Jackson Free Press

The Jackson City Council discussed bills the city is supporting in the Legislature at a morning committee meeting.

Council President Frank Bluntson wanted to talk about transportation funds specifically.

"It looks like we're not getting nearly what we should get from the (state) Department of Transportation," Bluntson said. "Is there some kind of process that we can appeal to the U.S. Department of Transportation to let them know it looks like we are being discriminated against in Jackson, Miss.? Because it's a shame what we get, and what we don't get."

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said that years ago, the city of Jackson agreed to take over state highways inside city limits. Now, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is saying it will take those highways back if the city gets them to "state A" standards. "That would cost millions and millions and millions of dollars," the mayor said.

The city of Jackson will support several bills in the Legislature this session.

The legislative committee also discussed:

• The city supports requiring scrap-metal businesses to track VIN numbers from vehicles brought to their sites. These records, similar to what pawnbrokers keep, would be accessible to police when investigating stolen vehicles.

• City officials and the Jackson Police Department would like the state to enact an attempted-murder category. Right now, Mississippi has no such classification.

City administrators will prepare papers of support for these three legislative items. The full City Council would have to vote on them before Thursday, city attorneys said. The council will have a special meeting Wednesday to take care of this business.