Jackson Jambalaya

Isn't it Roger wickers daughter that helped form this for her neighborhood of belhaven. Dr reed Hogan is a great asset.

They could use some strong leadership from someone very successful in improving a city's infrastructure, like maybe Baby Chok.

//sarcasm mode off//

wow, what a great idea! a committee! now, let's have a meeting! that will solve EVERYTHIIIIIIIINNG!!!

no wait, let's get together and have a meeting before the real meeting, so we know what to talk about ... and then we will have an even smaller sit down before and gossip about the losers at the get together. They will look like fools at the meeting!! hahaha.

What does it mean?

Community in Despair

Or

Crackers in Distress

The only way to help Belhaven is to move to another county

So is this neighborhood going to quit paying taxes to City of Jackson? If so that is not fair. If this is allowed every little neighborhood will become little towns, drawing resources away from Jackson.

Great group of people leading this. No doubt whatsoever that CID will improve the neighborhood, and a result property values will increase. My only wish is that this group could lead the city, not just Belhaven.

Great news . . " provided it helps stop all of the property and other crimes in this suburb of THE FONDREN".

Buckhead did this CID... buckhead is in the city of Atlanta. However many blacks oppose this idea as the demographics shift from black to white in the city ... Atlanta and Washington DC are just 2 examples.

Belhaven and fondren, keep doing the dang thing. we are rooting for you

Good luck to these folks and it will buy some time, maybe. It is much like private school system and this CID will try to buy and pay for some municipal services that are already being taxed for. The CID may be able to hire some private police protection, fix a road or two, and improve appearances. Taxes will still increase and fees for the CID will be high. Lots of people will not like to pay twice and collections may be a problem . If it is to work at all it will have to spend money. The City will continue to die and kill everything around it and area trying to protect itself is still doomed Good luck.

So these folks are gonna tax themselves to pay for what the City of Jackson with its sky-high tax rates refuses to do. Brilliant.

Here's what will happen. Few years down the road, the CID is running and pulling in money. City will come to the board and tell them that they've got to help pay for this mission critical infrastructure problem in Belhaven because the city flat out doesn't have the money. City will tell the board it is a one-time thing. Board will blink, kick in the money and that will be the end of the CID effectiveness as the City will come calling to raid the CID once again, and again and again.

That is exactly what has happened with the special sales tax collections. O'Neill and Perry have bent over every time Mayor Gum Flap has come calling.

Enjoy your 6 mils Belhaven property owners. You will NEVER see anything remotely approaching reciprocal value for that money. You are all suckers.

Loads of cities have communities doing this around the country. Areas that can afford to so this are. Buckhead was an example used earlier. These people have multiple kids in private schools and can afford it. Several physicians listed above on the committee as well. Very smart.

4:41, I'd continue to pay taxes to the city of Jackson to let NE Jxn south of Hanging Moss Creek, east of 55, along with Fondren, Woodland Hills, and Belhaven secede and form our own city, with our own police force, courts, and schools.

At 5:46, I agree., with the exception of the Hanging Moss Creek boundaries.

But you left out a couple of vital issues.

Streets and infrastructure.

You guys are missing the point, it's not about making Belhaven better. The CID members don't care about that. It's about another level of exclusivity to which they now belong. It's all a big club. And you're not in it.

It means nothing more than this: If enough of them sign the petition, they can tax the entire neighborhood and fill the potholes. Chock will love it.

I've lost count of Feel Brant's F-ups.

Sounds worse than a HOA.

@6:29
You clearly don't know these people. Maybe one is your physician other than that you are clueless about any of these individuals listed.

I’m rooting for Belhaven. Marvelous neighborhood.

Speaking of a lovely neighborhood, Woodland Hills. Such character. Reminds me of growing up. Tree lined streets. Plenty of yard space. Now I live in a former bean field in Madison and the only trees are not much taller than me. The trade off, of course, is there’s not much chance I’ll be robbed at gun point next week and I don’t have to pay 30k to send my two kids to grade school.

What happens when a CID officer starts casting fish hooks at young passers thru?

7:46
I grew up in madison... I think it's a wonderful place... I currently live in woodland hills. I have 1 son and 1 daughter at st Andrews lower school. I wouldn't trade living in woodland hills for anything. That said if you can pay for a house in woodland hills you can certainly pay 30k for tuition a year.

you guys are missing the point, as someone mentioned above. but he missed the point as well.

At a recent "meeting" of the folks interested in raising the taxes of the Belhaven neighborhood, many of these same people, along with Senator David Blount, a neibhbor who was a strong proponent of this legislation discussed the potential impact of it.

Unlike all the accolades that surrounded this wonderful taxation legislation (we can fix our roads, repave them - maybe even with gold if we like - etc.) when they got in this meeting (held ironically in Fondren) the supporters admitted that the taxes that could be 'gathered' from this new CID would not provide enough money to pave any roads in the neighborhood.

All that they would be able to do - as stated by Senator Blount and others - was use this money for some beautification projects, improving the parks, and similar things. They admitted that those things had been being done by many of the neighbors, but that they were tired of paying for it while the "freeloaders" (their words) were gaining the benefits but not contributing.

Now, with this new authority that these self appointed folks want to impose, they hope to make "everybody" pay for these things that they feel are important for the neighborhood and that the city can't/won't do.

Keep on talking about paving streets, filling potholes, all those wonderful dreams but realize that this is nothing more than the self-serving actions of a few folks that think taxing is a good thing when they get to control what it is spent on and others are helping pay for their ideals.

Hopefully, the strictures that were put into this law requiring these 'leaders' to disclose what the money will be used for (and that the city will be in charge of spending it, issuing contracts under their bureaucratic and discriminatory - and expensive - rules) the 'freeloaders' that they despise will rise up against their tax-grabbing hands and put a stop to this foolishness.

Let Eastover do this all they want - Leland Speed, Ben Allen and their like that cried croc tears over the absolute need for this new taxation can send all the money they want to Jackson City Hall. Belhaven residents don't need another reason to abandon their neighborhood no matter how much they like it - and additional taxes will provide that impetus

5:46 you have to be kidding and elitist...Fondren is made up of renters and young people barely making their mortgage payment and Belhaven is the same with just a handful of people who could afford to pay for all of that infrastructure. Woodland Hills is a tiny neighborhood with some wealthy people but not that wealthy to pull 85% of the weight. Good luck you’re going to need it...

What's the difference between a homeowner's association fee, which Belhaven does not have, and an increased property tax?

This is a backdoor to create a strong governing body, with cash, in a neighborhood without a true homeowner's association.

Poor Alabama

Note to Belhaven: You are still in Jacktown. Rearranging the deck chairs analogy sound familiar?

8:15 PM, do you have a chance to do anything fun now and again? Sounds like you are strapped down by Jackson expenses.

So, 8:23 the ability to raise money is very limited and will only pay for window dressing. No real increase in services or facilities; what a waste of time. I should have known since this is still Jackson.

@8:03
I have plenty of fun. I do work a lot with my call schedule. I'm headed to condo in Oxford today for the game and we do indeed have fun. It's cheaper than send g my kids to board I g school like my parents did to my sister and I grown g up.

There is already a mechanism in place to do the things that the CID would do, and that’s for people to make charitable contributions to the Belhaven Improvement Association. Charitable contributions led to the renovation of Laurel Park, which is great. But why tax me (a belhaven resident, BTW) to pay for street scapes and historical markers? Do the hard work of raising money. If you can’t raise the money from people who care about the neighborhood, maybe the projects don’t justify it. I don’t want non-elected people controlling even more of my tax dollars. But I’m happy to contribute voluntarily for beautification projects. And if I lose confidence that the money isn’t being wisely spent, I will stop contributing. I don’t have that control with a tax. Maybe that’s what people are afraid of — accountability and having to get buy-in from more than just a few people.

This isn’t about streets. There won’t be enough money for that. Not even close.

How were these foundation and committee members chosen? Sounds like taxation without representation. Even HOA board members are elected.

I agree 6:29 pm is ill informed as are the naysayers responding to this post.

The members leading this group are extremely smart, extremely well educated and extremely respected in their careers and community.

I do not live in Belhaven, but I do have friends and relatives who live where such districts have been formed. They work as a partnership and the neighborhood is represented. Like in every neighborhood or group of any kind, there will always be those who have a personality disorder or dementia and aren't happy with anybody or anything...apparently like those who make snide comments on this site.

10:17 the only was to for this to work is have enough "tax dollars"to buy more needed services. It is called paying twice which is the school model in most of Mississippi. The first round of taxes are wasted and the next are then uses for services. Those with money must pay twice.It some form of restitution.

As a Belhaven resident I just went and pulled the text from HB1612 as signed by the Governor, oddly enough written by a Representative from Madison...though Blount and Michel had similar versions...check the Northside Sun and Legislature website, but this way Blount never raised your taxes, um, I mean assessments, and when One Lake gets shoved down your throat, neither did Michel. The GBNF already submitted a petition signed by 60% of the owners of 'taxable real property' within the HoA? Odd, I don't remember being solicited for a signature? Gosh, it's almost like this was already in the bag. I'm probably just paranoid. It's not like one of the biggest rental property owners was put on the board to oversee it, or was featured in a photo last year when they tried it, or hosted your Councilwoman's campaign office, or held her subsequent Watch Party. Surely now that you tax me at the point of a gun I'll have a say in how GBNF works, right, or an opportunity to inspect your books? If your neighborhood association has sufficient resources to lobby legislation, tax you by force (meaning the government can seize your home if you don't pay)...do you think you will ever have a chance if you challenge them?

Congrats, rubes...you're about to make a handful of already wealthy folks even wealthier.

Mississippi...the best government money can buy.

10:17, you don't live in the neighborhood,but you just happen to know that the "members leading this group are extremely smart, extremely well educated and extremely respected in their careers and community"? That's one hell of a venn diagram you must have representing your social circle for a non resident. Or, Occam's Razor...you either really do live here or you're one of the other pimps pushing this.

I’m hoping the fact that residents don’t donate enough to the BIA to satisfy the self appointed rulers of the neighborhood is an indication of lack of support for this additional tax.

anything that results in my ex paying more money, I’m for it

2:46 pm I did live in Belhaven years ago and still live in Jackson.
I've been meeting friends and making friends for a long time...at school, at church, at work, at social and charity events and parties. I have mutual interests in various activities.
Some of the friends I've made fell on hard times. Some have labored and still are. Some have just made ends meet. Some are wealthy and a few are even celebrities that are well loved by millions. They are not one race or one religion and their sex life is none of my business. Their commonality is their good hearts, respect for others and trying to be the best person they can be with what God gave them and life dealt them. Some are in other States and even other countries.
There are bad people I avoid. I know them by their negative attitudes, the way they bad mouth others( even those they've never met), their lack of self-control especially over their anger and jealousy.Bad people are self-centered and don't know what they don't know.

3:06, that's what makes this scam so clever. They've submitted the petition so, once approved the city will 'publish' that the election for this is going to happen (starts on line 81 of the bill as signed by Feeeeel). In the paper. Because so much of the neighborhood still takes the paper, or better yet, peruses the legal advertisements...the handful of them that show up to vote yes manage to win by a landslide. Even though the students and tenants are eligible to vote if they are registered at their neighborhood address, there's no way in hell they'll even know it's happening.

Well done, Virgi. You proved your campaign slogan right: Can do, Knows How. Sure as hell wish you would have spent the same amount of time and energy trying to get us paved roads, reliable potable water, more Police, eliminate raw sewage going into urban creeks...you know the kind of stuff we're already paying taxes for. Instead your two highest profile actions are trying to shove One Lake down our throats, and raising our taxes to plant historic markers and improve the large rental property owners' parcels or those of the church or hospital. Yes, go to line 183 in the bill: "(3) Nothing in this section shall prevent the use of such special assessment for the purpose of planning and design of local improvements for any property located within a district and the coordination of landscape design on different parcels of property."

Of course, you'll never be able to figure out who is pulling the strings. The disbursed funds are audited by the city and you can see that but you have no right to see the HoA's books. You'll have no vote in how the funds are apportioned unless you pay the HoA to be a member. And if you try to fight them on an issue they have your money, and all your neighbors' money to fight you.

Enjoy having the height of your grass measured and being punished accordingly, Belhaven. The allure of Belhaven, what kept it vibrant for so many years was not the handful with mansions, servants, or those sweeeet government jobs. It was the whimsy created by the renters, the artists, the diversity, the energy of the rest of us. It is positively mind boggling that a handful of you feel like the rest of us are your property.

I'll stop before my cursing starts. But every last one of you involved in this boondoggle have a very broken moral compass.

LeFleur East is yakking about doing this. Now someone please tell me what f'ing neighborhood they represent? Eastover has spent all this money making pretty the various entrances but it hasn't done squat for property values.

Agree totally 3:12. If you want to help property values, address the schools, infrastructure and safety. I was able to send mine to private school, but watched so many friends move north when their kids reached school age. Beautification is great, but if the other things aren’t addressed Belhaven will soon be made up of retirees, young folks without school aged kids, and those who can and are willing to send their kids to private school. With nice street signs and entrances. Leave the beautification to volunteerism and demand more from our existing government. No new layers of government and no new taxes.

Got Damn you people are negative assholes. CID's are prevalent across the country, except our country ass, hick state. Geez....

@3:12
Currently I'm building 2 new houses in eastover that have already sold. The lots are too expensive to purchase to build before pre sale so I will be waiting until Jan 1 to build the 3rd one for a family member of a large local cellular company that already has family in the Northeast Jackson area. They now do home fiber but can't mention company name... the one currently sold and nearly compete is going to one of those so called micro lender aka payday loan store guru...