Jackson Jambalaya

The first paragraph contains the words Taxed Enough Already. But, but...everybody on this blogsite is anti TEA Party.

the bad thing is that government is the enemy of improvement, and we as citizens currently have to rely on the decision making capabilities of the enemy to improve / correct / repair that which is in dis-repair, about to be in dis-repair, or so far gone, that they can only blockade it off. It's totally stinks to know that the idiots that got us here are the same ones that will have oversight in attempting corrective measures. SUXS FOR US!!!

I simply wonder when anyone, in any elected position will understand all they have to do is put fair measures in place, guidelines to create nice spaces for people to live / work / play......and then get out of the way and SERVE.

We are our on worst enemy.....we elected these fools

Did a Koch funded think Tank say that Mississippi has very good roads?

People can see that not very much of the money collected from taxes has been spent on road repair. Where has that money gone? Why should people want to pay more taxes for road repair knowing any additional taxes will go the way past taxes have gone?

Taxes were enough to build the roads. Additional taxes have been paid every year. The money has evaporated. We have elected people who are failures. Why pay even more taxes when the same people, or the same type, are still in charge of spending. Instead of raising the taxes we should demand an account of the money already spent.

The 1987 highway program (AHEAD) included money for both the 4-lane construction program AND the maintenance required.

The problem came about by the 2001 state "leadership" - led by Governor Musgrove and the Democrat controlled House and Senate. They brought about a new highway program, but funded it not with new money, but by taking the maintenance money from the 1987 program.

Granted, we got more new highways out of the 2001 program - probably needed. But because Ronnie didn't want to have a tax increase to run on, he, Ford and Tuck put together the concept (with of course House Transportation Committee chairman McCoy) of how to build roads but ignore maintaining them. I guess their concept was 'if you build it, somebody else will have to figure out how to keep them up'. Not quite as good a theory as build it and they will come.

MDOT has built expensive maintenance buildings across the state with large emergency generators that are nice, but not essential. The crews work four days a week and the lots are empty of pickup trucks seven days a week as employees take them home at night. Total waste. The list is long, but MDOT's culture must change before I, as a business owner, will lend my support to a tax increase. Yes they probably need additional dollars, but let's cut the waste first.

The problem is government doesn't maintain jack squat. There is always money to tear something down or build something new or to enter into some "economic development " project at taxpayers expense. We've spent the last 50 years not maintaining a damn thing. There needs to be a moratorium on new construction and a massive multi-year maintenance program. Sitting around hoping and praying for Uncle Donald to bail us out will yield the same results all the infrastructure money in the stimulus did. And if we start moving aggressively on repairing roads then we will have a queue built with actual "shovel-ready" projects. Another thing that would help is if everyone would stop electing the village idiot to send to Jackson. Regardless of party people need to draft some talent that give a damn about this state.

Canton has the best roads in the metro.

3:02, About the only people who will run for office is the village idiot or the village thief. Everyone else knows what will have to be done and do not want to have to explain to the people that they have to cut the waste.
The village idiot does not know any better and the village thief is just going to steal what they can.

MDOT needs to be privatized.

Everyone should just fix their own roads and see if that costs them less than their tax share.

That's been the " rationale" of the "No More Taxes " folks.

They know the cost of everything and the value of nothing and zero interest in the future of our Nation.

I'm sure Putin will fix the roads and get trains for us. It'll be great. Or maybe we can import camels.

Trump fix MS Roads...not likely.

Once again, we go on the Federal dole to get money. We are such a welfare state--we take federal dollars like they are going out of style..and let's get real: the Feds are printing money as fast as they can, and we don't have enough money to cover the bills...so in essence WE are part of the problem.

Lets..consolidate school systems, charge tuition at state universities and community colleges that will make them less dependent on state funds, make the hard choices at state agencies, and invest in businesses that can grow our economy instead of beef and coal plants.

Atlas Shrugged--indeed.

"Litter Free By Two Thousand Three"

Why is the liberal response to any issue a new tax or an increase in an existing tax? We do not need more government but less, more efficient government. Unfortunately most politicians begin running for re-election as soon as they are elected using government money and programs to buy votes. If the President of the US is limited to 2 terms then every other politician should be limited to 2 terms. Old saying says that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I agree that we need government to be more efficient.
I would suggest we need every thing in our lives to maximize efficiency and good decision making.
We also need for our rules and laws to make it more difficult, not easier for the greedy and corrupt to abuse any organization or system.
We need all organizations and systems to minimize the impact of the person who rises beyond their level of competency.
I need to replace my drive way. I only need to dig down another 2 feet to make it more stable. My driveway is less than 50 yards. The cost will be $25000. I suggest all of you look at what it costs to build one mile of highway without bridges ( 2 lane and 4 lane with no bridges is possible per state). It varies because of the weather and geology. It is 6 to 7 figures in every state for a two lane highway. Resurfacing is temporary and not possible and not as much cheaper as you will imagine.
The reason so many politicians choose to do something else, is for the same reasons I haven't fixed my driveway, there have been expense that couldn't wait like college tuition for my children and health care and roof replacement. I'm going to fix the driveway this year finally but it's had to wait and I've had to set money aside little by little just for that.
I don't agree with the priorities of every government agency and administration. There is corruption and misspending but it's not that I pay too much in taxes. It's frankly that I pay too little since so many of you got on the " no new tax" bandwagon.
You fix it by making it harder for those you elect to spend money to help themselves but then wait, you don't want regulation either.
You want a perfect system where all men are honorable. Good luck!

Ronnie Who?

Some people tend to forget all of the money paid in gasoline taxes. They like to make excuses that there are more cars on the highways but do not think that these cars still use gas and still pay taxes on every gallon. They also do not want to talk about all of the taxes taken in the past years that have disappeared. People have a reason to think additional taxes are not the answer. Until something is done about spending paying more in taxes will only go into the pocket of some politician , their family, or friends.

Wait a minute! I thought the tax on legalized alcohol would solve our infrastructure problems. No. Wait... I'm sorry the casino money was supposed to solve our infrastructure problems. Darn it, I thought Nissan money would solve our infrastructure problems. Wait! I see something on the horizon that will solve all of our financial problems in Mississippi. Just legalize marijuana sales and the tax revenue will fix all of our problems..........

p.s. The marijuana money will disappear also.

The legislature will never tax pot. They never tax themselves.

Always a lot of promises that everything will be great only if we take a little more of your money. Every time the money disappears. We are left paying more taxes with the same old problems. The one thing that always seems to happen is the politicians come out a little better off with each added tax. Politicians like that. Their family and friends like that. The people paying the added taxes are left waiting for their money to be used as promised. It never is but they keep falling for the same trick time after time. Looks like they would learn some day.

The main issue with Mississippi's state legislature, they do not know how to appropriate the money they receive from revenues. Additionally, they waste too much time focusing on stuff that is just flat out B.S. Stop focusing on the social garbage, sanctuary cities, religious freedom, penalties for not saying the pledge. All they do is spin their wheels. No major accomplishments for a state where the bar is set so low. Education, Health care, Infrastructure, Unemployment, Insurance premiums, Taxes, Jobs, Development, Growing Mississippi.

When was the last time they actually passed something that benefitted all the residents in the state? Regardless of who was running the show? They have nothing to stand on and the numbers do not lie.

So now that citizens are tired of driving on crappy roads across the state, all of sudden Tate Reeves says its not a political issue, but he says its an issue with funding. Well of course its an issue with funding, when you do not actively track projects across the state and how they are getting done. They are awarding bids to contractor buddies and dragging their feet to each election. And the ones that voted for them there, give them a pass by re-electing or electing to higher office.

They are not going to change until you start holding their feet to the fire and hold them accountable for delivering real tangible results.

Thats why Tate Reeves should not be promoted to the office of Governor, he will only continue the failed policy agenda Phil Bryant started.

People who are serious about their government, need to start reading the annual appropriation report submitted by the Legislative Budget Office.

They have to report on where the money comes from and who its going to and how its getting spent.

If you do not read that report, you will not have a clue on whats going on.

11:25, and if you do read the report you still will not know where the money comes from and where the money goes.
The people elect those they believe will do what is in the best interest of the people of Ms. Every single time they are very disappointed with their choice. The only thing politicians can count on is that the people will always defend their own party and ignore the criminal acts of their own politicians. They know they can always blame the other party for everything bad and praise themselves for everything good and still count on the party members. Even when they are doing exactly the same thing the other party did.
How did people gecome this gullible? What has happened to honesty?

Bill, It's pander, not ponder.

The state roads I travel seem to be in fine condition. That doesn't mean there aren't bad ones. And of course they must be maintained. And I'm not driving heavy trucks over bridges. And I live in Jackson so maybe in comparison to the city streets most roads are pretty good.

@11:06 Not everyone on this blog site is "anti-TEA Party". Some of us were
Taxed Enough Already before the Tea party was even a thing. What started out as a platform for limited government/less taxation was highjacked by insidious people that were far too concerned about social issues and war with Iran rather than less taxes and government intrusion. And yeah, war costs money too. If you know your history, then you would know that war and the taxation that's needed to
pay for it is the reason Corporations started to keep money offshore and repatriate at 5% if they can get it at that rate.
Fact is, the Tea Party is just the latest iteration of the Republican Party line. It's easy to manipulate people who rely on the collective hive mind Kool-aid rather than the ones who think for themselves.

@ January 16, 2017 at 11:53 AM

" and if you do read the report you still will not know where the money comes from and where the money goes."

Then you must not understand what is on that report - because you have to take that information and correlate it to the agency's appropriation bill signed off by the governor of Mississippi.

Everyone has access to that information, people are just too damn lazy to do their homework and read the agency appropriation bills from the Mississippi Legislative website.

One appropriation bill you fiscal hawks should be reading, is the Department of Public Safety, since everyone is so gung ho on forking more money to DPS to start up another trooper class.

Mississippi Highway Troopers are well paid, their salaries are based on years of service, as well as a separate retirement plan. While most civil employees have to work 25+ years or retired with age, they can retire after 20 years of service.

Do not fall for the banana in the tail pipe. Do your due diligence.

9:13, I seem to remember another person who liked the old banana saying. He wasn't a bright person either. Wonder if you are him or just a carbon copy?