Jackson Jambalaya

Incompetency costs-

You can bill the residents $1 per month or $1000 per month when nobody faces cut offs.

Just don't pay. Why not?

They are not here capable of proper billing even if the rate was 1000.00 a month

Let me see, raise the rates on the responsible customers who pay their bills to make up for the free-loaders who don't pay their bills (rewarding bad behavior).

Oh, whiners…*sigh*…yes, our poor old city is broken, our state remains at the bottom of any quality-of-life scale. But look at your real estate, and ask yourself: could you afford what you now own, in a fancier zip code? Austin, Denver, for example? We remain here for a variety of reasons, and kvetching about the unfixable makes for pretty boring, repetitive reading on ol’ Kingfish’s bloggorama.

@9:29 you make a valid point. And I agree. But why do the citizens of Jackson keep voting for the same clowns? The citizens don’t want the city repaired. If they did, they would vote for the folks who could repair it.

Mississippi is the 'fishing hole' capital of the nation. So, in that dynamic, we are NOT at the bottom of the Q-of-L scale. And you can't kvetch that away from us.

Just because Ophelia hangs at the library instead of tied-off at a cypress on the lake doesn't mean she knows of what she speaks. Trade that musty-smelling book for a worm and a hook and experience another side of life!

Brother Stokes is not going to like this. Many press conferences coming.

Can't argue with that Ophelia! LOL

Inflation is upon us. It’s unreasonable to expect the price of any good or service kids going to remain the same.

When was the last increase and what is the average of the communities that surround Jackson? Just curious. Sometimes things go up. Inflation, operating costs, etc. To think you can stay at the same rate forever is not logical. However, this is Jackson and we all know what is going on here.

They have to raise rates to pay for that "free" bottled water that is handed out almost weekly when there is a boil water notice, or no water at all. Also his nibs the boy mayor chowke will be needing a new luxury car soon.

You can raise the rates by 400% and it won’t change anything if you don’t bill people. As in a lot of people this month alone.

Maybe Shad could audit. Oh wait. He doesn't even live in Jackson. He's in his safe little suburb hiding behind that badge and the uniform he can't even fill out. Phony!

Once again, Jackson leaders propose a bad-aid without ever addressing the root problem. Need to stop the bleeding before applying band aid….

Is it just me or does anyone else wonder why it costs more to send crap through the sewer than to fill a glass with (filtered) water from the tap? Come to think of it, maybe I just answered my own question...

For water, Jackson would be charging $5.09 per 1000 gallons (I converted from CCF to 1000 gallons).

For comparison, Ridgeland, Madison, and Bear Creek Water (gluckstadt area) all charge in the ballpark of roughly around $2.00 per 1000 gallons. So Jackson rates are 2-3 times what the rates are in south Madison county.

9:07 : Exactly what is happening. This is the Mayors "shared sacrifice". I especially feel for those folks in Lake Dockery.

Well 11:30 we can see your voting mindset......

Oh well, just can't fix STUPID! Oh well, take some of that high priced
sewer overflow from the street and spread over your yard.

At least in the spring you'll have one of the better looking yards in the "hood"..

12:46 PM
Yep. Moved to Ridgeland last year and literally cut my Water bill in half. Was 80-something a month and it's 40-something now.

Just paid my Bear Creek water AND sewer bill for November....$38.60!

PVC pipe, ductile iron, brass fittings, ductile fittings, have all gone up a ton. So a dollar doesn't go nearly as far today as it did even 12-18 months ago. And with restaurants raising pay and giving signing bonuses, utilities have to raise pay for employees also to compete. And in the utility business, the customer has to pay for all of it. I expect any smart and well run utility in the metro area will be increasing rates in the next 12 months. It's part of life.

I applaud Jackson for raising rates. This is a needed step in the countless steps it will take to get the water/sewer train back on the track in the City. They have many hurdles but you have to start somewhere. The issue isn't raising rates. The issue is how efficiently and wisely will they utilize the money they are charging (of course you have to bill and collect it).

Rankin County has seen huge rate increases to pay for the new sewer plant. Madison County can expect some increases coming also.

@3:57 PM - Thanks for the insight, Chowke. Bear Creek is not raising rates. I know, as I am on their board, Mr. Jackistan apologist.

@4:19. There is no way you are on the board. LOL

If you are in Lake Dockery proper.....meaning property fronting Lake you are being double billed. Each one of you pay double what your Forest Woods neighbors pay.

Sorry, Mayor, but your political payback for your waste management company didn't happen. We didn't buy your story about reasons for not revealing those who bid on the job. That's because your decision is made and no other companies were given an opportunity.

As far as water, just got a bill for more than $3,000 after making personal trips to try to get a balance and being told we didn't owe anything. Perhaps an accounting manager and collection agency would better serve your constituents and the City. Thank you to our council members who voted against this. I pray someone runs against my spineless representative.