Jackson Jambalaya

What we have hereis a failure to "incentive", Harvey.

people always ask.. are they trying to run people out of the city are they trying to hurt business? and the answer for some is yes.. they have much different plans for the city

Nothing new here. Remember it was under Dale Danks that the city made so many demands of developers that Northpark Mall located in Ridgeland instead of Jackson.

The City of Jackson has always been haughty.

Payback is hell.

You may check when the land off old 49 was purchased. There was several large tracks of Gozone property over in that area which would have been a huge incentive to build a new facility.

Forced desegregation/busing of JPS caused the destruction of the educational system in the city which marked the beginning of the end for this city. Once the quality of the schools nosedived, the exodus of the middle class began and the rest is history.

Have any of you ever BEEN to their facility? I went a couple of months ago and there were stray dogs walking around the parking lot. These people do hundreds of millions of dollars in business. STRAY DOGS!

I just heard Harvey on the news and I do not think he has a clue what losing Puckett means in lost revenue for the city. Harvey is not a smart person, leading a city with problems like Jackson has takes someone that understands money, not a planner or organizer.

KF,

What I love so much about this story is not that Puckett is leaving Jackson, but that private business can say F__k Y__u when any city pushes too hard, or is not sensitive to business.

All of these suburbs have their own little "Hitler youth" running these "Community Development" depts., Zoning boards and Land Planning groups. Don't believe me? Try to get a building permit, or do a project. You'll find out how many of your private property rights you don't have!

wonder if Napa's giant distribution center right behind Puckett will relocate too?? Can i start a rumor??? I heard the coliseum is going to be leveled for a new mega jail and rebuilt on the site of The Park on Lakeland drive, but will be built on pillars 30 feet in the air so when the pearl river floods it can do charity concerts and house the musicians flooded out of Farrish street.

your code word made me laugh...maybe if the city of jackson hired some "hitler youth" it would bring some compentency to the city.

Maybe there is no "real story".

Did Harvey say he was going to da a study?

>>>Maybe there is no "real story".<<<

That's what the capitans of the Titanic would like everyone to think.

No real story.
No real trends.
No reason to worry.

Finally making sense, Harvey sez on a.m. news Thursday, "I don't think you can go anywhere in the state and find a small bidness progrum like we have."

Flowood Drive is pretty much a scrap yard all the way from Casey Lane to River Oaks Hospital. Richard Puckett gets to choose new wallpaper and there are cool places to eat on nearby Lakeland. They're moving for one reason....because they can.

Sorry, but this is old news. The decision to move was made almost a year ago.

Do any of these clowns in Jackson realize how much sales tax is generated on the sale of one piece of heavy equipment?

I've been trying to run some more information down. Totally unconfirmed, got that? totally unconfirmed but here is the story that seems to stay consistent. The old man wanted to stay in Jackson, needed curb cut outs. George Smith from the county tried to help (which I can see him doing), but the city is the one that needed to do the job and all Puckett got was lip service. Heard some talk of crime but no proof of that although a FOIA request might shed some light on that issue.

Then when the sons took over over a year ago, they quit talking to the city and the county as it was clear they had made up their minds to move. I'm sure more than half of this is wrong but this is the word on the street.

And as usual, Harvey doesn't get it. They'll dump $97 million into a hotel and pay millions in fees to their friends, dump millions into Farish street, yet can't seem to help Puckett get a better site or improve their site so they don't move. But its all the Byram-Clinton corridor's fault.

In the Clarion Ledger comments section on this same story, someone posted "Kim Wade for Mayor". I would not only vote for him.... I would go door to door for him all day long in the month of August! If only!

Saw the comments about the burbs "Hilter Youths" but I have done projects in Flowood and in Jackson and Flowood was much easier. Sure you have strict requiremnets but atleast they make sense. It was a few years ago but at Jackson Building Permit dept there were notices posted on the wall "Not to bring food to the employees for special favors" No joke. I worked for the company and was not the owner and once when I took a check to get a permit they made me go back to the company and get a power of attorney from the owner stating that I could bring the check. It was bizarre.

I've permitted projects through Madison, Ridgeland, Flowood, Brandon, Richland, Clinton, Canton, Jackson, Hinds County, Rankin County, and Madison County. Jackson is by far the worst to deal with. Nobody gives a shit and nobody is competent.

To Kingfish and all, here is the simple truth: Our business has been located on Highway 80 for a very long time and our campus consists of numerous different buildings. We have been fortunate in that our business has been successful and grown a great deal over the years. We have reached a point where we have either outgrown our existing buildings and/or the buildings have outlived their useful live (many are 40-60 yrs old) - the exception being the new shop we built in 2005. Last year we spent a significant amount of time and money thoroughly evaluating the feasability and implications of two options: a) spend a significant amount of money renovating and redeveloping our existing campus or b) spend an even more significant amount of money to relocate and build a new campus. After this evaluation was complete we made the decision that it was in our company's best long term interest to relocate and build a new campus. We felt it was in our company's best interest for many reasons many of which were listed in the CL article. Some important issues that attracted us to Flowood were a pro-business local government, a low crime rate, excellent accessibility for our large truck traffic, excellent infrastructure from the city,a fair tax code, and a fair legal environment. There is also an opportunity for some efficiency gains in our operations given the opportunity to design the new campus with a clean sheet of paper. The bottom line is that we are relocating because we think this is in our company's best long term interest. It is a decision that we did not take lightly as we have been here on Hwy 80 in Jackson for a very long time and run a successful business here. We just feel the future of our company will be best served by relocating to Flowood versus redeveloping the existing campus here in Jackson.
- Hastings Puckett

Very well said, Mr. Puckett. Puckett Machinery is a good company and wish yall great success in the future.

Quite obviously, Harvey does not embrace any business that is either NOT minority or that does not serve as an employment office for what he considers 'middle class blacks'. If either of those had been reality, he would have jumped through his clown ass to please the Pucketts. Now, it's left to Miz Holbrook to whine and moan about the corridor and lack of obligation and commitment from the business community.

Thanks for pulling your punches Hastings. We get it though Cheerleader Ben is still dropping shrooms.

Well said Hastings, See...no underlying motives.

As a small business owner I Madison I have the same feelings of relocating to ridgeland. Madison could give two shots were as ridgeland OS as aggressive as any in wining and dining any businesses interested in there town... Pay attention Madison. A content man is no man at all.

Meople: Maybe that will make since about noon on Saturday.

Wail sed........I luved ever wurd of thet.

Hey shadowflub i bet when they call all the children up to the front of church at Sunday service it takes every muscle in your body not to follow. You would have to know what responsibility of providing for a business and family is to understand that quote rather than sitting on your ass collecting alimony...

The people in charge of this city are determined to ruin it, all for their own greed . We have lost so many good companies because of the city admistration. Tell you what why don't we put another check cashing or carwash where Puckett Industries sits.
I hang my head in shame and weep for my city.

The entire city of Jackson will soon look like the area by Westland Plaza. It will be a large ghetto. But, thats the goal. You see, Harvey and the Stokes...they don't mind a ghetto...they live in it. Crime is acceptable to them. HIV infection rates that rival cities 5 times as large are OK with them. Dropping out of school is fine. As long as black people are in control and have goverment jobs, they don't care. Puckett was right to move...should have years ago...as should ever single business in this town.

We don't need Puckett Machinery.

Jackson is about to get onboard the Chok-wagon and elect Lumumba. And then we'll rename every street, park, alley, sidewalk, driveway, parking lot, drainage ditch, and public toilet after civil rights leader and their various cousins. And then ... profit!

Hide and watch, Flowood.

just an observation for you suburbians who think you are safe. ever heard of little rock, ar? if there is no urban life in a urban area where do you think the criminal-homeless-thugs are going to go to? you may feel safe now but you are surrounded by some of the nastiest thugs in this country (west,east,south jackson and canton) enjoy your safety now because if downtown jackson disinegrates so does your suburbs.

just remember our numbers are minimal to big metropolitan areas but the numbers you dont see are the per capita number and our criminal per capita numbers are in the top five in the nation running on 8-10 years.

Dang Moople; I had hoped you were going to explain this ~ "As a small business owner I Madison I have the same feelings of relocating to ridgeland. Madison could give two shots were as ridgeland OS as aggressive as any in wining and dining any businesses interested in there town...A content man is no man at all."

If you're a small business owner I'd hate to see your books.

That's your ace up your sleeve shadowslut my grammer and spelling. Do I really need to explain it troll.

Flowood and Brandon are the best, especially for residents, and businesses are flourishing. I just hope the element of Jackson, as it corrodes and becomes more of a ghetto, doesn't move East.

10:23 - Forget the Twin Lakes plan. Just convert the Pearl River into a moat around Rankin County to keep the thugs out ;-)

Love it 10:59 and fence in the railroad tracks too.

Sorry Moople ~ Although I salute your ambition, selling sweet taters and honey out of your pickup doesn't qualify as a small business in Madison County.