The Jackson City Council keeps demonstrating why control of the water/sewer system should not be returned to the city of Jackson. WLBT reported:
Days after Interim Third-Party Manager Ted Henifin announced he would be implementing a rate increase next month, council members are sounding off. “With the shutdown and people not having SNAP right now, it would be even more of a disaster,” said Ward Two Councilwoman Tina Clay. “When you look at the poverty rate in the city of Jackson, it makes no sense.” “It’s a really bad idea.” On Friday, Henifin released this third-quarter report for JXN Water, where he announced that he would be raising rates, effective December 15. The move comes months after the Jackson City Council voted down his proposal to do so on a unanimous vote. It also comes after U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate has blocked the effort.... Rest of article.
Several members said Mr. Henifin needs to improve collection rates. However, even if JXN Water collected 100% of billings, it would not be enough to pay anything on debt.

32 comments:
I agree that the City of Jackson is incapable of running its water system.
How do they suggest he improve collection rates. If this council of learned professional city managers could not get a handle on water bills being paged, what might Mr. Henefin do?
I'm sure they have learned from their mistakes. Please share.
PS: When customers are convinced they do not and will not have to pay for services, no amount of convincing them otherwise will make a difference.
Ted is an incredibly patient guy. At this point, I think he should channel Eric Cartman and say screw you guys, I'm going home.
They forget the city negotiated and signed off that he could raise rates.
They probably never read the order.
Thanks again for reminding me why I moved to Madison county from Jackson!
No matter what anyone says Ted has the authority to raise the rates. The court has already agreed when judge
signed the order. I want to see what
the federal govt. and state have to say.
Again, kudos to Ted Henifin for forcing this showdown. Enough is enough of this big stall. All of this noise is about one thing and one thing only. Their objective is to get Ted to quit and leave.
Like NYC may soon become - free water, free buses, free rent, free food, free healthcare...
You just can’t fix stupid.
Some people just can't get right.
But close the gates because we don't want anyone to move up here who is too stupid to wait this long to figure out that Jackson is doomed.
I bet the COJ municipal water system is the only system in the entire world run by a federal judge.
Ashby makes a good point. We are punishing the people who are paying their bills and not the 30-40% who are not.
I agree. I would be so out of here.
Their objective is to get Ted to quit and leave.
Have been thinking the same for some weeks now. The BPS don't give a damn about the system, they are focused on regaining control but Henifin's dogged pursuit to do what is right gets in their way. System goes belly up before Wingate's list of gating "issues" (as recently reported by KF) ever gets resolved.
@8:35 I agree that the City of Jackson is incapable. PERIOD
The mayor and city council don't care if
this system falls to the ground again.
Free the water!
This is PRECISELY why Henefin’s suggestion a while back to set billing rates based on assessed property value for a few years was the appropriate interim approach. It would clean up the catastrophic mess created by not holding system users accountable for not paying into the system for so many years. Time is not your friend when revenue bonds are outstanding. Thanks, Tony.
Look what happened when the city was in control of their water. Low iq controls Jackson.
You know it.
We need General Grant to come in & burn Jackson down. Then rename it Chimney Ville. Oh, I forgot that's already happened.
Give the water & sewer back to Jackson than construct a 10 ft chain link fence around it.
Has anyone in the State Legislature showed serious interest in making sure elected officials of Jackson never manager the Jackson water/sewer system ever again?
I have no idea how COJ can go forward with a functioning water/sewer/garbage system & electrical/gas being supported by a population with over 50% of households living below or at the poverty level. And by increasing rates one would think the collection rate will decrease. New revenue from sale taxes, property taxes & other revenue sources will be required although these sources of revenue continue to move from COJ to the burbs. It’s a conundrum!
The Jackson City council is incapable of running the city of Jackson. What makes you think they'd be capable of running a water system?
@ November 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM - You can stroke an extra zero to the left of the decimal point on your payment check any time you like. Me on the other hand, I don't see any justification to pay more for the same water everyone else is getting. It's penalizing the people that can afford more and who pay their bills -- another exercise in the redistribution of wealth.
In 20 or 30 years this will all be water under the bridge.
Milennial here. I remember the last few good years of Jackson. Unfortunately,
We Can Neve Go Back
but we can watch old TV commercials and remember the better times and grieve the things we lost because some people just cant let us have nice things.
10:12am is likely a blue haired raving Fondren Marxist who expects responsible people to pay the bills of the irresponsible by way of "transfer" payments. Some in Jackson find resources to pay for TV, phone, car, clothes, wigs, nails, lashes, club hopping but not for water and trash pickup. Please disconnect them. Free the Consequences.
BPS?
I really don't see much difference between the approach of the city council and Congress - politicians worried more about reelection than doing the right thing.
@12:30 summed it up correctly. These councilmen couldn't run a lemonade stand. They just want to be reelected. They can't work, compete, manage, and do what it takes to have a nice city. Unfortunately that is what government has become. Because making the tough, but correct, decision might get you beat in the next election.
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