Jackson Jambalaya

If the "local" bridge inspections had been performed properly it would have saved the state a lot of money. Unfortunately, counties were "keepin' it down home cuz" and were hiring unqualified, incompetent people to gloss over the inspections. The inspections had to be redone at taxpayer expense in order to maintain FHWA funding. The legislature had nothing to do with this, although their yo-yo coattail riding buddies back home had a lot to do with it.

There is a shift going on. Cutting tax rates, etc., forcing downsizing, then they are going to turn and cry "we need a lottery to survive....." They are creating their own sickness so we will pay for the medicine. Games of chance are no way to fund a legitimate government. Never has been, never will be.

Have to disagree with you 2:28. Makes no sense for 82 counties to inspect bridges 82 different ways. That should be centralized and done by the state.

And, it makes no sense to pay for road and bridge maintenance using county property taxes. Those gas taxes we pay should be going to these bridge repairs, not the state general fund to make up for corporate tax cuts.

Thank you Tater for cutting corporate taxes of out of state companies but in essence raising my taxes. You fooled me once but you won't fool me again!
Anybody but Tater....ABT.

Move over Bill Crawford. There's a new leftist in the house.

Hughes is gearing up to run for statewide office. He'll go down in flames.

I am a right wing Republican that voted for Trump, but Hughes is right on this. Government needs to be able to provide these basic services. Unfortunately, the Republican governor and legislature has been funding too many government giveaways to businesses. All these Haley and Phil “economic development” bond issues have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions and the business have gone under. Then there is state taxpayer financing of retail projects for Phils political cronies like the Pearl mall. We have a state swamp in Jackson.

Real estate taxes will skyrocket in the near future. Also look forward to a 10% sales tax.

You appeal to authority more often @5:46 than the friggin' Catholic Pope. If KF had $1 for every one of the thinly veiled hackneyed appeals you leave here in comments he could hire some staff and double the readership of JJ overnight.

I'm not aware that counties have a government unit of bridge inspectors.

You pay state and federal taxes on your income. Property tax, sales tax, fishing license, auto registration, fuel tax, tobacco tax, hunting license, business permits, building permits, sign permits, lodging taxes in some counties, taxes on your home phone, tax on your cell phone, gun ownership tax (carry permit), franchise business tax (that is where you pay annually for all the items in your business that you already paid tax on),workers comp and unemployment taxes, liquor taxes and probably 2 dozen more things I haven't thought of.

When you purchase a used vehicle the person you purchased it from paid sales tax. When you register it you pay sales tax again.

So my question is how much is enough for the government? We all know that almost everything state and federal government is involved in costs the tax payers much more, takes much longer, and is generally sub par.

Jay Hughes is a liberal Democrat who has never met a tax he didn’t like. Hopefully he will run for Lt. Gov so we don’t have to listen to him for another four years.

I honestly hope that Mr. Education Matters didn't pay for this with state tax dollars. Since it says "paid advertisement" on the footer, I assume that he is running for Lt. Governor?

You fine people have it all wrong. Jay is not a Democrat. Jay belongs to the party of Jay.

The MDOT has a road and bridge inspection program for interstate and State highways and highway bridges. Why is it the obligation of citizens of Hancock County to pay to inspect roads and bridges in Desoto County? They are called LOCAL roads and bridges for a reason.

Jay Will soon be able to say, "I told you so"

Again....please point me to a unit of county government that inspects bridges. In Madison County, for example, we have never known of bridge inspections on an annual business. The only time we hear about bridges is when one fails and then (for the past five or eight years) Rudy would re-do the work he had done that failed and be paid again for the same work.

It costs an average of $1.7 million dollars to build an ordinary two lane rural road these days. An average bare bones subdivision road will cost an average of $300 per linear foot. That is for the road part of construction only.
That any of you imagine that any city, county or state can build and repair all these roads and bridges is frankly naïve beyond belief.
The road at your hunting camp doesn't have withstand the same amount of traffic and traffic weight or last as long, bubba and if you have a " do it yourself" bridge over a creek at your camp and invite guests to hunt with you, I hope you understand the tolerances of your bridge as the liability if anyone gets hurts is all on you.

Six years after Katrina, the costs to rebuild just the roads and bridges was up to $1 billion dollars.
I remember there were more that a few in the U.S., like some of the commenters here, that thought Biloxi should pay for that themselves or Mississippi should pay for that themselves.
All of you would have had your taxes soar just to help Biloxi pay for removing the debris. Or you could have left it a waste land and your taxes would still have gone up because to make up the lost revenues from Biloxi. And, do remember, if you still think Biloxi should have done it all themselves, their shovels and tractors were gone and they didn't have a way to the banks for money and even then, there were no stores left.

I have been watching Jay for years. Raising his profile and, of course, a compliant liberal media in Mississippi is glad to help by seeking him out whenever they need a new quote to advance the agenda. He attacks Republicans constantly, but tries to portray himself as a fair-minded person. He's clearly setting the stage for a statewide run. The guy is a liberal Democrat, period. Those are his true colors, no matter what image he tries to portray. Like he says, "it ALL starts with education!" Voter education. Vote no on Jay.

Statewide Donkeycrat herd is so weak Mississippi's lamestreamers will glom onto any Donkey willing to go on record with a quote. The mouthpiece majority of which you will note is white while the party itself is majority black.

Local bridge inspection has been administered by the State Aid office since the 1950's and it's always contracted out and approved by State Aid. State Aid is funded by the gas tax. The money is distributed to the counties on a pro rata basis on how many miles of state aid roads you have and how much money State Aid has to give. What's Hughes talking about? Something different?

I agree with:

12/4 at 5:45 PM;
12/4 at 11:04 PM;
12/5 at 7:13 AM;
12/5 at 7:40 AM.

It’s incredible that posters are trying to make this into a Democrat / Republican issue versus a common sense issue.

I’m ready for intelligent conservatives who want a lean government and understand that a highly functioning one will give us the best chance at long lasting, impactful economic development.

I’m tired of “Republicans” trying to out bubba each other.

@ December 5, 2017 at 10:41 AM

Well said and thank you.

Mississippi has clear-cut measurables to hold our elected officials accountable for - where the state ranks in crime, where the state ranks in unemployment, where the state ranks in health care, where the state ranks in education, how the state's infrastructure compares to others in the country.

Here are facts - we rank dead last in all those categories. The state has a Republican super majority from the federal level, to state-wide office, to the state legislature, to local municipalities. So you can't just blame Democrats when they don't even hold the power to sway policy in one regard or another.

We've had massive tax cuts and we're still waiting for the benefits of these tax cuts to benefit everyday working Mississippians. They've practically eliminated access to welfare, and had a surplus last year where they had to return money to Washington D.C. for the SNAP/TANF programs last year. So you can't blame welfare for the fiscal woes in this state.

Time to start holding the ones accountable that are making the policies that keep us in 50th place.

Thanks for all the comments. I am encouraged that there are still different opinions on this, instead of everyone in an echo chamber. Not sure how I got pinned as a "liberal democrat" since I am a Christian, gun owner and carrier, active-duty military veteran (volunteered), business owner that employees Mississippians, have never voted to raise taxes, and paid millions in taxes while I watch leadership waste it, and, donate my Legislative salary to my two local school districts. I agree with @10:29, I am just Jay, an honest husband, dad and business owner who wants a better Mississippi. My party is Mississippi and my color is purple, and has never been anything but that. (As to the ad fee, I paid for it with my own personal money, that I earned in my own 20-year old development business, without a single tax cut, handout or sweet government contract). I do appreciate all comments, particularly those that may be different than my own, and cause me to think of new or different ideas. Merry Christmas. Jay Hughes

Kudos to you Mr. Hughes for engaging this diverse audience! There's a reason why JJ is Number #1. Your participation is valued.

Though I do think you'll vote to increase taxes when given the chance.

10:41 - Do you really think anybody cares which posters you agree with? And you bother to list those with whom you agree as if somebody might scroll back up to see what you agree with.

But, while you're insulting Republicans, what does "Impactful Economic Development" mean? As opposed to what, if you don't mind my asking?

Pappy O'Daniel - There is no such thing as 'local bridge inspections.

"We've had massive tax cuts... "

Huh" I've lived here since 2000 and my state income tax rate is and always has been 5%.

@4:29...I guess your one of these Oxford comma argument lovers as well...A county isn't local?

@ 10:29, here. I didn’t mean that as a compliment sir.

Pappy - I've asked several times but will again. Can somebody point me to a division or unit of county government that inspects bridges and cite a reference for their existence in state law? Thanks.