NATCHEZ — Legislators pointed to dollars signs and district lines as this legislative session’s major issues at Monday’s legislative breakfast.

“It’s going to be a dynamic, historic session,” Rep. Sam Mims, a Republican from McComb, said.

Challenges facing the state because of the recession and redistricting during an election will make for an interesting session, Mims said.

An audience member submitted a question about education policies, and legislators pointed to funding as the main priority.

“The biggest policy issue (in education) is money,” Mims said.

Mims said he hopes the state cuts less than the $95 million in cuts to education made last year. But further cuts will likely be made.

“We have the opportunity to (re-evaluate) the role of state government (in education),” Mims said.

Rep. Robert Johnson, a Democrat from Natchez, said he agrees some cuts to education might be necessary, but he believes investing money in public education benefits the state.

“We are really going to have to cut some, but if you cut too much, people don’t want to come to your state,” Johnson said.

Johnson said legislators cannot justify loaning millions to industries while making more major cuts to education.

“You can’t loan $75,000 and tell teachers and kids and the school system ‘We don’t have it,’” Johnson said.

Sen. Kelvin Butler, a Democrat from Magnolia, said he agreed education is an investment.

“Either we pay now or pay later,” Butler said.

Butler said he expected the budget would not allow the state legislature to restore funding cuts from last year. But the budget will probably not include additional cuts for the most part, he said.

Johnson referenced a $75 million bond bill the state legislature passed to offer as an incentive to a company that manufactures solar panels to locate in Hattiesburg.

The California-based company, Stion, will create 1,000 jobs, Johnson said.

Johnson said the company’s decision to locate in Hattiesburg is encouraging for Natchez.

The city’s proximity to the University of Southern Mississippi helped lure the company because of the research and workforce opportunities universities provide, Johnson said.

“(Natchez) can be another cog in the wheel (of economic development) with Alcorn, Copiah-Lincoln University . . . and the port,” Johnson said.

Mims said it would be wise for economic development groups to keep their eye on California companies looking to relocate in Mississippi because the lower operating costs and access to the river can are marketable.

Mims said Mississippi is doing well compared to other states in terms of economic growth during the recession.

Sen. Bob Dearing, a Democrat from Natchez, said he recently spoke to officials at Rentech, a biofuels company slated to break ground in Natchez this year. He was told Rentech plans on making “a very good announcement very soon.”

Dearing said revenue collected across the state has exceeded budget estimates in five out of the past six months.

Legislators also addressed redistricting of state lines.

Butler said if legislators fail to complete the redistricting process before the extended June qualifying deadline, they will be forced to conduct another election next year.

“The talk is we will work hard to get the (district) numbers worked out, so we will not have to run again,” Butler said.

Johnson said he hopes redistricting goes more smoothly this year than it did in 2000, when court cases delayed and complicated the process.

Voter identification requirement, eminent domain issues and abortion will be included on November ballots as referendums, Johnson said to a question about voter ID.

“I feel confident the (voter ID requirement) will pass,” Mims said.

Dearing also spoke about creating an ordinance that allows animal cruelty to be a felony charge.

He said the only opposition to the bill comes from the American Farm Bureau Federation, which fears the law might affect the farming business. A law already exists that affects farm animals, so their argument should not harm the legislation, Dearing said.

“Right now there are only misdemeanor charges for animal cruelty. We are one of four states without a felony animal cruelty law,” Dearing said.

Dearing said he received 690 e-mails from every state and around the world supporting his position after it was stated in The Natchez Democrat and picked up nationally.

Dearing also answered a submitted question that asked if Mississippi planned to align its film incentive laws with those of Louisiana.

“If the legislature made a bill to be drafted to mirror Louisiana — what they offer — I would hope that would pass,” Dearing said.

Legislators also said they would support an ordinance to develop a rail authority to prevent the area from losing the 66-mile railroad from Natchez to Brookhaven currently owned by Natchez Railway, a company run by many executives who work for the scrapping and supply company A&K Railroad Materials.

Dearing said the ordinance has been written at this point but has not yet received a bill number.

Johnson also discussed health care. He said he supported a new measure allowing customers who cannot afford insurance but are not on Medicaid to shop around their coverage.

“How it will pass with the changes in congress, I don’t know,” Johnson said.

Rep. Angela Cockerham, a Democrat from Magnolia, could not attend the session because she is an attorney and had court Monday.

The Natchez Chamber of Commerce sponsored the breakfast at the Eola Hotel banquet room, where there were few empty seats.

“The turnout was wonderful, especially when I was fearful of the weather,” Chamber President Debbie Hudson said.

“I thought (the legislators) gave thoughtful, candid responses to the questions.”