U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate blocked the implementation of HB #1677. His order states:
The court directed the parties to submit briefs within ten (10) days, addressing whether House Bill 1677 encroaches upon: 1. The subject-matter jurisdiction of this federal court; 2. The dictates and requirements of the existing Interim Stipulated Orders; and 3. This court's ongoing authority and management of Jackson's water and sewer systems.The City may decide, in its own professional judgment, whether it wishes to file separate claims, name specific respondents thereto, and articulate the exact permanent remedies it seeks. If it chooses to file such, the City may do so within five (5) days of this bench order. The court stressed that until this court determines whether to relinquish its authority over the water and sewer systems, the status quo must remain undisturbed.
Members of the Jackson Metro Water Authority Board can be seated but cannot act. Jackson Mayor John Horhn praised the decision:
Earlier this week, Mayor John Horhn and the City filed a motion asking the federal district court to enjoin implementation of HB 1677, the state law that would create a Metro Water Authority with only three board members appointed by the City. The motion argued that the State was preempted from passing legislation that seeks to take authority away from the federal court, which HB 1677 clearly attempts to do. The City’s legal position is that only the federal court can determine what happens next with the City’s water system. Today, Judge Henry Wingate issued a preliminary injunction that bars the authority from taking any action other than appointing its members. Judge Wingate also requested time to review HB 1677 and determine whether the law encroaches on the authority of the federal court.
“Just as the city is concerned about the state encroaching on Jackson’s authority to manage its affairs, the court likewise has questions as to whether the state encroaches on federal authority regarding the future of Jackson water and waste water,” said Mayor John Horhn.
Judge Wingate has given all parties ten days to submit briefs that address their positions on this matter. No action can be taken by the authority except for the seating of board members until the judge issues his final ruling.
Let the games begin.
48 comments:
I’m getting dizzy….
Congratulations Horhn. Way to tarnish your legacy. We had a good thing going!
count 1 business moving , i pay around 12,000 to the state a month in sales tax. don 't really know what the city gets out of that but i'm not going thru another water cornhole. i'm goining to cry laughing watching the city scew it'sself from 12 miles away. some caint help but shi# where they eat......
The only water system on the planet controlled by a federal judge.
The attorney general had the strongest
opposition to this. So did Mdeq.
Wingate had it backwards letting city
file a claim. The attorney general argued that.
If he knocks this down might be a lawsuit. The city is not required to
enter into a lease.
Don’t get too excited, Mayor. This is the same judge who said the city has “a culture of not paying.”
He’s just giving you your day in court, and making sure he can’t be reversed on appeal, as is his typical approach.
Wingate needs to dust off those abstention doctrine books from law school (and maybe update a pocket part)
Geez Judge!!! That bill doesn’t mean anything until you sign off on an authority. Guess he wants to control the system even after Ted leaves.
Tate needs to nominate Wingate to the Water Authority Board or better yet make him the executive director!!!
In the end, the State carries the day unless Wingate has decided to remain in charge in perpetuity. The repeated delays on all fronts don't make Jackson's position stronger.
... i pay around 12,000 to the state a month in sales tax. don 't really know what the city gets out of that ...
~$2,200 monthly.
It’s about $26,500 a year to the city not counting the extra 1% for Jackson. So they would be losing almost $30k a year from the budget by you leaving. Cities typically get 18.5% of the sales tax payments, not counting any extra city taxes.
Why did they go to court? They didn't
have to do anything. No lease there's
no water authority. Act like they won
big.
City fighting in court when all they had
to do was say no to a lease.
Just like airport, they are buying time for monetary reasons.
I m so happy I don’t live in Jackson
Wingate cannot help himself. He was hip deep in this mess and getting deeper, and the legislature gave him a solution. But here he goes again pulling it all back into a state of indecision.
Horhn,
I voted for you and spoke to others about you so they would also vote for you. I can’t believe this is actually what you want. I’m disappointed and irritated by this. You lost this voter.
Henry Wingate? Just like Lebron Too old, past his prime. Hates poor black people but loves playing their Messiah — laughable. Same old formula: sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong and delay reality for these incompetent retards.
I mean didn't they basically say all along that this is for when the court relinquishes control over the water system? I don't think anybody at the state was trying to pull a fast one here (unless your allegiance is with the City of Jackson government).
You don't "pay" shit in sales taxes. Your customers pay it.
Not to worry as Wingate has his clerk using AI to research this matter.
It's a process - Wingate has to handle it. Once he determines that the bill follows the law, he'll make his decision. Sooner the better.
@543am, Same here. Horhn is just Lumumba but without the nasty attitude.
The city supports the creation of the water authority if they can control it. Too many think they can keep rates from going up and still have a stable, functional system. Rates will need to increase almost every year because costs continue to increase. They’re delusional on this issue. There will be more past due bills forgiven if the city gets control.
Why can’t Jackson have a majority of appointments for the assets that it owns? It’s just 4 appointments instead of 3 it’s not like they are asking for all nine. The legislature just doesn’t think black people can think for themselves. Republicans always scream about fair and equal representation but here they are again wanting to control everything!
Sales tax is a pass through that’s not your money. All of that goes into the general fund and then 18.5% is diverted to each city. So no matter how much you Collect Jackson still gets 18.5 and so does every other city.
Gotta prove he's "black enough" so that when he steps down, they won't come after him.
8:23 Republicans, quite literally, never scream about fair and equal representation. That would be your party. Republicans simply don't do anything. And as a result, they get run over.
Are you kidding me. WTF do you think Trump does every time he doesn’t get his way. Throw a f temper tantrum
Y'all are too funny. Maybe start a comedy podcast.
@8:49 AM with the perceptive view.
If the city has majority they can block
rate increases.
City is against raises and cutting water off. That is the reasons system failed.
I really don't understand why the city can't have 100% control of their water system. I base this on the fact that they have done an incredible job with their zoo, streets, sewer, crime, animal control, blight, corruption...
They have the best audits and budgets and they're even done years early! Praise be!
May 1, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Were you born last month? Jackson CANNOT have majority because of their previous performance. Putting your faith in one person (Mayor) will get ruined when the next Lumumba or Yarber or Johnson inevitably gets back in office.
MS courtrooms, local, state and federal, should be immune to the disease of racial entitlement, but COJ injects it into all it touches.
The water system is already a regional system, as it supplies a lot more than just Jackson, and the construction of the Barnett Reservoir upon which OB Curtis relies on was funded by State and Federal entities as has been a good deal of the expansions in the past. The City of Jackson is just an association of people to conveniently serve the needs of the population and has no sovereign status as the residents of a region can vote by petition to leave it under State law.
Kingfish, what does all this mean in layman's terms? The incompetence, integrity, and lack of necessary skill sets since 1997 is what has us in this mess now. As a matter of opinion, damn fact, this is why the entire city is in crisis.
This motion didn't happen in a vacuum. It's an end-around to overrule the order increasing rates, which they city failed to timely appeal. If the City gets control of the board, they can reverse the rate increase.
That may be the one issue that could breathe new life into the political careers of Chockwe A. Lumumba, Sister Rukia, and the vestiges of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement/Republic of New Afrika.
If the Horhn administration doesn't fight for "water rights," they'll be attacked relentlessly by that crowd. Just my $0.02.
May 1, 2026 at 8:56 AM, are you talking about Republicans, or are you talking about Trump?
I truly can't think of a bigger group of idiots. There should be a law---only 2 dumb asses allowed in a room at one time.
Wingate---you can't be this damn stupid. Water Board needs to be set up now so the training can take place. Nobody is usurping your "power" over this situation. Damn, buy a clue. Laying this at your feet, Judge, because you had the power to stop this crap. And you didn't.
Apparently the judge or the haters understand what it was like shitting in Walmart bags for three weeks straight because of no water pressure or peeing in a Home Depot bucket or hanging around motels begging folks checking out to allow bathroom access due to no water. Grateful to sanitation workers for emptying feces filled containers. Thank you Governor for trying to save us from incompetence and fools! We, the citizens, do appreciate your effort. It's the ones wanting to steal the money that don't care.
8:23, because their competence at basic things (such as math) is as bad as yours: a majority of a nine member board is five, not four. So that's reason number one.
Two, the City was under a USEPA consent decree for their failure to properly operate the sewer system since 2013, thus subject to losing control and authority of the system; then they violated all the covenents of their lenders - the private markets and the State of Missisisppi by not properly maintaining the system, paying its bills, or paying the loans. Same kind of situation you would face if you failed to pay your car note or your mortgage. In addition to those little minor things, they received notices of the failure of the water to be properly treated back in 2018 and the Mayor violated the federal and state law by not letting the public -- or the City Council -- know of the failure as he hid the notification.
The state has a responsibility to the citizens - those who live in Jackson and those who visit - to ensure the safety of this basic utility. Since the City has shown its inability to provide that safety, they don't get to control it at this point.
lol
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