Jackson Jambalaya

Some observers might question whether the collection of the original surcharge would have ensured success in maintaining Thalia Mara.

The hypothetical 'improvements' done by Kush HVAC and Friends and Family Construction might not have been the highest quality and quantity of work. They probabably would have been highest cost.

$5 or $3 doesn't matter if it's never spent. So, where did it go? The legislature needs to pass a law requiring Sir Shad to audit every political entities books every three years. Perhaps then we wouldn't be the most corrupt state. Might move a notch or two.

Sadly, very few people bother to actually get all the facts available before making a decision. Indeed, they don't even stop to consider what the critical facts might be. They don't stop to consider who might have the most information or knowledge.

And that is ESPECIALLY TRUE of those who make decisions based on their loyalty to a political party or a single person.

So very grateful that in my hometown we had a brilliant teacher who taught us how to reason and evaluate. She easily used, in those days, Mein Kampe and Karl Marx's Manifesto as examples flawed writings to teach how dangerous it is to believe something stupid if you take everything at face value or blindly let another human think for you!

And in this election, you all should have looked up all the symptoms of personality disorders and dementia and Alzheimer's. And, in these times fact checking claims is easy and you don't have to rely on the media to do it for you for God's sake!

Does anyone really think the surcharge would make any difference in how much was spent on it? Jackson is broke. What ever money they can get will first go into the pocket of the mayor and his friends. Any money spent on it would go to some of his friends who would have suddenly had a business that would do the work. Jackson is a shit hole and will continue to be one as long as it has the same mayor or any other mayor they elect just because he is the right color.

"$2.5 million lease-purchase agreement for new lighting, air-conditioning systems, and fire safety equipment for the auditorium."

How does that work? A lease purchase agreement for those items doesn't seem lucrative for the city, but it does for the person providing services.... that would be worth looking into.

Wait - So now we're blaming the arts community and event-goers for resisting the COJ attempt to extort additional fees to run the AC?

There's a reason why debt service allocations (and who knows what else) are being accounted for under Miscellaneous.

Given the neglect to use the nearly $2 million set aside by the state, what is the likelihood the ticket fees would have ever been used for renovation/maintenance in the first place? More likely the funds would have gone down the drain to who knows where with no accountability, and no renovations.

10:36 - Jackson isn't broke. I think that's been established with all of the posts about available funds not used or misappropriated. The problem is that this administration has no idea what the fuck it's doing. There isn't even an adverse agenda, I'm convinced at this juncture. They're just all stupid as hell.

@11:28, did you see this WLBT reporting?

It [City Council] also passed an ordinance prohibiting any member of the administration, department heads, or other employees from preventing viewable access to the city’s expenditures, cash reports, and other financial information through its Munis system.

WORSE JACKSON MAYOR EVER. Bar none.

So far, I have seen no evidence that even the $3 charge has been spent on its intended purpose over the last 10 years.

"Kingfish note: Well, arts community, you had your way and got the ticket surcharge reduced. Now you have an auditorium with a failed HVAC system, an elevator that doesn't work, problematic escalators, outdated fire safety equipment, an unsafe orchestra pit stage, and that little matter of mold. How is that surcharge reduction working for ya now? . "

KF - I am having a hard time believing you actually believe this. The fact that the surcharge was reduced, and the arts community supported this reduction, has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that no, as in zero, funds were spent to perform basic maintenace at TM Hall. What are we missing here?

Were the sewer trucks that were repossessed lease purchases?

I’m still sticking to my comment that this city has not been run correctly since 1997. That’s 27 years ago. Do you see where the mistakes have been made? This wasn’t done over night this was a well planned design to take control of a city and they have almost, I say almost gotten away with it. The investigation has not been completed yet. We know that high end items have been purchased with stolen funds that were intended for the betterment of the city. Sort of like the water system not being taken care of. What would you expect when a governor assembles a well equipped group to assemble and re-establish a municipal water system that had been poorly maintained and a certain sister of a mayor holds a press conference in front of the Governor’s Mansion and calls him a racist like her brother did. Now, that’s the worst move you could ever make.

Racism used to mean something literal and provable. It's been misused by grifters like the Lumumba Syndicate for so long to intimidate that most people just yawn now.