Belhaven residents go to the polls tomorrow to decide whether to tax themselves some more in the most highly taxed city in Mississippi. Indeed, Belhaven will become the highest-taxed neighborhood in Mississippi if the 6-mill property tax increase is approved. Before voting, consider a few items.
* The board for the non-profit Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation will oversee the spending of the funds. The Board is not elected and the foundation is not a true homeowners' association. In keeping with the Mayor's new monarchial powers, this is simply more taxation without representation. Belhaven residents are always free to make tax-deductible contributions to the foundation. The problem is the foundation has not been able to get as much money was it wants, so it wants to coerce every Belhaven homeowner into paying more taxes and force renters to pay more rent.
* The additional tax will be 6 mills and is estimated to generate $205,000 per year. The tax won't be enough to pay for infrastructure repair as first advertised. The tax will be enough to pay for some landscaping and cops but that's it.
* The plan says 50% will pay for safety. Oh wait, the Capitol Police is about to double its number of officers as it starts to work Belhaven. Belhaven residents don't need a tax to pay for additional officers as they can pay a fee for monthly security patrols right now.
* Advocates say 20% of the funds will be used for management and planning. $40,000 a year for management and planning? Ok.
* Since the foundation is not a government agency, it is not subject to public records request. Something to remember if a voter wants to see how his money is spent in real time. Keep in mind the Councilwoman pushing this tax voted for and covered up the misuse of bond funds by the Zoo Executive Director.
* Don't forget the Mayor's comments. Although he sang a different tune today, he said what he said in the February 2, 2021 video. He was not vague, unambiguous, or muddled in his remarks. No one would confuse his statement for one made by Judge Dickinson. What he said is completely in line with his political philosophy. He flat out said the tax will allow the city to redirect spending meant for Belhaven to other areas of Jackson.
49 comments:
Tax me harder, Daddy
I'm voting NO.
LeFleur East Board Members:
You aren't an HOA. You aren't elected. You've never been given the authority to speak for citizens within the LE footprint in any capacity. You WILL BE TAKEN TO COURT if you try to pull this CID shit in my NEJ neighborhood.
KF, ever the guardian of a Moral Society and Law & Order, thanks for informing and shaping the discourse. I believe your focus forced mayor's claw back of his previously expressed true intent.
Only in Belhaven (or Fondren) neighborhood could the residents possibly be duped into voting for a self-imposed property tax increase with no checks and balances on how the money will be spent.
It'll be very interesting to see if all those libs and RINOs drink their own tax-and-spend-koolaid that they try to pour down everyone else's throats. . . .
I predicted the little emperor would get his RD garbage trucks on the road one way or another, and I predict that Virgi will shove this CID down the throat of all Belhaven residents for her man too.
Probably no spoonful of sugar involved given the crowd demographics, but maybe she will spring for some conflict-free, non-GMO flax seed to make the medicine go down?
Good luck!
Improvement districts have effectively increased and/or preserved property values all over the country. If you’re really interested in this subject, search google for impact studies like this
https://furmancenter.org/files/publications/FurmanCenterBIDsBrief.pdf
The benefit to Belhaven outweighs the minimal cost per property owner.
The foundation and the Belhaven citizens have the political muscle to get the necessary city services without the levy. With the levy approved they will have the social and political muscle to boss their neighbors on smaller matters.
the mayor was crystal clear on february.
but…perhaps with her being on board with richards disposal changed his mind.
I feel shitty for hoping it passes. I don’t live there anymore .
Phil Bryant tries to parlay stealing federal dollars from poor people and re routing federal money to a private start up endorsed by Favre and no outrage?
The Mayor of jackson is moving millions in garbage contract work from one group to a minority group for alleged bribes and y’all are up in arms!
Bryant admitted to the whole thing and not a peep.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars taxed and given annually to an unelected group with a vague mission and no accountability. What could possibly go wrong?
So this means they aren’t fixing the roads in the Hipster Hoods?
We're not voting on a BID.
Belhaven deserves what they get if this passes. This CID crap is the reason Virgi sold us out and backed the mayor on his garbage contract chicanery. The result is my garbage has been on the side of the road for 3 days and counting. Maybe I should take it to Virgi. She supported this whole garbage contract mess. Now she wants to create a new one!
I would have a better time thinking Ridgeway Lane was managing the funds than Virgi and the rest of that crew. But hey, maybe they’ll be able to put some suave stickers on the back window of their car and think they are richer than the rest of the metro, but don’t talk about traveling to the counties next door for showers or to wash close, and go back to live in fear of getting robbed at gun point or their house and cars broken into. It’s such a feel good story.
6:38: Not a peep?
Please use the search function on this blog and you will find a whole lot of peeps, in additional to many clarion calls for substantial prison sentences for all involved, much vocal outrage, etc.
I have just heard that one of the major proponents of the CID (Reed Hogan) is moving out of Belhaven, Seems he is closing on a house in Northeast Jackson in a couple of weeks. If it is such a good deal, why is he leaving?
Let’s all dump our garbage at Virgi’s
@9:12 PM - Everyone with an even house number drop your garbage at Virgi's; Everyone with an odd house number drop your garbage at Lord Chowke's gate.
Typical Brookes for the 'Do as I say, not as I do' crowd.
Vote NO
How did this all start anyway... It has been dragging on so long, I forget now. Why did Waste Management's contract not get renewed? Had they hot been doing an adequate job? Was there a specific reason to replace them?
Maybe the contract was up for renewal and they were under bid?
I have not ever had any complaints about service from Waste Management. Those guys work so hard, and it is not an easy job. They also are always very polite to us older people. I hope they will not lose a job. To my, that would be the most regrettable thing about this whole hiccup in leadership.
It almost seems that garbage pick up is one of the only things the once Bold New City does consistently well these days.
Are we talking about the garbage contract or the CID vote? Ms. Margaret Barrett Simon, the former councilwoman, would have voted for the cheapest contract. She usually followed the Mayor on contracts. As a council member there is wisdom in following the Mayor as he will take care of your ward. If you are crossed with City Hall like Kenny Stokes, your whole ward suffers.
I live in Fondren. If it passes, the Fondrenites (Mike Peters, Chaney) that live in Belhaven will bring us the same deal.
Virgi has NEVER held a real job to my knowledge.
She was a clarion ledger reporter. I can show you her bylines. She worked for JPS for years afterwards
Dr Hogan isn’t moving from Belhaven to NE Jackson. Although the hand surgeon moved from Belhaven to NE Jackson this year. He lived a few houses down from me. Good guy.
She ran the Fondren Renaissance Fdtn
I like representative government NOT CID, BID, & c.
Kingfish, I like your website. With that said, you and some trolls on here seem to be trying to link the Belhaven vote to a referendum on the Mayor and Virgi. I am one of probably a number of people in Belhaven that are leaning towards voting for the CID that will never vote for Virgi or the Mayor. What is so hard to understand about gambling approximately eighty bucks a year for improved security for a neighborhood in one of the most if not most dangerous cities per capita in the United States? Furthermore, what's so hard to understand about wanting to live in a non cookie cuter home within walking distance of restaurants, bars, a grocery store, gym, hotel, football stadiums, etc. while many of the properties still have a yard?
@11:00... Yup... Agree 👍
11:10 PM, how many days on average do you walk to any of the facilities identified in your comment between May and September?
Doubt you'll provide an honest response.
awwwww...come on guys! It's just $80 a year! It's only fair. right? We don't care about how or who spends it, right? Just vote "yes" for the greater cause and read @11:10 to remind yourself of the plethora of benefits we will enjoy.
$80? Estimate I hear is $200
It's for the children, right?
10:59--you either are being disingenuous and referring to Dr. H, Jr. to muddle the truth, or don't know your neighbors very well. R3 indeed closed on a house in Eastover two weeks ago and if you go on Nexdoor, you can view his brother pitching a fit about someone outing him over this subject. I get it--his sister lives there as well. Also, "the hand surgeon" sold his house to R3's business partner in the Town Center. I mean you have to kind of admire this guy--skin in the game and all.
11:10--thanks for your comments Opie, I mean DP. As 'awe shucks' as you tried to make them, it is people like you and your partners that grift off of these programs that make alot of us suspicious of them.
Well, if you enjoy good food and drinks in the Belhaven area, get ready. If this scam passes, you will be paying more for those foods and drinks!
"Conservative" and "liberals" seem to be the ones fleecing us "moderates" these days. You got Bryant and Farve on one side.....Benny and Antwar on the other.........my my my , the house is dirty as hell baby ! When you gonna clean this up ?
"The benefit to Belhaven outweighs the minimal cost per property owner."
Enough benefit to outweigh not having a reliable water supply or garbage collection? I could list many other problems but regular readers know all the problems associated with Jackson, and the complete lack of solutions coming from local government.
Blue-pilled beta cucks with their virtuous virtue signaling Blount who posts daily photos of himself with with the downtrodden of color as he does the bidding of the Mississippi State Medical Assn.! Nothing but a grifter.
The shrinking middle class (under $126k per year) becomes slavish to the growing upper class and the growing poverty class by disengaging from democracy and their own self-respect. The middle class gives up and accepts the social scoring of the tech-government hegemony. They decide to live without political engagement other than social media. The CID is the instrument of that continued decline of middle class power in municipal affairs.
11:10 here. Yes troll, I go to places close to where I live. Shocking I know.
All you servers and college kids......THE RENT is about to go up and Bum Larry will still sleep under your steps !
@1:07, you ducked.
1:07 : So in other words you are a trust fund drunk and don't pay for anything anyway. Got it. Either that or a bartender.
11:10/1:07 here, lol.
Okay, I’ve been to two restaurants in Belhaven in the past week. One I walked to. One I rode to because I was running late. I’ve been to the gym in the past week (thanks for making me sound like a meathead). Pretty sure I’ve been to Corner Market once in the past week or two. Happy? Maybe I’ll keep a diary this summer and we can do some Jackson Jambalaya Missed Connection thing come fall where I tell ya where all I went in Belhaven in the summer of 2022. Maybe you’ll hope you’ll find me in a shady corner at Fenian’s. Sorry I’m taken. Ttyl.
Me again
Wait 2:38? You jelly of the people in Belhaven? I’m not a trust fund bartender kid, but thanks for thinking I live the life of one. That sounds awesome. And to think I get to live that lifestyle in Belhaven. Hating on us, but it’s cause you want to be one of us? You can join. I’m just not really tolerate of commies, but something tells me your not one of those.
Well? Has the Accounting Firm of Virgi, Lee, Grizzel and Lumumba counted the votes yet? What's next? Adopt an ordinance for the creation of the CID that gets voted down and veto'd by the Mair?
Appears it passed.
Im just glad the rich Dems are finally putting their money in the pot willingly.
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