The Order of the Sisters of Rukia issued the following statement yesterday.
The People's Advocacy Institute (PAI) and Mississippi Poor People's Campaign (MS-PPC), who were granted intervenor status in 2024 in a federal lawsuit brought by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a motion today seeking to modify the 2022 Interim Stipulated Order that placed Jackson's water system under the control of an Interim Third-Party Manager (ITPM). The motion asks that U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate require the ITPM to comply with Mississippi open records and competitive bidding laws, mandate strict neutrality by the ITPM and his agents, and establish a clear timeline for returning control of the water system to Jackson city officials, among other requests–all to ensure protections for low-income residents and clear, publicly accessible data. The motion follows the Intervenors’ filing opposing a recent second water rate increase proposed by the ITPM, as well as Jackson City Council’s recent unanimous rejection of a proposed water rate increase by the ITPM. Community groups are concerned that the Council’s vote is symbolic under the current Interim Stipulated Order, as the court-appointed ITPM, Ted Henifin, maintains unilateral authority to implement rate hikes without council approval or public input.
"The fact that the elected leadership of this city can vote unanimously to reject a rate increase, yet one man and a judge can approve it regardless of that vote, underscores why our motion is necessary. Residents and our elected representatives need to be a part of the decision making process – especially when so many families already struggle with rising utility costs and managing ongoing concerns with our water system. That’s why we intervened. That’s why we are filing this motion today," said Brooke Floyd, PAI Director of Programs and Community-Led Governance Initiatives. PAI and MS-PPC were granted the right to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuit United States Of America v. City of Jackson in March 2024. They are represented by Forward Justice, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the ACLU of Mississippi. Said Danyelle Holmes of the MS Poor People's Campaign, “You cannot tell the people to drink water, while at the same time charge them rates that they cannot afford. Nor can you truly fix a problem without listening to the people most impacted by the crisis. From the beginning of this case, concerns were raised about the Interim Stipulated Order because it gives unchecked power to the third-party manager. Now, it's been more than two years since the water crisis, the state of emergency has lifted, and there have been many changes made to our water system without public input. It is time to modify the interim order to give Jackson residents a voice in this case.” “This filing is an important step toward ensuring that resident concerns – especially Jackson’s most impacted residents – are at the center of this process,” said Lori Sherman, Staff Attorney for Forward Justice. “What we are requesting is fair, simple, and based on sound legal principles.”
For more on the case, visit the case page developed by the Center for Constitutional Rights. Access the filed motion directly here accompanied by the Memorandum of Law in support of the PAI & MS-PPC.
54 comments:
Oh, for heaven's sake. You have drinkable water and flushable toilets. You did NOT have that prior to Judge Wingate's intervention on behalf of ALL Jackson residents. These race baiters need to find a new line of work.
The same people saying the judge has zero authority are so demanding Trump abide by national injunctions from federal district judges. GTFO
Where were these people when for years the water, and sewer, systems of Jackson were allowed to deteriorate from lack of attention. This is a last ditch effort by the marxist regime of Lumumba, and all the hangers-on, to loot the federal funds.
Recent overwhelming primary runoff results are clear. Neither of these Lumumba grievance front organizations speak for the vast majority of Jacksonians.
If Jackson wants to turn itself into a little Detroit then let them but don’t drag rest of the state down with them. Time to move the capital
Idiots throwing money at a cause they will lose... Lawdie!
Hopefully Judge Wingate gives these racists that strong pimp hand again.
@10:11 AM, recent overwhelming primary results indicate the vast majority of Jacksonians just want a different mayor. That doesn’t indicate any great change in mindset.
How money gov money is given to these organizations?
Need i remind you that Horhn believes Jackson should control the water system too. Horn is just a more genteel face for the same ideology. Mark my words.
10:20 Stop downing Detroit. Detroit will be just fine. Jackson has none of the business underpinnings of the Motor City. In ten years check out Detroit.
The poor peoples campaign are poor bc they’re total morons. Let’s name it more accurately please. The few morons! They don’t represent even a slight fraction of the population. I can assure you they don’t pay taxes!
In John Horhn’s interview with the Clarion Ledger a couple weeks ago.
He in his own words says he intends to pursue this same course as that the “intervenors” are pursuing…
That is a death knell for long term brick and mortar investments in my opinion.
John’s plans for Jackson’s in too many respects mirrors Chokwe’s last 8 years of just without the anger.
Those comments provide the very uncertainty that caused businesses flight from Jackson.
Jackson needs to change direction not just it’s leadership on June 3rd.
They currently can't benefit from contract steering. So sad.
This looks to me like Lumumba's last gasp. He needs to get some of his people hooked into that federal grant money before he gets kicked out of office.
It's all about controlling money. These people know all about taking control but they know nothing about money. They assume Santa Claus in D.C. or someone else must automatically provide operating money even though there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Until they learn how to generate operating capital like a business and not a poverty program and hold customers accountable they cannot be allowed to ruin an essential service like water. They are like brats who want to drive their own car but cannot buy gas.
@ 10:20
Detroit is much nicer than Jackson. You’ve obviously never been to Detroit in 10 yrs. Complete gentrification and one reason Chokwe guys left bc they have a white mayor. Total revitalization largely due to billionare Dan Gilbert and the founders of dominos and little ceasers and casino owners.
As long as the current administration is in power I can’t see the EPA relinquishing control to Jackson. Hopefully by then the Lumumbas will be occupied elsewhere.
Perhaps the poor people should get a job, then they wouldn’t be poor anymore…right?
Im so sick of hearing Chucky and his sister Rukia name. Chucky going with them ABC boys and she did to find her a job. Im sick of Jackson looking like a damn THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. Everything is disgusting about the damn Ludumba.
How are the People's Advocacy Institute and Mississippi Poor People's Campaign financed? Where does their money come from? That would be interesting to know after Shadrick exposed the Health Department grants fiasco.
What Sister R doin?
So you're saying that somehow Horhn is going to embrace Rukia's et al antics? I find that hard to believe but, I suppose, would not be surprised to learn he's a fool.
@12:33, all facilitated by Detroit's BK.
Motor city?? Detroit doesn’t even make cars like the once did. Detroit is Americas largest failed city
Is that why you can buy a hose in Detroit for less than. $10,000?
Matty Maroun!
He beat out Warren Buffet for control of the Ambassador Brige in the late 1970's! Maroun won control and took the bridge private.
Those groups only joined a lawsuit against the city for not taking care of the water that federal govt. filed. They are not a party to the order they want to change. The parties are city, federal govt. and msdh. Those parties will all have to agree to change the order. I heard the federal govt. was opposed to it
Get off the couch and put away your twinkies and GET A FRIGGIN' JOB. Then you won't be poor anymore.
The comparison was not Detroit and Dallas but Detroit and Jackson, MS. I'll take Detroit"s chances. DUH
May 17, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Read his interview with WLBT. He believes Jackson should control the water, the airport and that Republicans were "hollowing out Jackson" (https://www.wlbt.com/2024/03/11/were-hollowing-out-jackson-horhn-critical-water-system-takeover-bill/)
https://www.wlbt.com/2025/04/18/john-horhn-jxn-water-jackson-airport-his-plans-if-hes-elected/
Hey, Rukia! You're fired effective April 22, 2025, the day every ballot box in the city rejected your bullshit. Not whitey, not privileged NEJ, EVERYONE! It's time for you to sit down and STFU.
Just to be clear they (feds) are opposed to changing the order?
Rukia's Bolshevik Bouncing Belly Brigades, including Dan-yell, are urban guerrillas pushing chaos to advance the marxist Black Apartheid of Lamumba's New Africa Kush.
John Horhn is in line with the Lumumbas' advocacy of Black entitlement supplanting responsible government with Federal grants and programs to fund racially biased socialism. I can't vote for the all-bureaucrat Horhn: DePriest is a business professional and better for Jackson.
You lost the election. You lost every precinct. You lost every ward. It wasn’t even close. Nobody wants your team around anymore.
I've read the stories before. Horhn comes into office begging for help. He has no muscle.
I’m so glad the City finally saw these “poor” people for the thieving crooks that they are. Next the Federal auditors and FBI need to get them.
As for the water - when in the hell are they going to start cutting off for no pay? Every other system gives you about 5 to 10 days and cuts you off. That’s some incentive to pay when you can flush the toilet.
There must be a lot of money still left over from the 800 million the feds gave the state for this. No wonder they want control again. Can’t fix it but can damn sure loot it.
Brother lost. So sister’s funny money is about to dry up. Panic time
The kickbacks from the Siemens $30 million attorney fees must have run dry. Right?
No reasonable person cares who runs the water/sewer/trash system. You just want those things to work right and be affordable. That's it. The only reason they are filing this junk is one last Hail Mary to grift from the federal money before Baby Chok is out of office.
Regarding the new mayor
The COJ is jumping from the fire into the frying pan.
Mark my words.
The money has already been approved for what its gonna be used for for the water system.
@6:20 The parasitic grifters want to control the issuing of contracts, as this is where money is skimmed by steering contracts and kickbacks under the table.
You had me convinced, but then you didn't sign your name. So, sad.
So the Poor People's Campaign wants the city to listen to the very people who would have to pay an increase about their feelings about an increase. I'm sorry but no utility has ever asked for my opinion before charging me more for the service. "Hey wanna pay more for this?" "SURE DO!" Never happened.
This is exactly why the water system should never return to the City again. The city council and Mayor have no sense of financial responsibility. They will lower rates guaranteeing the system will eventually collapse again. Why hasn't the State Legislature been grownups and ended this fantasy thinking that Jackson should manage a water system ever again.
All I can say is I hope Judge Wingate sticks around to see this one across the finish line. Because if it later is moved to Judge Reeves we are all screwed. The reason the vote by politicians should not matter is they are more interested in reelection than in providing water.
I'm thinking about the awful mess we would create if we established precedent for the State Legislature to step in and over-rule a city in its operations. Wouldn't that put the Legislature on the hook for other city problems, or problems in other cities? Should taxpayers in all other Mississippi counties help pay for fixing Jackson's problems? No - the Legislature has no business doing this. That's why you have local governments. And if local governments are too incompetent, corrupt, or apathetic to care about the quality of life and basic services in their city, that city becomes a blight of decay. That's Jackson. And a lot of people and businesses have left there because of that. And they didn't blame the state for Jackson's decline....they blamed Jackson.
I'm so glad I left 20 years ago when it was clear the leaders hated White people.
I knew the racist dems would never lose control again in my lifetime, so I had to sell or be voiceless while my tax dollars were stolen.
Hohrn will win and it wont be much better.
Same theft, just a slightly less humiliating person wearing the bow tie while he pontificates at pressers.
May 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
You haven't offered a solution on to let it rot. Guess what it's been rotting for 40 years. What is your solution? The next best solution is to set up a board represented by all the areas served.
May 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
A foolish taxpayer and his money soon has no water to drink.
Lumumba appears to adding loyalists to the city payroll before he departs. The latest hire is David Archie. Hopefully Horhn can fire the ones hired recently. The real question is are they just plants for inside info or to sew seeds of destruction?
15 apartment complexes owe $100,000 or more. 141 multi-family accounts owe $7.5 million. Turn off the damn valve.
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