JXN Water's rates are going up after U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved the utility's request for a 12% rate increase this morning.
Judge Wingate said JXN Water faces a monthly deficit of $1.2 million if the rate increase is not approved. He states the rate increase should generate an extra $20 million per year. The judge made clear his assessment of Jackson's water and sewer systems:
This Court is deeply troubled by the argument that faithful, bill-paying residents are being “punished”, while thousands of others remain unpaying and, even unbilled. Consider these disturbing numerical observations: the number of citizens not paying; the number of citizens with no accounts; the “E-Code” fiasco; and the huge unpaid water bills of various large apartment complexes, owned by out-of-state corporations and individuals. Jackson’s “water mess” is a profound inequity born of the City’s decades of seemingly deliberate disregard of water shortages, intermittent pressurization, and funding emergencies passed from one administration to the next; a failure to maintain an accurate billing registry; and even a horrendous shockingly-bad Siemens investment, which saw the City hand out what could only be described as “Christmas money”.
The city of Jackson opposed the rate increase. Judge Wingate allowed the city to hire a so-called expert to review JXN Water's financial statements so it could make its own recommendations. However, Judge Wingate was not too impressed with the "expert":
The resulting hearing, however, was a study in administrative irrelevance; rather than addressing the "Sword of Damocles" hanging over the water system’s solvency, the City’s financial expert, Michael Thomas, presented an analysis that was fundamentally untethered from the crisis at hand.
Remarkably, the record suggests the City did not even direct its own expert to perform the specific, rigorous analysis of water revenue requirements that this Court requested. Mr. Thomas, instead, expended the vast majority of his review time to sanitation fees, an issue this Court had explicitly and repeatedly announced was immaterial to the immediate necessity of a water rate increase.
Instead of a collaborative effort to solve a municipal emergency, the City’s presentation focused only on unrelated accounting discrepancies, rather than addressing the reality of the $1.2 million monthly deficit. The City, then, failed to offer a single viable, immediate alternative to bridge the $20.4 million shortfall. Accordingly, to this Court, the City’s objections stand as a hollow protest against the very math that past City administrations orchestrated through years of mismanagement.
When it was all said and done, Judge Wingate ordered JXN Water to:
- expedite the identification of properties that are unmetered or unfilled.
- Create an "in-person service site" where customers can set up accounts or discuss bills.
- Make available to public a "sample bill" that breaks down the rate structure.
- Enhance debt collections.
40 comments:
Sound decision. Now cut the water off to straight pipers & peoples & APT complexes not paying water bill. Great news JACKTOWN, headed in the right direction.
Thank goodness
About fucking time. Tired of all the pandering to the whiney shitbags that can’t pay an extra 10 bucks a month for water but they can afford a thousand dollar smartphone.
Hell freezes over.
This is racist
Did his clerk wake him up?
YES! Thank God! And thank you Ted!
About time. Forensic analysis of JXN Water's spending is an assinine move. What till of money will pay for that? Ted's already reporting to the court. The forensic analysis SHOULD have been for the city of Jackson. Jxn Water is doing a great job. Wake up, Wingate.
Now maybe he can cutoff apts.
It took him almost a yr. to make.
"Judge Wingate said the Court will conduct an independent forensic analysis of JXN Water's spending since it was created."
FINALLY !!!
If any entity whose sole purpose is to serve the public says they need more money, the first thing should always be to look at their current accounting records and find out why.
Said Wingate, “JXN Water’s system, at present, does not have 18 months. It needs financial help today.” - Well, Judge, why the hell did you wait for almost an entire year to approve the rate increase which would have provided an additional $11 million in revenue over that time period?
Brad likely goes into an apoplectic fit when he learns this news.
Apologize if I missed it before but does anyone know what Michael Thomas got paid? That dude don't work for free.
Straight pipers are immune-
Troll alert!
City council meltdown in 3, 2, 1... Right?
Jackson's nattering nabobs of negativism lost this one.
Too bad they won't go away.
Thanks for checking in, Lumumba.
10:49 Jxn Water already does a report
to the court how money is being spent.
"Under the existing rate structure, the system generates approximately $120.5 million annually. To cover essential operating expenses, chemical costs, emergency repairs and, critically, the City’s mandatory debt service obligations, JXN Water requires $40.9 million per year. This clearly creates a $20.4 million shortfall."
Wanna run that by me again?
Additional revenue of 20 million a year. So much additional cash flow wasted with the endless DEI delays. Should have rubber stamped the rate increase many months ago.
Will the city council, led by the very angry (but also sweet and fruity) "Big Brian C. Grizzell" issue a very stern "resolution" that condemns "in the strongest possible terms" the totally unfair and uncalled for (and also RACIST) rate increase, or are they capable of seeing what can be, unburden by what has been? Stay tuned! Sheldon Parkinson may even debut a "I hate JXN Water" t-shirt in solidarity with those outside Ward 7 who are in the FIGHT against paying for what they use!
E-Coders have Enjoyed Entitlement Extras like cost Exempt water and EBT cards.
Can someone please explain to me how a water rate increase is "racist"?
Is this the same Michael Thomas that was the CFO at Jackson State?
I expect Horhn and Co to start acting like Lumumba in trying to throw any and all hurdles in the way.
Think of the money that has been wasted arguing this. It should have been approved in April and they would be on much better footing by now.
11:57 It's not racist. It's just bad business. But some people, like yourself, will bring race into every local issue, then we can argue about race. Thank you for raising the issue.
12:03 Yes
It’s only $9 a month but then next they will come back next year with another rate increase of $10. In ten years my water bill will be $200 a month. I don’t even shower but once a week. I don’t water my lawn or wash my car. I don’t use any fucking water and my bill is $90 fucking dollars a month. And no I don’t have any fucking leaks! Fuck all you bitches that don’t live in Jackson and wanna chime in!
Once you understand that things like math, being to work on time, and working hard are viewed as white privilege it all makes sense.
Grizzell not happy
Not sure I agree with cutting off apartments. If the water, sewer and waste pickup were part of the rent paid, the tenants are victims as well and should not have to pay twice.
The apartment operators that misdirected rental fees should be prosecuted. Easy fix for this situation going forward is to require the operators to have bonding that covers an extended period of non-payment. Another option might be tax liens for non-payment of the services, I would think the city already has that option in law?
February 23, 2026 at 11:10 AM
You are showing your age.
Original quote from September 25, 1970.
Who's Brad?
@12:44pm Whew! I can smell you through the screen buddy!
Second only to Chuckway's glorious indictment and subsequent defeat, today feels like liberation day. It's one of those most reassuring feelings that everything is gonna be alright. Jackson is going to get that big turnaround we've been waiting for. I think there are quite a good many investors that have been afraid of another water system failure, and today's ruling calms those fears. I think with Capitol Police, Mayor Horhn, and a stabilized water system, you will see some big things start happening soon. Here we go baby!!
Your bill isn't going up $9. It will be less than $5. Avoid the drive thru once a month and pay for your damn water. Get ready for more increases down the road though - the City leaders you voted for over the years took on so much debt that it requires $40 million a year in debt service payments that have to be paid by the water users.
If the shoe fits...
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