Jackson Jambalaya

No need to go into an office and have my time wasted by commuting and needing to chitchat with idiot co-workers? I get to do my report write-ups at home in my pajamas?

Sign me up!

I'm not sure I see a problem, at least in relation to the people that do the restaurant inspections.

Doubt this will really make much difference, but regardless: Thanks yet again, statewide elected "leaders" and legislators for making a mess of the budget and other things at the end of the session! STOP THE MADNESS!!!

There is no need for regulations in the food safety world. Businesses would never put profit over safety. So just go eat up and don't worry...because right now, I mean today, you have health insurance to cover listeria or whatever you get from the rancid conditions. BUT....you may not want to eat out so much when the ACA is repealed....cause then you could just get sick and die.

Today may be a good day to buy that pre paid burial policy...though you should know it wont actually cover anything.

Drink up bitches.

I'm still waiting for an announcement that Administrative positions are being cut in some of these departments. Not.Holding.Breath. #topheavy

Speaking as one closely associated with the Health Department-

Most of the inspectors are lazy as hell and do not perform 90% of the time. What could possibly go wrong with having them stay home all day.

This conservative Republican will be voting Democrat in the 2019 elections. Legislative session was a complete disaster. Start with Gunn stealing the election in Smith County to ensure super majority. Absolute power corrupts.

I'm sure you're real conservative 1:19. I'm a gay liberal Democrat and I'm voting Trump and straight ticket R in 2019. Since I said it on an anonymous blog it must be true.

All the RINOs like @1:19 PM have deluded themselves to believe that as members of the open borders, deficit spending, foreign job outsourcing, unmanageable national debt, illegal amnesty, adultery-with-landlady wing of the Republican party that they are true conservatives.

This DOH 'report' is the typical bureaucratic response to a cut in budgets. Lets see - what can we try to cut that will affect people's lives so that they will bitch to the appropriators.

During the disaster of the 'federal government shutdown' a few years ago - they didn't shut down a damn thing except those that Obama, being in charge of the Executive Branch, could do that would piss people off. National Parks. Monuments (even though they don't require any staffing). Offices that serve a walk in traffic. All total, about 17% of the federal discretionary spending.

Did it so that it would hurt people and have them blame the Congress. This cutting of food inspectors is nothing but the same.

Granted - the legislature should have made these cuts but done them by eliminating programs within agencies; not across the board. That way the government would downsize and get out of functions that we don't need anymore and let the ones that do perform a service continue.

But that is expecting too much out of our 'part time legislature'. It would take some thinking and planning. And would piss off some constitutencies and those that will be running again for office don't want to do anything like that.

According to this site, however, the Ledger was getting "hysterical" about the budget situation, even though they're obviously affecting the basic functions of state government. And things will get worse once tax cuts start taking effect in two years, because there will be no working things out, or cutting more or finding new sources of revenue. Revenue will likely continue to decline or stagnate. Eventually, the state will practically owned by out-of-state bondholders.

This is a hoot. Some idiot out there somewhere will infer from the lead story that the Health Department has been keeping us safe.

Not much chance of the bondholder expectation. The one area of budgeting that has been kept in check has been in the issuance of bonds, particularly for expenses that should be paid with annual expenditures rather than bonds (maintenance repairs to buildings, i.e.).

The budget is in a mess. And it has nothing to do with tax cuts. It has everything to do with the state continuing to do things that need to be stopped. Egg Marketing Board? Forestery Inventory Commission? Hell - the Forestry Commission itself. Saw today where the vaunted "W" has now hired a new Athletic Director - but the 'University" stopped all athletic programs and teams over a dozen years ago.

Why, pray tell, do we need to have athletic teams at the "W"? Better yet, why do we have the "W" - except that nobody in the legislature or Sillers Bldg wants to take on the ire of its alumni. Same could be asked about Valley, but that's a horse of a different color.

A long list could be made of these questions. What would be nice would be to see a real forward thinker - one that is not looking for a lifetime in politics - to step up and lead this state out of its morass by taking on these issues.

Unless and until the legislators decide to really do their job and determine what is a good expenditure of tax dollars this madness will continue. But, my advice is to not hold your breath waiting on such action. We would rather pass bills that make some folks feel good and resolutions honoring anybody that has ever passed through or by the Capitol.

Right on 12:21, some Gaming Commission Agents "work from home" including the one from Hancock County who was arrested for drug trafficking (on the state's time).

@4:11 - Valley is not 'a horse of a different color'. It's a cow. And a sacred one at that.

You wanta see more of Bennie Thompson and his barber shop shirts? Just mention this again! He'll drop the Nissan Union Movement like a red hot Altima and be camped out permanently on 82 in Itta Bena by noon Tuesday.