Bill Waller Jr. along with his wife, Charlotte, made a stop in Meridian Monday as part of a statewide campaign to become governor of the state of Mississippi.

Waller, 67, a former state Supreme Court chief justice and retired brigadier general with the Mississippi Army National Guard, met with The Meridian Star editorial board to discuss his decision to run for governor and some issues he will address if elected.

Waller said he was prompted to run when numbers of people started calling, writing and visiting and when he realized there were some issues that weren’t going to be addressed unless someone else got in the race – the main point of his campaign focused on infrastructure.

“Bridges and roads are a key front seat obligation of government and we have to take care of them,” Waller said. “Everything is on the table and we are going to address it in some way with minimum impact to the average taxpayer. Infrastructure is your number one attraction for investment and tourism – that is one of your core values we have to address.

“We need something big that people can have pride in and can have an expectation about the problem and how we do it.”

Other concerns Waller hopes to address are healthcare, education and the workforce.

“I think we have a health crisis and we have to address it,” Waller said. “Our hospitals have got to be viable and strong and citizens have got to have access. We are going to do it in a way that there is hopefully no impact on the average Mississippian in a way of tax increase, but we have got to figure a way to do it.”

If infrastructure and healthcare are not addressed Waller said he thinks there will be an increasing effect on the economy along with increasing frustration with the public.

Speaking on education, Waller said we have excellent schools but have the lowest paid teachers in the country.

“My goal is there would be some kind of pay raise every year until all our teachers reach the southeastern average,” Waller said.

What makes you different from Lt. Governor Tate Reeves, his opponent in the Aug. 6 Republican primary?

“I have a lot of respect for Tate Reeves, but two issues we differ on philosophically – the highway program and Medicaid expansion,” Waller said. “That is why I got in the race because I didn’t see hope for either one of those issues in my opinion without some additional leadership. I think as a conservative Republican I have the best chance of winning in November.”

When asked what can the residents of Mississippi expect from their governor? He responded, to address the main issues to the people – road and bridges, healthcare, education and workforce development.

“That they have a government that wants to address the needs and issues we have today,” Waller said. “I think I am the Republican that can win in November, and I’m ready to go to work.”

Speaking as a wife, Charlotte Waller said she stands by her husband to make Mississippi a better place in leadership.

“As a wife, you need someone who is setting an example in every area, something he has been doing for me for 40 years,” Waller said. “He works hard, is a man of faith, and he will get it done. All the things he has said is wisdom and it takes years to have that.

“That’s what he has over his opponents – and he is a man of faith, we all need that I don’t care what your faith is. We have got to have somebody that is looking beyond just a few years we have on earth to make Mississippi a better place.”