Jackson Free Press

Mississippi Alliance for State Employees President Brenda Scott has been a union organizer for almost two decades. During that time, she's become good at advocating for employees, often with a very loud voice.

Scott announced the unionization of Jackson employees within the first year of Mayor Frank Melton's term, but has decided to run against the mayor this year. Scott believes that she can greatly improve the city by prioritizing the efficiency of the police department, and says her background in worker organization makes her sensitive to the needs of city workers and the community that depends upon them.

(Your campaign manager) Terry Cassereino said you want to up the number of city police officers to 650?Why 650?
Safety is the most important issue. According to the (1999) Linder-Maple study, the city needs 650 officers, an additional 250 or so officers. Their current pay rates are about $23,000 a year, which adds up to about $5 million. That's not including benefits or the raises that workers are talking about.

Which would make (some council members) go pale.
think we can get to that by looking at federal funding. I've talked about a commuter tax for people who commute to Jackson every day but don't contribute anything to the economy for the services they receive.

Will that come out of their paychecks?
That's something we'll work out with the Hinds County (legislative) delegation. It probably will require legislative action.

The Legislature hasn't favored that. You've worked with them.
But you have to get them to understand that this is the capital city. This is the seat of government. The capital city should be a magnet for tourism, and the only way we can address the needs of the city regarding the police force has to be the state, because the city residents are taxed out.

Don't you think Madison and Rankin County would prefer to just move the Capitol and government buildings out to Rankin or Madison County?
I'm not sure about that because a lot of these city buildings are sitting here tax-free. … We're about attracting and maintaining residency here. If we aggressively market our city by addressing the needs of the city, I think Jackson and Rankin County will complement each other. It just takes new leadership from someone who isn't tied to the past. … I've worked very close with the Legislature as president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees. I have a relationship that I've built with them, and we've accomplished things while we've been working together. I think I have a track record of many successes with the Legislature in representing my members, and I think it takes that kind of background working with elected leaders … to address the needs of this capital city.

If Republican senators had a chance to vote for you as mayor, would they vote for you?
I don't shy away from people, whether they are Republican or Democrat. I speak to the needs of the people that I represent. I've always represented the public sector, and that means also advocating for the people they serve. So, because I advocate adequate staffing and training or whatever, that's for the people to get quality service. So you can't separate what I've done in the past and what I'll do as mayor. My working relationship has a proven record. I've even gotten Republican support.

Then the Legislature is more bipartisan than I took it for. What are your plans to help the city's crumbling streets and the aging sewer system?
Infrastructure is another drawing point because public safety and infrastructure are closely related. Our roads and streets are filled with potholes. We need to look at addressing that. Go over to the MetroCenter Mall, and there's just a roller-coaster ride around it.

I take my bike over to Metro Circle all the time, just for the entertainment value. You can get lifted into the air about 30 feet. You don't even have to go over 30 mph to do it, really.
I know what you're talking about. (Scott makes a sweeping motion with her hand to signify lift-off.) Infrastructure has to be addressed. There are some plans to redo this street or that street, but as long as we just put a Band-Aid over the problem, we'll never really succeed. I think I've heard it will cost close to $70 million to really address the city's road problems.

And then more every year for upkeep, which is frightening.
It may be frightening, but we need to work closely with MDOT to see if there are any available funds and any federal funds that are out there. I believe if we address public safety and infrastructure then businesses will want to relocate to Jackson. With all the attractions around here, we need to have the roads that lead to them maintained.

Do you have an opinion on MDOT awarding Rankin County $14 million in stimulus money for road work, and $400,000 to Jackson for a traffic light?
That goes back to leadership. I think you have to work very closely with your federal delegation to address needs and put forth a plan. If the city will come up with a concrete plan to address this area or that area and why it's important, then you can get the federal delegation to work with Jackson. They represent the entire state, and Jackson is part of that. It shouldn't be a matter of discriminating between this city and that city.

How open will the city government be to the press?
There should be an open government. I have nothing to hide. You just have to put it out there. The council's part as the lawmaking body approves the budget, and both the council and "John Q. Public" should be able to come in and see what they need. … I have always cried out for media attention as far as the work I've done on behalf of public workers, and I get a little bit slighted when they don't show up.

You've always been a strong advocate for city employees, but what if your budget advisers say you'll need to close down some government positions because of budget constraints. Would you do it?
I would consider re-evaluating city services in order to identify waste. The frontline workers who actually do the jobs are not necessarily where the waste is. I don't think the ones that provide street servicing and water, who are out there on a daily basis, (represent) where we need to look for waste. If there are some positions at that level that can be eliminated, I don't know of any. But as you go up the chain of command there could possibly—and I'm sure there is—a lot of duplicated positions and waste.
I see. Are you willing to say this early on what waste is out there?
I don't want to name names, but I know there's a lot.

Does Jackson need a full-time police chief?
I will put together a vetting team who will review applications, and they will offer to me the most qualified person for the position.

You'd demand McMillin re-submit his application?
If that's what I'm entitled to, that's what I will demand. And I will get input from the police associations, and I'll make sure my vetting team represents the public.

How long is too long to search for a police chief?
think it will be (complete) inside six months.

Do you have a take on the school board?
I will look at only the most qualified, most dedicated and extremely interested individuals who are concerned about the well being of Jackson Public Schools.

What are some of your other major goals?
t's important that we have parks where families can enjoy themselves without fear, and getting the proper training to the police will help them do a better job of controlling the manufacturing and distribution of illegal drugs. I believe that justice needs to be administered swiftly but fairly and that Jackson should be a magnet for tourism.
I believe that if we can address that kind of a vision that we will be able to attract new businesses and residents to our city.
We need to talk about eliminating this adversarial relationship between the council and the mayor. One way to do that is to make sure my budget committee gets the budget to the council in a timely fashion so (the council) can ask questions—and maybe we can do some compromising—so when we come out to the media to address the budget there is more of an air of cooperation.

What's your response to the idea that you, as a union person, will bankrupt the city with employee pay raises?
I've been working for the last 20 years with the Mississippi Legislature, and I've never been attributed to bankrupting the state. … I know that public employees are paid through the budget. Budgets have to be negotiated yearly. … You have seven council members elected from seven different wards. I'll have qualified people putting (the) budget together. If they're qualified they'll not put the city in a position for bankruptcy. Right now the state is in a financial bind, and not one time has anybody heard me come out and ask for a pay raise for the state employees, even though the cost of living has gone up six or seven percent. You have to prioritize the needs of the city as well as the state, and I'm old enough and strong enough to know when money is not there you don't write bad checks.

When you asked for city employee pay raises in the past, did you feel the money was there?
I have always asked for money when I thought the money was there, and even while you ask you must address the needs of the people. You may not get what you're asking for, but if you don't ask you won't get it. I have a budget. I write checks to pay my bills every month. When my money is depleted, I stop the checks, but I will pay my light and gas bill. You have to prioritize, and my No. 1 priority is safety. My No. 2 priority is infrastructure. We have to address the needs. We may want to address some things, but there are some things that we have to have.

How would you feel about the change in roles? You've been butting heads with bosses most of your career. Soon you could prove to be a boss. How do you come to terms with that?
I feel good about it because for the last 20 years I've been trying to hold public officials accountable to the people, so as a public official I will go in with the knowledge that I am accountable to the people. … The public has issues, but it can also offer solutions. Always keep in mind that this is a government for and by the people, and you will never be successful if you try to exclude the people.

Are you ready for another Brenda Scott to come along and criticize you about the way you're treating city employees?
I'm ready to represent the issues of the public servants who deliver a public service to the people. And I'm equally anxious to hear from the people who depend on public service at the hands of the public servants.

Read interviews with other mayoral candidates and breaking city election news at http://www.jfpelectionblog.com.