Friday, October 17, 2025

Power to the People, Right?

 Exhibit A in why Jackson should not get back its water system: The Kenneth I. Stokes town hall held this week. 


So the water/sewer system is operating at a deficit and he wants to cut water bills.   Just more proof that regardless of who is in office, Jackson is incapable of running its own water/sewer system. 

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now that Baby Chock is gone, Kenny don’t seem so smart no more

Anonymous said...

I hope the Doj is listening.

Anonymous said...

If city got the water back, they probably
would not do cutoffs.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like one of Mandami's ideas .

Anonymous said...

Not many people showed up.

Anonymous said...

The water availability charge is bullshit and should be removed. It shouldn't be needed if everyone is paying their bill. Stop screwing around and cut off the properties that aren't paying.

Anonymous said...

It’s strange that a Democrat wants to cut a revenue stream. I say give it to them and let them finish the water system off. As long as they get zero federal dollars to maintain it.

Kingfish said...

He has these town halls all the time but as you noticed, hardly anyone shows up.

Anonymous said...

Kenneth is an unflinching advocate of the poor and uninformed. Often his positions make no fiscal sense and may even be impossible but he's not doing it to enrich himself or to hurt others. These people are suffering in the hell that is now Jackson but they have nowhere else to turn. Sad.

Anonymous said...

If 100% of the citizens are paying it still
would not be enough to operate the water and sewer system. Jxn Water is
doing 1000 cutoffs a week.

Anonymous said...

@10:58 the water availability charge is not bullshit and is necessary and proper. I would imagine that every water system in Mississippi charges one. It's also known as a "base rate". It's a fixed rate that applies regardless of usage. But I'm simply commenting on the need for the charge. I am not commenting on the amount of the charge.

Anonymous said...

Kennef is a Marxist pawn.

Anonymous said...

Henifin has gone into full-blown cutoffs mode. Stokes needs to cut the size of the water bill so he can stop the cutoffs in his ward.

Anonymous said...

Land of the straight-pipers.

Anonymous said...

For the water system to be sustainable, lowering the rates would be catastrophic. This stuff takes money. People have no problem paying a phone bill, an internet bill, a YouTubeTV bill, a Netflix bill. Water and sewer cost money. That's the reality. It has to be run like a business. Consumers need to better prioritize their spending (forgo the nails and eyelashes and pay the water bill). And consumers need to take their income stream more seriously (i.e. take your ass to work every day and impress your boss because that is the best way to afford your bills).

Anonymous said...

Losing money.

This is what is called a "loss leader."

Like a movie theater selling salty snacks (like popcorn) at a loss but people get thirsty so they buy expensive drinks.

If the city sells it's water at a loss they can make it up by collecting more taxes.

Anonymous said...

CC: the cowards in the State Legislature who have let this fantasy fester after doi by nothing in the 3 legislative sessions after the water system collapse.

Anonymous said...

Did the citizen say "collusion"? Freudian slip.

Anonymous said...

Do you know how fast I would establish that council with the metro counties, or whatever they called it, to share the BURDEN of an underfunded water system if I was Mayor? If the State wanted to establish it, don't care, I would do that too. What is this weird control that you want for something that costs a lot and doesn't work. It has never made sense, but it is now sounding weird.

Anonymous said...

If JXN water was cutting 1000 citizens a week, we would be front and center on National News. There is no way that is happening.

Anonymous said...

@11:08AM Your guess is wrong. I have Bear Creek Water and there is no "availability" charge. My TOTAL monthly water bill is...wait for it...$14.04 per month.

Anonymous said...

11:20 if you know anyone that has straight piped why don't you let Jxn
Water know.

Anonymous said...

It costs money to run a water system.

It costs more money to run a water system properly.

The City of Jackson could not run the water system properly, and it was also losing massive sums of money at the same time.

It's crazy thinking (or lying) to claim the City has learned how to have the will to both pay for and properly run it's water system.

What changed?

Anonymous said...

@11:33 am Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to post a message and remove all doubt.

Anonymous said...

Looks like ol' Ted's attempts to create a poverty-tier for water was prescient despite all the naysayers and their obstacles. The man should be receiving way more credit than the crap getting hurled in his direction.

Anonymous said...

It took decades to build out the Jackson water system and those construction periods span different eras of inflation. The majority of the construction took place when our coinage was still 90% silver and had intrinsic value. Now a dollar is worth half a cent of the 1914 value. It would probably cost $20 billion or more to fix the entire system. No, I don’t advocate giving the money to the City of Jackson. But fixing our cities should be a priority over Israel and Ukraine.

Anonymous said...

@12:05 Bear Creek has a base rate of $12.25 for a 3/4-inch meter. So I am correct. You will pay that even if you use ZERO gallons for the month. You do get your first 2000 gallons of usage in that base rate (availability charge). CMU, Madison, Ridgeland, Flowood, Brandon, Pearl, etc. also have a base rate.

Anonymous said...

@12:05 pm. Bear Creek does has an availability or facilities charge that is imbedded in the first tier of water usage cost. For example, customers with either of the two smallest connection sizes pay $12.25 monthly even with no water usage. That rate includes up to 2,000 gallons. They also pay $17.75 minimum with no sewer usage. The following link shows their rates.

https://www.bcwaterms.org/rates-fees

Anonymous said...

Dear Citizens of Jackson,

There is an abundant supply of water, at no cost, in close proximity to you. It happens to be a source in which you allow your $hit to flow. It’s called the Pearl River.

Anonymous said...

@12.49
imagine if the current occupants of the CoJ had actually maintained what was built by those who came before them? It is all so tiresome!

Anonymous said...

Revenue is revenue and the water availability is nothing more than revenue to the system. Regardless of what they call it, the charge was getting added and was either going to be an increase in the rate or charged as a separate fee as the water availability charge was. Why do so many get hung up on this damn fee? Do your IQs not exceed 80?

Anonymous said...

@11:33 - you have no idea how much profit is in a "bag" of popcorn. Popcorn and the watered down cokes have the biggest profit margins in any movie theater.

Anonymous said...

Jackson is like your relative who gets a cash advance on a new credit card to make minimum payments on their other credit cards.

And they never, ever can understand why they can't get out of debt.


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