Remember waaaaaaaay back in August what the Mayor proposed for the city's ARPA funds? WLBT reported on August 20:
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is proposing spending $4 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds on a project that some say could be a catalyst for revitalizing the Farish Street Historic District.
Recently, officials with the administration outlined their priorities for using $5.5 million of the first $21 million the city has received in American Rescue Plan Act funds, including $4 million to fund the “Farish Soul City Market,” a potential food court at the corner of Farish and Amite streets.
To put that $4 million in perspective, the city spent half of that to repair some 300 water main breaks following the winter water crisis of 2018.
Additionally, the mayor wants to allocate $500,000 toward a cooperative incubator, $500,000 to a guaranteed income program for low-income residents, and $250,000 each toward “The Bean Path District” and the Jackson Zoological Park.
Chief of Staff Safiya Omari, who shared details with the council, did not say how those funds would be used spent. We requested an interview with Omari, but so far one has not been set up.
The mayor said Soul City Market, also known as Project X, was being pushed by the Jackson Redevelopment Authority (JRA).
Alex Lawson, a member of the JRA board of commissioners, said the project is in the preliminary stages and a study is being conducted to determine the best use for the site.
“We hope it will serve as an anchor project. It’s called Project X because we don’t know what it is yet,” he said. “One idea that has bubbled to the surface is the ‘Soul City Market.’ The board has not voted on anything yet, but it’s the idea that has caught the board’s eye the most.
“It would serve as a food court, which would invite in restaurants and allow other types of vendors to display their works and rent space.”
Lawson said the property being studied is located at 216 N. Farish St., at the corner of the Farish and Amite intersections.
He said the property is owned by JRA. However, the feasibility study and the construction would be funded entirely by the city.
“A large portion of ARPA funds is intended to be used to spur economic development in cities as a way to alleviate economic burdens cities and residents have faced throughout COVID,” he said. “We’re hoping this will add jobs, bring in some additional tax revenue to the city, and do other things to spur economic development.” Article
16 comments:
Is this grant money that HAS to be spend on economic development? Or could it be spent on infrastructure since that would improve Jackson’s ability to attract business. Running water, drivable roads, and a safe environment would go a long way toward improving Jackson’s economy.
Wasn't a bio-dome or some kind of self contained smart city in the works ? Oh yeah, that ended up being a hanger at the airport with FULL garbage trucks parked in it.Pretty smart. So I guess that 4 million in "consulting" has already been parceled out to The Mayor et al ? Hint: there is a reason why the late great BB King backed out of a plan to bring his club here.
But Jackson has no money for parking lots, for potholes, for more cops, for abandoned libraries, for infrastructure, etc etc
The worst thing to ever happen to a once thriving Farish Street was the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Once Blacks had the right to spend their money anywhere, they did so. They gave their money to white-owned businesses in massive amounts, simply because they could. The demise of Farish Street was an unintended consequence of the best of intentions. I'm worried that any more money spent on Farish Street will go for naught, & nowadays, the added challenge of public safety obviously isn't important to the mayor & his administration.
No one remembers
Yes 419, these dollars are to be focused on infrastructure, but there is fairly wide latitude in what fits. Water, sewer, roads, bridges all qualify, and certain public safety issues fit without question.
But the city thinks that another $4 million for another Farish Street dream is better use. And of course a guaranteed income play so that Baby Chock can stay in the running with his counterparts in California for the most socially liberal spending possible certainly beats fixing the sewer line, or even putting more duct tape on the temporary pipe that is spewing raw boo boo on the streets and into the ditches on Mill Street.
Its this kind of management that points to the absolute wisdom of Governor Reeves' veto of propping up Jackson's failures - A Soul Food Market is certainly more important than spending a few dollars on making the so-called parking lot across from the Convention Center useable. Or for the ever increasing budget for renovations of the Planetarium; after all, why should those 'needs' be higher than implementing a guaranteed income for Chock's favored few?
And Jackson leadership actually wonder why the State doesn’t provide more funds for infrastructure projects?
Down a rathole-
5:19 you nailed it , but they will never understand it.
Hmmmm minimum basic income proposed freebie:
Article 4 of Section 66:
Law Granting Donation or Gratuity
No law granting a donation or gratuity in favor of any person or object shall be enacted except by the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elect of each branch of the legislature, nor by any vote for a sectarian purpose or use.[1
Since the zoo was mentioned in the WLBT report, can anyone give an update on the status of the zoo?
8:01 speaking of two thirds, of the $90mil Siemens settlement money, the City of Jackson only kept two thirds. The other third is in Chicago with his lawyer buddies. Anyone have an update on how the City of Jackson is spending their 2/3’s? Or are we going to spend it on some jive turkey buzzword salad BS for “da collective”?
The ChokAdmin just doesn't know that they don't know. The very idea that they'd even consider a boondoggle of a project at Amite / Farish over genuine, present failures in the City is clear evidence that they simply have NO idea what they're doing. They're choosing the more visible project over the more mundane, not visible, but clearly more important projects, because they don't fully grasp the gravity of continuing to have horrible roads, dangerous or absent water service, completely out of control crime, etc.
I've seen it suggested on JJ before, and I'm starting to believe it: as a practical matter, in today's society, what exactly could save Jackson at this point? Isn't the only path for the City a continued decline? In order for it to get better, an administration / the citizenry would have to have an appetite to do what is necessary to attack the problems and correct them, yet neither have that appetite. All they have is an appetite to attack each other (both literally and figuratively!)
Jackistan is like an addict or Detroit; it will have to hit rock bottom before it can rise up again. Like Detroit, the state would have to come in and intercede.
In the words of Phil Connors, "What a waste of time."
Farish St is a great idea in theory. Historic commercial district, downtown location for tourists and locals alike, and easily walkable.
The reality is that it’s surrounded by a high crime area that would have to be bulldozed in order to have it safe without it looking like Wall St right after 9-11.
This administration has no clue. and doesn’t care to learn. they know better than all of us.
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