Mississippi House members delayed until early next week action on a proposed 9-cent per pack tax increase on a pack of cigarettes to pay for the state's nine mental health crisis centers. Rep. Jim Evans, D-Jackson, a smoker, said Friday he will ask House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, to raise the tax even more to fund health care programs. "If it's keeping them (crisis centers) closed, or a tax, I'd vote for it,'' said Rep. Bubba Pierce, D-Leakesville, a nonsmoker. "It's unconscionable to have these mental patients in jail cells.'' But many of the 46 Republicans in the 122-member chamber...
