The Capital City Revitalization Committee is meeting right now and is live-streamed below. The Kingfish will live-blog the hearing as much as possible.
* State Representative Shanda Yates (I - The Speakeasy) chairs the committee.
* Mayor John Horhn was the first person to address the committee. "We must first return to the basics and I mean the basics," said Hizzoner. He said the public works system is "decimated." He said it is probably best to use a mix of independent contractors and staff to operate public works. He said the permits is in shambles and some people think their job is to figure out ways to deny permits as he said the culture needs to be changed.
The Mayor said Governor Tate Reeves called him the day after he won the election and asked "how he could help."
Mayor Horhn said he wants the city to control its water/sewer systems in the future.
After thanking Capitol Police for its help, he said there are national gangs operating in Jackson, including 30 neighborhood gangs. He said the neighborhood gangs are less structured and more violent. "They go from 0 to 100 at the drop of a hat," he said. "The good news is a year ago we had 75 homicides in Jackson. Today we have 37," said the Mayor. However, he said a 50% reduction is "great" but not enough.
The Mayor said the second major issue in Jackson is blight as there are neighborhoods that look like a nuclear bomb went off. A cost assessment is being made to determine what it will cost "to clean up Jackson."
While talking about economic development, Mayor Horhn said the city needs enterprise zones that reward investors in not-so-nice areas. He also advocated a casino on the Pearl River, claiming it could bring up to a billion dollars in development.
The zoo is only generating $800 to $1,200 per month. Such is not sustainable. He said the zoo is on the historical register and is part of an opportunity zone
Ms. Yates asked how many homeless shelters are operated by the city. Mayor Horhn said the city has none and the local organizations do not "work well together."
The State Representative brought up the subject of Jackson's water/sewer system. Mayor Horhn advocated a public/private partnership. He said most major cities do not operate their own water system and hire private contractors to operate them. He said "JXN Water did a miraculous job." He said the main problem now is the pipe system. The Mayor cited JXN Water's current financial problems as he said it is out of money. He pointed out JXN Water took over not just the water system but Jackson's debt. He said JXN Water might have problems making its December debt payment.
The Mayor questioned the need for a second rate increase without improving collection rates. Ms. Yates asked the Mayor how he stood on cutting off water service to those who do not pay their bills. Hizzoner said he was a strong advocate for doing so and called the deadbeat apartment complexes "bad actors." He wants more power to prosecute apartment owners who pocket the money their tenants pay for water service.
State Representative Stephanie Foster (D - E&L BBQ) asked if the Code Enforcement Department was fully staffed. The Mayor said there are eight officers but the city needs more. Turnover is too regular due to low pay. The city has no lien enforcement procedure for blighted properties. Mayor Horhn said such liens have no impact unless the house is sold.
Thalia Mara Hall. The Mayor called out the previous administration for stating on June 30 that Thalia Mara Hall was "back" when it was not back. He said it will reopen by the beginning of 2026.
State Representative Jill Ford (R - Strawberry Cafe) closed his time by saying she "is proud to call him Mayor."
* Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey and Hinds County Sheriff/Interim JPD Chief Tyree Jones addressed the committee. Ms. Yates wanted to know who new laws on panhandling and squatters were being enforced.
Chief Luckey said Capitol Police is still developing policies and procedures for the laws that took effect July 1. JPD is doing the same. Chief Luckey said he doesn't get many calls for squatters as most squatting occurs outside CCID however, he said he gets quite a few calls on bums taking over businesses that are closed. Unfortunately, Capitol Police has to contact the business owners to get permission to evict the squatters. The Chief said often the phone numbers for the owner does not work nor do they have a way to contact them.
Sheriff Jones said there are over 900 detainees in pretrial custody in his detention centers.
* A Secretary of State representative said the state owns over 1,700 tax-forfeited parcels in Jackson.
17 comments:
"Mayor Horhn said he wants the city to control its water/sewer systems in the future."
With all due respect, Mayor, no. Just no. It should never go back to only the city of Jackson.
Why do Jackson officials want the burden of managing the water/sewer system again? It is not an asset!
How refreshing to see a mayor that actually points out the problems within the city. Chokwe just deflected and called everything racist.
"he said there are national gangs operating in Jackson, including 30 neighborhood gangs"
I think those are the "dope boys" Stokes has talked about.
Jackson desperately needs a gang task force. Gang activity has been spreading out from Jackson to other areas for years.
Any group of GTA KIDS.......white black brown yellow or gray might as well be considered "gangs". And their daily movements are usually bad.
They need to ask the mayor if he has
paid his own water bill. I think it's 6.4
million and climbing. If he has not paid
his bill why is talking about other people. When Jxn water took over
only 50 something percent we're paying now it's 71%. The billing system
was in shambles when Jxn Water took
over.
Gangs? Wrong! According to Chowke there are NO GANGS in Jackson.
What's he talking it's the pipe system?
why mention GTA? if they were at home playing GTA then they wouldnt be a problem!
Wow that seemed like an open and honest, transparent conversation between people interested in improving the situation. What a breath of fresh air!
10:25 - He said waste-water system specifically. Open your ears.
One of the things that I heard in his opening statements was about the city permit department and comments that staff have been in the mindset of finding reasons to deny permits. This is how I can tell that he's turning over rocks and I appreciate it. I went through hell trying to find an electrical contractor that could negotiate that debacle when I had to have the service on my house replaced. It's known in the contractor realm that city permits in Jackson would only issue to a subset of them that would grease palms up there. Fuck those people. I'm glad he's in tune to what's been going on.
Water mains. Remember JXN Water tearing up State Street to fix that big ass pipe? That is what he's referring to.
Jill Ford (R-Strawberry Cafe)...
Classic. For The Win!
The mayor had his shit together today. He touched on big things and he touched upon small things that matter. He asked for what he knew he needed immediately and he's not pulling punches when it comes to the previous joke of a mayor. The state is behind him, the county is behind him, and yes, I, as a citizen, am behind him.
I just hope he doesn't have a heart attack over all the stress he's taking on. Then we'll inherit another shit-stain and if that happens, I am fucking leaving, no matter the cost.
p.s. - I don't see many of the trolls biting at this piece of meat, like the usual "Hate-Jackson" club does without fail.
5:26, so since no one else did it, you did it for them?
6:14 - Sure. It's less noisy that way. :)
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