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"We don't need any loans. We need some grants," he said.
Jordan made his remarks during this morning's legislative breakfast sponsored by the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce.
Jordan and his fellow Greenwood lawmakers, Rep. Willie Perkins Sr. and Sen. Bunky Huggins, said that the Legislature is stuck in neutral waiting for Congress to appropriate disaster relief money for Mississippi.
Gov. Haley Barbour has requested $33 billion in aid over the next 10 years - a figure that Jordan believes is inadequate. Jordan said $100 billion is more like it.
"I don't think $35 billion or $36 billion will do it. If it will do it, we'll send the other $63 billion back," Jordan said.
The Democrat called on Republican Thad Cochran to use his muscle on Capitol Hill as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee to secure the funding for Mississippi. "I wouldn't let anybody have anything until I got something for my state that has been devastated," Jordan said.
Barbour, when he released his proposed budget last month, recommended to lawmakers to postpone setting their spending plans for the year that begins July 1, 2006, until the state knows more about federal assistance.
Perkins, who has regularly differed with the Republican governor, said Barbour's advice is well-taken.
"It's maybe one of the few times that I can agree with the governor," said Perkins, a Democrat.
The governor's budget includes proposals to give state employees a pay raise and increase funding for higher education. However, with all the financial uncertainties created by Katrina, lawmakers don't know aaaif they will be able to afford any new initiatives. The state is losing an estimated $500,000 a day in gaming taxes alone.
"We don't know where the money is coming from to cover anything at this point," Perkins said.
Jordan said that a pay hike for state employees is a major priority for him. He is introducing a bill to increase the salary of state employees by 10 percent over three years.
It would be the first significant increase the state employees have received in six years.
Jordan acknowledged, however, that his proposal hinges on how Congress addresses Mississippi's hurricane-related woes.
"We cannot sustain ourselves without help" Jordan said.
Jeff Warren, a certified public accountant, said after hearing the lawmakers' presentation that he is ambivalent about the question of federal outlays for disaster relief.
"Yes, Katrina was terrible. Yes, the Gulf Coast needs help. How much, though, should be rebuilt with tax dollars versus how much should be rebuilt with private dollars?"
Warren said that the average American adult already forks out 35 to 40 percent of his income in assorted federal, state and local taxes. "We can't afford to be taxed any more."
Two members of Leflore County's legislative delegation were unable to attend today's chamber session due to health reasons. Rep. May Whittington, D-Schlater, is recovering at a Sacramento, Calif., hospital following surgery for cancer. Rep. Bobby Howell, R-Kilmichael, was suffering from a kidney stone.
