Jackson Jambalaya

Get ready for the Mayor to try to bring in Aecom and the "Jackson 5" to perform. I heard Tito is still upset the Jackson City Council didn't show his group no love on the sewer consent decree contract.

How is it that the FAA awards this money, but Cochran, Wicker and Harper issue a press release as if they landed the grant themselves? Its as if they are saying other airports might have deserved the money, but we got it for our airport. Otherwise, the message would be that the FAA gave us the money and our senators had nothing to do with it. The whole process is disgusting.

All you have to do is go to http://jmaa.com/employment to see all the vacant positions out at the airport. What the hell does a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Coordinator do? Qualifications? Read English & know basic math!!

3:21, Senators and the Representatives for the area affected always get the privilege of announcing grants. Federal protocol. It's not just the FAA or this airport.

i.e., they assume we are all idiots.

Anytime there is a grant from a federal agency, the protocol requires that the notice first go to the congressional delegation (Senators and Congressmen, regardless of party). Oftentimes there is a joint statement; at times there are games played to see who gets the 'first' announcement.

Yes, it is done as if it is their money. But they are the ones that 'appropriate' the money, so it is theirs as much as it the agency's.

Would add as a footnote, though, since this includes formula funds along with discretionary funds, Cochran as Appropriations Chairman probably gets 'first dibs' on the announcement. Wicker because he represents the state and Harper because the airport is in his district.

All part of the game.

With all of these upgrades and infrastructure additions, WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER AIRLINE THAT WANTS TO SERVE US?? How about a direct flight somewhere?

9-seat bush plane service to Destin not good enough for ya?

There will not be another airline serving Jackson until the traffic increases enough to make it profitable for an airline to put service here. Its just like any other business - the airlines are willing to pay for: the gate fee rental; landing fees; the staff for the ticket counter, baggage handlers, etc; the airplane costs to come and leave; and on and on.

Until we have passenger traffic of enough volume to justify another flight/another route - no, there will not be another airline. No matter the crap that the Rankin County legislators want to tell you - no matter the grant money (which if you read the release is paying for some work on the taxiways, just things that take care of ongoing maintenance of the facility), no matter who manages, what restaurants and coffee service - on, and on, and on. Until there is paying traffic there will not be another airline serving this small market. Compare it to the neighboring markets of similar size; with the structure of airline flights today the metro area just doesn't have enough passengers to justify it.

How much did this $3.38 mil cost the tax payers? That is, how much did we have to pay the bureaucrats in Washington to launder our own tax money and return it for our use? Cause you know for certain it cost more than $3.38 million.
I am so sick of reading about politicians crowing about spending our money.
I want to read about how they cut the size of the federal government. And not small cuts. Large cuts. The federal government spends money for all sorts of things that are not authorized by the constitution. Quit spending more and start cutting.

To: 1:36---I'm with you. I'm the one who needs a grant to save my 52 year old business in Jackson. My firm is off 75% from 2007 numbers.

@1:36 PM I'm sure you will lecture on about federal "spending and cutting" as you make your next descent to the new tarmac...

3:58 you missed the point. Why do the feds spend anything for local airports? Fire all the bureaucrats in Washington who figure out how much money to send to what airport. Cut my federal taxes by that amount. Send no money from local airports, airlines, or ticket prices to Washington. Raise the money needed for airports from local taxes and airport fees. The federal government is doing things it has no business doing. That was the point.