compares Mississippi to 11 southeastern and western states.

For example, from 1993 to 2003, Mississippi ranked 11th among those states in job growth. In the next five years, the Blueprint Mississippi committee wants Mississippi to be ranked eighth or higher in job growth.

Wilson said one thing that can help is changing the measure of success.

&uot;We want more jobs, more jobs,&uot; he said. &uot;Sometimes we need to look at the ability to retain jobs as being just as important.&uot;

Among the positive changes in Mississippi recently are new tort reform legislation and growth in educational scores and per capita income.

Blueprint Mississippi has identified several high-priority goals. Among them:

4Developing a marketing plan for Mississippi, both in the state and outside the state.

4Promoting the fact that Mississippi now has a fair and balanced legal system with the passage of tort reform legislation.

4Diversifying the state’s economic base.

4Strengthening physical infrastructure.

4Expanding pre-kindergarten programs

Wilson said the connection between education and economic development is critical.

&uot;We need a greater focus on education,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s a relatively short-term investment.&uot;