Jackson Free Press

Senate Bill 3268, which Gov. Haley Barbour signed into law March 11, authorizes the city of Jackson to hold a referendum vote on whether or not to approve an additional 1 percent sales tax increase. It is expected to annually generate at least $21 million, 70 percent of which is designated for road repair and 30 percent to hire and maintain police and firefighters.

Language in the bill, however, could allow people living outside the largely Democratic city to determine where the money is spent, or place pivotal spending decisions almost entirely in the hands of Republicans.

The bill demands the city establish a nine-person commission, and mandates that "no expenditure of the revenue from the tax can be made without the commission's approval."

Four of the nine members appointed by the city mayor must come from a list of eight nominees submitted by the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership. The bill does not require that any of the eight nominees be Jackson residents—only that they "represent businesses located within the city limits of the municipality."

The governor appoints a fifth member and the lieutenant governor appoints the sixth commission member. House Speaker Billy McCoy gets to appoint the seventh member, though the Democrat's pick gets no vote and may only act as an adviser.

Of all nine members, only three may be chosen and appointed by the city mayor.

Jackson businessman Bill Dilday said the bill puts money that Jacksonians generated almost entirely under the control of people who could potentially reflect nothing of the city's population or political philosophies.

"I don't know whether or not I would have approved the 1-cent sales tax under normal circumstances, but when they put this group of overseers over the elected officials of Jackson, telling them how they can and cannot spend the money, I am vehemently opposed to the passage of this bill and will work to make sure that it doesn't get passed," Dilday said.

Dilday added that nothing would stop the commission from ultimately steering contracts for road work to businesses with personal connections to the board.

Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore, an early supporter of the tax, cited the extreme decay of city streets and said he would not have normally acquiesced to the commission stipulation. But he said he believed that the state of the city's current mayoral administration demanded the concession.

"It was the only way that we were going to get the bill passed. Ordinarily my thinking would be against it, but given the history of the Frank Melton administration for the last three and a half years, I think the commission was a safeguard, a guarantee that we were going to get the measure passed," McLemore told the Jackson Free Press. "If we had had a normal administration with a normal mayor, with somebody with some accountability, I would have protested."

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton will be in court for the third time this year, defending himself against allegations that he violated the Fourth Amendment when he destroyed a home on Ridgeway Street in 2006. The mayor has also burned down houses without MDEQ approval.

Sen. John Horhn, the bill's author and a Jackson mayoral candidate, said a mayor with good communication with the lieutenant governor, the governor and the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership would have no reason to expect the commission to not reflect the desires and the image of the city.

"As mayor I'll make sure the board reflects the makeup of Jackson, as I'll do with all boards," Horhn said.

Previous Commentsshow

MONEY QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If we had had a normal administration with a normal mayor, with somebody with some accountability, I would have protested.” I couldn't have said it better in a million years!

Kacy

Mar 17 2009

I really think that John Horn as hurt his chances of being elected to the office of Mayor especially when you jump in bed with the repubilcan party and you are a democrat. John you should remember that all of Jckson problems was not started with this mayor and that you must include the Jackson City Council also for creating alot of the mess Jackson is in right now. Dilday is right is this bill placing Jackson in the hands of our enemies? Just look the democratic appointee can't even vote and the Mayor can have only three appointments something is bad wrong with that equation!

Tony Davis

Mar 18 2009

Language in the bill, however, could allow people living outside the largely Democratic city to determine where the money is spent, or place pivotal spending decisions almost entirely in the hands of Republicans. And who the f*** are these people to tell us where the money could be spent? If this is how it's gonna be, let's have input to where our surrounding communities spend their tax money, should they want to have a referendum.

golden eagle

Mar 18 2009

People, peolpe, peolpe. Calm down. If this city stops recognizing that if people who have businesses and property in Jackson are shut out of government the city's decline will accelerate. Besides the most recent example Jackson's renaissance, the new convention center, is run by an appointed board that has members who did not live in Jackson. Jackson lost the new Braves Stadium, the possibility of investment by Magic Johnson (movie and mall complex) and who knows how many other economic development projects because Mayor Johnson and the City Council were "suspicious" of outsiders. Let's substitute quick, efficient and professional "due diligence" with "provincial phear(sp)" and grab every opportunity that comes our way. So what can the citizen's of Jackson to make this proposed board work? Identify, support and elect the best candidates for Mayor and Council.

FrankMickens

Mar 18 2009

I don't think anyone is saying outsiders cannot invest in Jackson. At least I don't take that attitude. But it's not right that somebody from, say, Tupelo, can tell us how much we can spend on fixing up our streets. Will a Jacksonian be able to tell Tupelo's mayor how to run his or her city?

golden eagle

Mar 18 2009

This is a very important story for Jacksonians.People need to know about this whole tax package. I seriously question why it is no longer in your home page items. Many people in Jackson do not know about the commission and given what you have done since about 3:00 PM they will not know from the JFP. Don't you think this should be one of your most prominent articles? I hope it is not being buried because it is not flattering to John Horhn!!! I have always thought the JFP was dedicated to enlightening the people of Jackosn. Burying something as important as this is nto the way to bring information to the people.

wellington

Mar 18 2009

You're all missing the most important piece of this puzzle.. Jacksonians aren't going to vote for the tax raise anyway. Who in their right mind would vote to raise their own taxes? Especially in a city where most of the population is financially struggling. So, it doesn't matter who controls it, they won't get the chance to control it in the first place.

LambdaRisen

Mar 18 2009

Jacksonians aren't going to vote for the tax raise anyway. Who in their right mind would vote to raise their own taxes? Jacksonians did vote to raise taxes for the convention center. That tax has now expired. They also did so for JPS to build three new schools which just recently broke ground. And some more food for thought: Jacksonians are not the only ones who will pay these taxes. Out-of-towners will too, for whatever goods and services that will be taxed.

golden eagle

Mar 19 2009

LambdaRisen, The citizen's of Jackson are not crazy and we have demonstrated our committment to improve the city/county with our tax dollars three times in the last 5 years. We approved increased taxes for the convention center, school bond issue and two penal facilities (no vote on penal projects because no formal objection was filed). When Jacksonians are presented with a need, are educated on how and when the money will be spent, are assuranced that the money will be used as advertised and feel that the money will have some form of non-elected official oversight body(convention center board, JPS appointed school board, Hinds Co Bd of Supervisors-weil 2 out of 3 ain't bad - and the HCBS management of their bond isssues only reinforce the need for an appointed oversight board for all bond issues), we say yes with our tax dollars. When the well off (mostly surburban)folks tax themselves to send their kids to private school you don't call them crazy. When the well off (mostly surburban)folks tax themselves to live far from their jobs in the city in the form of commute time and gas expense,you don't call them crazy. When the well off (mostly surburban)folks tax themselves to pay higher home insurance premiums because their surburban communities don't have the same quality of fire fighting protection as Jackson,you don't call them crazy. But when the citizen's of Jackson vote to pay for what they need you characterized them as "crazy". It's also funny that you have just implied that when Jacksonians gets something without paying for it we are welfare queens sucking off of the real "productive" americans, and if Jacksonians vote to raise our taxes we are crazy. Sterotyped if you do, sterotyped if you don't. Methinks I smell a Republican in our midst. Finally, I think Gov Barbour has been given plenty of rope by the Melton administration to place all kinds of "protective constraint's" on any new tax dollars generated by Jackson. Remember it was Melton's administration that had 1)"no-bid" contracts for lawn cutting companies Melton created, 2)went to Louisiana for "emergency debris removal contractors (no-bid), 3)lost millions of Federal grant dollars due to not filing paperwork, 4)refused to accept $300,000 a year from the Ms Medical Center as a fee in lieu of taxes. Based upon my brief listing of the incompetent actions above I think we all can say that the Melton administration and all of his appoinjted managers CAN be characterized as crazy. Methinks I smell a Democrat among us

FrankMickens

Mar 19 2009

@golden eagle: Yes, but we weren't in a depression when we voted for those things. I remember them well. And I voted for both. But I won't vote for this one. @The Casual Observer: As a Jacksonian myself I can say that indeed, most of Jackson is crazy, especially the current government.. but that's another story. I wouldn't trust them to take my dog for a walk much less handle my money. ;]

LambdaRisen

Mar 19 2009

I think a commission is a wonderful idea. I don't exactly have the most confidence in Kenny Stokes and Frank Melton to spend the money wisely (or, in Melton's case, at all).

QB

Mar 19 2009

LambdaRisen, Agreed! GoldenEagle, Sorry to hear that we won't have your support this time. In any case I hope you enjoy ridng on the repaired roads your fellow Jacksonians will gift you with when we vote to improve our streets and police force with our tax dollars...oh I forgot, if it passes you will have to pay anyway. I am so, so, so, sorry :)

FrankMickens

Mar 19 2009

I never told you how I would vote.

golden eagle

Mar 19 2009

most of Jackson is crazy What statistic do you have to prove this? :P

golden eagle

Mar 19 2009

I agree Melton violated the allowing the Bids on several major contract with the City of Jackson but let's remember that the Jackson City Council voted to accept and pay for those illegal contracts. I guess that Crisler will have another excuse for thisone also. The people will vote and with the restrains placed on them by Haley Barbour I feel that most citizens will vote it down which in my opinion was bill designed for political reasons and not for helping the citizens of Jackson. This seem to be be passed in a election year when the problem has exists for several years. My suggestion is that Barbour appoint three Jacksonians to serve on boards to decide how Madison and Rankin spent their tax dollars and I would then support this bill 100%. If not it's just another con game!

Tony Davis

Mar 19 2009

From what I have read the hope is this bill will be approved by the Justice Dept. to be placed on the June 2nd ballott. that means a new mayor and city council will implement it. There is no doubt in any thinking person's mind that Melton has less chance of getting reelected than a snowball has of existing in hell. Why should a new mayor and city counci(which will probably have four new members) have to bear the burden of having non Jackson resident tell them how to spend Jackson's money. This is totally wrong.

wellington

Mar 19 2009

Shame on you Senator Horn and you want to be Mayor of the City of Jackson? Did you read your own bill before you signed it? I am also outraged with all of the signatures this bill received from African Americans. This bill has the potential of more of the same and for sure it will not do anything to address issues of the population served. What were you thinking Senator Horn?

justjess

Mar 19 2009