Jackson Jambalaya

Mr. Fish -- You gotta remember this is for the children.

Sooooo glad I moved outta that shithole.

Hey fish. They're saying the taxpayers will not notice an increase. Remember, if a good pick-pocket picks your pocket you won't even notice. If you didn't notice were you really robbed?

They think that maintaining the current level of taxation is palatable.

H. Anne Jones in the campaign before the Nov 2006 bond vote used this same line about no bump due to an impending roll off and guest what? Right, JPS millage was jacked up further a couple fiscal years after.

This is what happens when most of the smart, hard working people flee from a city.

Its clear that the wonderful, new governance, Jackson Public School "Board" has used sound financial considerations in their plans for this bond deal.

---No!----

What is clear is that they see that 5 mils are 'rolling off' and 5 mils can support $70 million in bonds, so they plan for a $65 million bond issue. Although they don't have plans for what the $65 million is needed for, that's how much they can borrow.

From what little information this new governance group has been willing to release publically, they need approximately $15 million to meet the MDE requirements that they have failed to address for the past several years. To that, they have added another $5 million or so for athletic facilities. After that - hey, its free money, let's go get it and figure out where to spend it.

Remember, to these folks, "COSTS DON'T MATTER". One of the few honest statements that these hucksters have said in the last several years - when they were answering why they were spending an unnecessary $500,000 for an August election. Now, they are spending that much to benefit Derick Johnson and his bogus operation.

For me - let me have the 5 mil decrease in my overcharged real estate taxes. Until they come up with some realistic plans, budget numbers, and reorganization structure - I want the reduction I was promised some two decades ago. Not this continual "its rolling off, so let's just reup and tell everybody its free money.

The people who will vote yes don't pay taxes. They are on the dole, and will always vote yes for more "free stuff."

Isn't bond money "free money?"

We can thank LBJ for his not so "great society."

Our little scholars are going to be so much smarter once the bond issue is passed.

You know our Junior and Community Colleges can raise the county millage without a vote, right? Look up how much.

My guess is that none of you have children in public school who deserve a quality education.

The Bank of Jackson at work. I can’t wait for the long term effects of “the people’s budget” program. We shall over-churn!

Here’s a crazy idea; all bond voting should take place on your annual property tax bill. You start with your base tax amount followed by a list of proposed bonds and the amount it would add to your individual tax bill the following year. Check yes or no.

Once this free money starts flowing I see a lot of lawyers, physicians, nuclear physicists, rocket scientists, astronauts, dentists, and engineers in Jackson's future.

So if the bond vote does NOT pass then everyone's property taxes will go DOWN.
YEA.
As I wrote before, this IS a tax increase.

Oh so many pockets to fill first before the first penny is spend on the projects. Again how does athletics make kids smarter and turn a school from F to A?

Jackson is in a deep state of loss and the capital will be changed by 2025.

So how are those resolution training sessions going that was so hyped up? Only a handful showed up and they were the elderly looking for some free cookies and drinks.

Our taxes would not be going up if Phil hadn't been hoodwinked by the Mayor and signed the emergency takeover order like he said he would. Old Dr. Feel Good Phil.

Hopefully the architectural design can save some money by specifying "fake stucco".

All you have to do is go on YouTube and watch jackson public school fights. That’s what our money is going to. That, and, let’s not forget, the summer free breakfast and lunches. This city is a f@$&ing joke. Pooring more money on a problem that money CAN’T fix! It’s all about the chilren. Bullshit. The 1% of the kids that will do something for themselves will do it with or without this money.

Aren't schools capped at 55 mills by law?

@4:47 "My guess is that none of you have children in public school who deserve a quality education."

Yes, you are correct, but I attended Boyd Elementary, Chastain Jr. High and Murrah High Schools. My children and step children attended McLeod Elementary, Spann Elementary, Chastain Jr. High and Murrah High Schools. I absolutely believe that ALL children in public school deserve a quality education. The problem is JPS is way top heavy with administration and they spend way to much money on administration. The brass at JPS keep preaching that more money will solve the problem. The facts have proven that dollars to administration do not correlate to improvement in education. The best public school systems in the State spend much less per student than JPS. Quality education is NOT ABOUT THE DOLLARS!

@ 4:47,
You are correct. None of the NE Jackson kids attend JPS for the most part... however, we so pay a overwhelming % of Jackson taxes. Your obviously not from Jackson to understand this obvious concept. Also, if you believe this money will lead to any increase in the education quality then you are seriously misguided or are on the board of jps. This is going to line peoples pockets. Not the kids. My kids attend a much more diverse private school than JPS. Joe has no diversity and is a awful place for any child.

Come on you cheap-skates. Get those moths out of your wallets and stop being Scrooges. It's for the children, so pay up and smile. Mr. Bohica will be around shortly with the collection plate.

Some of you deep thinkers are right....More money for athletic facilities will NOT make children smarter or turn schools from F to A. But, you must think a little deeper for the answer. Better athletic facilities will give scholars a better shot at the NBA and NFL which is the real goal here.

There are three ways for most of these children to escape inner-city Jackson: Parchman, NFL, NBA.

I agree with the above comment about Governor Phil Bryant. Instead of wading into a Republican primary to help elect another Kingdom of Rankin Congressman(who will be a disappointment like his predecessor) he should be following through on his own directive to improve education in Mississippi. The State of Mississippi must take over Jackson’s school system. Another tax increase to force a small segment to cover the tab for those that have caused this debacle. Another tax increase to push us closer to bailing. Another tax increase to push this city into complete bankruptcy.

Wait one dang minute ...I thought that $65,000,000.00US bond issue was free and already being paid for by prior tax increases with a few "roll offs" here and there. Gotta run, I just bought some ocean front property in Arizona and the beach is calling me. toodleoo!

The Georgia legislature passed a law to allow residents to deannexfrom a city with a vote. There is a city where a few neighborhoods have had enough and are going to vote themselves out and form a new city. Some of you in NE Jackson may want to talk to your legislator. I cannot remember the City name but it is just south of Atlanta.

5:33

Not that i disagree but -- the last time I heard of this was 1861... and it didn't work out very well..

5:33,
I believe you are referring to CID's community improvement districts. Yes Tate Reeves killed it off by refusing to sign into law. Bulkhead is in city of Atlanta as well as several upscale expensive areas that have formed CID's and manage there own needs. Wprks very well and property values rise quickly. Demographics of Atlanta went from 70% black to majority white and Jackson leaders don't won't that.

8:19 PM - You heard this in 1861? Good diet? Clean living? What's your secret to longevity?

558, no - a CID is absolutely nothing like what 533 was suggesting.

And i, as a Jackson resident THANK Rate Reeves and the Senators who stopped this piece of legislation pushed by a few rich Eastover residents and by their homeboy Senator Walter Michel. I don't want any more taxes on my overtaxed already house. I don't want a few non-elected homeowner association Nazis getting another few hundred dollars a year that they determine what new entrance gate to install, or rose bush to plant with their new piggy bank goody.

Michel has been crying over 'his bill' being killed so long and so loud that he's sounding more and more like the free taxing liberal legislater that he is. (Notice that his bill only allowed more taxes to be put on Jackson houses, after he moved to Madison County.) Michel's crying over the 'killing' of his tax hike is probably to try to hide his voting with the Democrats in the state Senate to keep the MAEP funding for schools, over the multi year effort to rewrite the formula into something reasonable.

So 558, if you believe in the CID so strongly - write a check. Pay more than your tax bill. Pass the plate among your neighbors and then spend it like you choosr. But for me, I'm glad that whoever was responsible for keeping the City of Jackson from raising my taxes did so. You want to say it was Tate, then I'll give him the credit and thank him when I get the opportunity.

@3:05
I'm very familiar with CID... I lived in Buckhead and we were a CID!!! Property values increase and it's a fair deal. The city doesn't spend your money. Those in the cid do. Very different and popular. This is why they're increasing quickly nationwide. Mississippi will get one sooner than later. In the mean time study up on them.

Not sure why Kingfish dumped my original comment, since it wasn't any more provocative than others in this thread, but I really want to inform 5:33 so I hope this one goes thru.

At least one city in GA that is looking to deannex under the new state law is the proposed Eagle's Landing, which if successful would be carved out of the city of Stockbridge. I've been keeping up with this closely, as I can see how this would play out in Jackson based on the racial and economic dynamics at play.

Alot of cities fear the demographic shift that turned Atlanta into a white city more than the 70% black 15 yrs ago. Washington DC is another example. People compare Jackson to Chicago often. Chicago is only 26% black unlike Jackson. Need to look at what works economically for the other cities around country