MARY PEREZ/SUN HERALD Gulfport Police Chief Alan Weatherford, standing second from right, asked state legislators Thursday to pass legislation requiring interlocking ignition for DUI offenders. He also asked for radar enforcement to be legalized for local sheriffs' departments.

BILOXI -- Hands and voices trembled Thursday as 22 residents of South Mississippi told House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, and Coast legislators what they most want to see taken up in the next legislative session.

The meeting at the Biloxi Council chambers was the eighth of nine stops this week on his Mississippi Solutions -- Idea Tour. About 100 people filled the seats and more stood around the room as Gunn and 11 members of the Coast delegation listened to their concerns. They spoke about the state retirement system; controlling the check-cashing industry; and the need for radar speed enforcement.

Education and health care were the two primary issues, and Gunn said, "Those two areas are where we spend most of our tax dollars."

Retired Biloxi School District Superintendent Paul Tisdale suggested the state should have legislative report cards to track progress. "As schools are held accountable, we would like our Legislature to be just as accountable," he said.

Other speakers said the state should provide funding for early childhood education and work with state universities that could award scholarships to encourage talented students to stay in the state.

James Crowell, director of the local NAACP chapter, asked the legislators to oppose charter schools. "We need to keep our education money in the public schools," he said.

After the meeting, Rep. Casey Eure, R-Biloxi, said he expects charter schools to be a hot topic during the next session. "I think it's probably going to pass this year," he said. Eure said he supports the idea. "Competition is not a bad thing," he said.

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Education and health care top South Mississippians' concerns