Jackson Jambalaya

Hattiesburg may be second highest, but they have done more with what they have the last 6 years than any town in Mississippi. I would vote for Toby Barker for governor or any other office in a heartbeat. Biggest turnaround in my lifetime as a Mississippian.

If you want to live in paradise, you gotta pay.

Suckers.

"Low property taxes spur home-price appreciation, and high property taxes spur home-price stagnation," the analysis said.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/rising-property-taxes-housing-market-killer

How about Lumumba cut his salary? He's not in charge of water or sewer anymore, yet he's still paid the same. He makes way too much money. Get rid of his personal bodyguards too.

And don't forget the automatic increase every 4 years on reassessment. These BOZO's in the administration have not even audited their fiscal affairs for last year. REMEMBER?? The audit has not been finalized. They don't actually know how much they have/don't have. I hope the City Council runs him out of the chamber.

4:31 Thanks for stopping by Toby. You are a good good guy, but before we name a church in your honor let's try to work on the traffic situation. Traffic signals would be a good start (dont forget the St John comment on Instagram )

As I've asked many times . What kind of fool would invest in Jackson , Ms. ?

4:56, why does the mayor need bodyguards? Has he done something to require them? His own people wouldn’t dare touch him. He is what they want. Ask any mayor in any surrounding city if they require body guards. I’ll ask Richard White and see how far he spits his coffee out his nose in the morning as he laughs.

What about the millions lost from not collecting water bills. How on earth is it possible to have thousands of straight lines?

10 mils higher than any other city in the state and yet has the highest citizen flight as any city in the nation.

can't fix the water. can't fix the sewer. can't fix the schools. can't fix the streets. can't fix the crime problem. can't fix the stop lights. does not support businesses (unless minority owned).

screwed up the only thing that worked and was dependable in the city (garbage collection)

The state statute that was written to allow council members to have an office and staff required a population of over 200,000. Cut that out to save money, council members !!

I’m for the Jackson property tax increase. I live in Madison and need another $25k bump in property value. Thanks Bumble!

funniest sh** all day!
Thanks Kingfish.

5:18, the fools that are still residents/business owners of/in Jackson who had the means to leave years ago.

They could get this Henifin fellow involved to figure out a plan to base your property taxes on how much water you drink and how many times you get up in the middle of the night to take a leak and NOT how many times you flush the toilet cause they always gone be somebody sneaky doing the once a day flush specially if no boo boo involved.

In ten years Jackson will see the highest tax rate increases of any city in the Unites States. Once these jokers get started they will come to rely on tax increases to cover their ineffective leadership. Being typical Democrats they cut nothing while having no aversion to burgeoning taxation. It's going to get bad.

“What about the millions lost from not collecting water bills. How on earth is it possible to have thousands of straight lines?”, those funds, and the money wasted on the attorney fees for the city suing its self, would probably be a significant amount.

The dysfunction, and money wasting, of this administration is staggering, yet they ask for more.

7:33...."they always gone".....damn

The best one word reply I've heard since Dustin Hoffman said . . . "Plastics" was the reply I got from big Al when I axed him 'who is going to be left in Jackson in the near future? Big Al said 'Democrats.'

He has a CAO, CFO, and Chief of Staff with salaries at $105,000.

I knew Chuckway was an idiot. But this is like punching holes in the Titanic

They will nickle and dime the residents to death in Jackson. But when it's time to dish out contracts, it's like playing with Monopoly money.

It’s the crime stupid. If crime rates were in line with the suburb cities in Madison and Rankin counties - people would flock to Jackson – the flight out of Jackson would pretty much cease - and tremendous growth would occur in Jackson.

But then Democrats like Baby Chokwe would lose control of Jackson wouldn’t they? Hence the reason crime rates will remain high in Jackson (and the other high crime Democrat controlled cities).

You Eastoverans, Belhavians and Fondrenites need to get ready to slap leather.

Jackson is done, put a fork in it. Young folks please take note, Democrats are losers, not leaders.

I'm waiting on toll roads to be built where all of us coming into Jackson from Madison, Rankin, and Warren will have to pay a toll fee to enter AND to leave the bold new city

Madison property values increasing again in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

The audit is not complete and weren't they supposed to be saving millions of dollars with the garbage switch to Richards? On top of that is millions of lost revenues with the water bills. Is anyone going to call him on his BS? No way the citizens of Jackson should be paying for his incompetence. Someone from the press needs to ask him what his plan is for the large wind/hail deductibles should there be a large storm. He won't know how to answer and will squirm. On top of the $2mil increase, there is a HUGE deductible increase he isn't talking about that I guarantee the COJ doesn't have money earmarked for.

Council members should request a current audit of City finances so they can make a decision based on facts not fantasy.

As a Rankin resident that has not entered the city of Jackson in over a year, I would not be opposed to tolls in AND out of the city.

If your city offers nice things, people will pay to enter it.

If it is a crap hole, accelerated bankruptcy is a win too.

It's actually genius! Those who vote to keep him in office won't see diddly as an increase, if any at all (renters).

The ones who will see an increase are either absentee landlords or folks living in Eastover, Fondren, Belhaven and a few scattered others whose votes will NEVER surpass those of his followers.

Lil Choke is not only inept and deceitful, he is desperate and afraid. Now is the time for Aaron Banks to pounce and politically nail the fake mayor's balls to the doors of City Hall. Glancing through 4 years of KF will provide Banks with plenty of damning facts against the little imposter.

@8:27 PM, it's not from, as you say, Being typical Democrats they cut nothing while having no aversion to burgeoning taxation.

This has nothing to do with any party affiliation. None pass through the matrix a Democrat.

Some fool thinks that renters won't feel the impact. Get a clue, please.

Rather than taking up this issue, they do the Pledge of Allegiance over and over in a filibuster like move.

A "tax and spend" Marxist wants to raise taxes? I am shocked I tell you, shocked.

I don't mind the increase at all even though we are both retired.
You cannot compare apples to oranges.

Hattiesburg hasn't flooded or had the two absolutely incompetent mayors out of the last 4. Nor is the State withholding support of Hattiesburg. Hattiesburg doesn't contribute the same amount of tax revenue to the State either or generate as much sales tax. It doesn't have the same wear and tear on its roads and highways. Nor has it lost revenue.

If an increase will continue improvements to our roads and bridges (and yes it's being done after delays in necessary approvals (potholes are filled faster than ever before, two bridge repairs are finally underway and I swear, some of you must drive blind if you can't see the improvements on State St and Old Canton and the Northside and around Westland Plaza and the Manship area.Or Belhaven's roads being improved.

Jackson was allowed to fall into terrible disrepair. The prior mayor was a disaster and wrecked the city's budget. Repairs take time. And, having opposition at every step rather than a " how can I help?" attitude from every blowhard on the city, county and State level slows the process as well.

When the mayor wanted to save money on garbage, and the "problems" you cited would not have kept the service from being accomplished and added a benefit, you non-citizens went nuts and "jacked up" a few who never really bothered with the details or looked at cities where Waste Management is not "loved" or at WM's rather colorful history. You did see Richard's "color" though.

We are seeing progress despite the divisive politics that is a curse to this entire country. Those who "do" rather than "bitch" eventually get things done even if we have to call in the Feds for help.

Indeed, those of you enamored by well water need to be aware it comes from aquifers, and you best hope your testing is as good as EPAs and remember that it's piped to your home...your pipes and the cities. If your pipes are lead or it's gotten into the aquifers from oh, the lawns being watered, you still have a problem. Any homes built before 1986 in your town or near your well? Maybe they are shedding much yet...but who knows what the future will bring?

Some of you need to hope the culverts that have to be purchased from county supervisor were done to federal standard and were checked if you are in a development.

If you don't know how things "should" work and have worked before getting to the current situation you find egregious, please find out and preserve the energy anger and rage takes out of you.

I bet all that sounded good in your head before you wrote it.

1. You conveniently left out how Harvey Johnson wrecked Jackson finances with crooked bond deals and the Siemen's deal.

2. Yarber's opposition came from a majority black City Council. In case you forgot, Priester, Stamps, and Hendrix opposed him quite a bit.

3. oh yes, the garbage. The Mayor is stuck on forcing 96 gallon carts down everyone's throats. Carts no one wants. WM had the best score for twice a week service with no cart. If the Mayor was serious about price, he would have gone with RD with NO cart which would have been $1.2 million cheaper.

4. But of course for you it's all about blaming a certain ethnic group than holding those who actually run Jackson responsible.

Water in all other Cities makes money?

"What about the millions lost from not collecting water bills. How on earth is it possible to have thousands of straight lines?"

Betting it takes a lot of work while in the dark of night. Then again, it is Jackson so working out in the open during daylight is ok.

To the taxpayers of Jackson give the mayor what he wants, because he is what you want! You know his bodyguards are in need of a raise and higher clothing allowance. His security detail can’t be looking shabby and wearing knockoffs!

I like the Mayor cause he’s smooth, Right!

Toby Barker is the man in Hattiesburg and well liked! Yes we have a little killing every now and then, however the Judges take them off the streets for a long long time!

Have you seen the improvements of the Hattiesburg zoo. Nice new water park! The people in Hattiesburg, Lamar and Forrest County give for the betterment of our communities and it shows.

Does Toby need a body guard no. If he was in Jackson yes!

9:39 lost what little credibility he/she had with his/her comments about the garbage situation.

9:39, bless your heart, it’s hard to say where to start with you. All evidence to the contrary, you seem to think the current administration is functioning at an acceptable level. The mayor’s placement of water bill payments on the honor system is the sole cause of last summer’s long outage. EPA and the state both agreed or else control would not have been removed from him. If the mayor had been deemed competent, he would still be running water and sewer. Against the wishes of his city council, he screwed up one of the few things that wasn’t broken - garbage collection. Judging by your essay, you seem to be perfectly capable, if you choose, of reviewing the evidence and rendering an objective opinion - please do so. This administration is a walking talking disaster and the last thing it needs is more money. The two mils will not be needed if staff is trimmed and prudent decisions such as closing the zoo are made.

August 21, 2023 at 9:39 AM
Thanks for your opinion, Omari/Melvin/Rukia/Chokwe

$2M increase in insurance this year after they got $200K increase last year. Sounds like Banks and Lumumba are going to get a donation when they run for mayor from Johnson at Bottrell. If they haven't already. Someone call the ethics commission

8:33 - Nailed it. I have no problem with a moderate increase where funds are being allocated responsibly. That ain't the case here. Close. The. Fucking. Zoo. Holy shit.

All of these comments and not once did anyone cite the root cause. Its racism. You are all racist and just want to keep the people of Jackson from prospering. Pure racism.

I dont believe this statement but I figured that I would save somebody the trouble of posting it. Jackson is done.

I am still wondering what is happening to the tax Belhaven residents (but NOT me) voted on themselves. I haven't heard anything since the vote passed. Anyone know anything about that?

What a lazy incompetent approach.

In order to participate in the city of self-determination and economic equity some certain sacrifices must be made. Higher taxes and often inept (but representative) service providers must be expected. If you are strong enough to remain in the city you will have the pleasure of knowing that you are in the vanguard of a new and bold movement towards a more equitable society. If you are one of the weak who cannot be happy without good schools, safety, passable streets, clean water, sewers that work, grocery stores, parks and playgrounds, reasonable taxes, and public works that work you have probably already left or are making plans to leave. Good riddance to you. We will Free the Land without you.

While 9:39am wants to blame Tony Yarber for Lumumba's incompetence, this Mayor and his crew have given America two new benchmarks: the highest per capita murder rate and the fastest shrinking city. He also deserves a reward for hundreds of millions of gallons of sewer flooding houses, yards, streets, storm drains, creeks and the Pearl river. All this on top of being so utterly bereft of financial management that he has run Jackson's reputation for credit and property maintenance into that same sewer.

A real leader: It's time for us to all make sacrifices and budget for necessities.

A Jackson leader: It's time for yall to give me more money.

Like 9:39 said, shut up and pay them.

So glad I left when I realized the racist leaders hate Caucasians.

To 9:39
How can you be incorrect in most of your statements? Please compare the sales tax revenue with Hattiesburg. Most of the big box stores have pulled out of Jackson as well as many restaurants closing. The mayor can't handle a 3 car parade and he has 2 or 3 expensive administrative helpers at over $100,000 per year pay. Before he starts increasing taxes, he should review where spending could be cut. I just hope he has some capable people running against him and we will get rid of his pompous self.

"We are seeing progress despite the divisive politics that is a curse to this entire country. Those who "do" rather than "bitch" eventually get things done even if we have to call in the Feds for help."

What do you define as progress? Catching-up on years of neglect is not truly progress (aka, moving forward).

Ah...so, it's the political environment of the entire country that is preventing the administration from accomplishing their assigned responsibilities? Gotcha.

When to the "doers" arrive? We'll hold a parade.

Why do you need outside help? Don't answer -- do some deep and thoughtful self-examination.

Bonus question: Anybody else notice the mayor's Freudian slip about serving the Republic? RNA?

Y'all Jackistanians tighten your belts - it's for the children, right?

To 9:39, your comments are interesting but do little to address or explain the real conditions in Jackson. One example, I did not receive a water bill for over one year at my residence. My meter and meter reader has been reading "zero", literally and figuratively. I calculated my estimated use for the time period covering the no billing, mailed a check in the low 4 figures to the water department with evidence showing my calculation for the amount remitted. Guess what? I received a refund for the full amount of payment. The level of incompetence in the leadership of this city is breathtaking, but alas, reflects the population in general, both white and black and brown any other subdivision you want to include or make-up. Even the broken windows theory is inadequate to address the lowest common Jackson denominator. Please tell me when the slope of the line is ascending. I await your response.

I'm laughing hard at all you fatass know-nothings going on every day about Democrats. I live in what you could consider a blue stronghold and it's far nicer and safer than any bullshit MS has to offer, Oxford included! Government works very well here. My property values exceed even Madison the City.

It's just YOUR Democrats that suck.

@MBrookes Yes, there have been multiple neighborhood meetings (open to the public) and surveys for those who could not make the meetings, to gauge various options for safety and other features, both short-term and long-term phases. These meetings were promoted on nextdoor, the greater belhaven email chain, and instagram at a minimum. As a belhaven resident who voted yes for the CID, my thought is that if you don't participate in the process, you lose all my sympathy when you complain on JJ (and nextdoor).

Don't think this isn't all by design. Just like Biden's ongoing "replacement" plan on the southern border, Baby Chok is just getting started on that same plan in Jackson.

12:21
I hate to be nit picky, but that should be BILLIONS.

Jackson is in a death spiral.

August 21, 2023 at 9:39 AM, that must be one helluva hallucinogenic you are consuming, would you care to share?

When our impish dictator lost control of police, local judge appointments, water and sewer to the state and feds, he engaged the DOJ, Bennie T, NAACP and ACLU to investigate and sue and had his sister rant and rave in the guise of her several get-down groups.

Yet despite his marxist antics, my recurring mental image of him is of a confused and demented coward, hiding in a closet to avoid cameras showing him disrespecting the Flag and Pledge of Allegiance, as well as those who sacrificed for our Freedom from the tyranny our little despot represents.

SMH . That mayor can’t do anything right . He has run down Jackson ! It once was a great city years ago when I grew up there . Now it’s a clown running the show