Jackson Free Press

The 2013 regular Mississippi legislative session is over, and barring a call for a special session by Gov. Phil Bryant, Jackson has gotten every dime of state money it will get this year.

So who got what, who is happy, and who is left wanting? Let's take a look.

The biggest winner was Jackson State University, which received $11.3 million for renovation of Alexander Hall, as well as maintenance on several other buildings. The school also received $6.4 million for various projects, including $1.5 million to build a new baseball facility and $1.5 million to address landscaping and irrigation work on the Lynch Street Corridor Renovation Project.

In that same bond bill, Senate Bill 2913, adopted April 1, the Legislature approved funds for the Jackson Zoo, the Children's Museum, Thalia Mara Hall, Parham Bridges Park and the Woodrow Wilson bridge that spans Mill Street and the train tracks.

The Jackson Zoo will receive $1 million for pathway paving and maintenance. The Children's Museum is allotted $600,000 for improvements, including a "literacy garden."

Thalia Mara Hall, one of the city's most important entertainment venues, is set for a $2 million makeover including restroom updates, heating, venting and air-conditioning upgrades and work to help the building be compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act before the International Ballet Competition scheduled for 2014.

The city received $3 million to help pay for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge renovations, and Parham Bridges Park received $100,000 to make its tennis courts into a regional venue for the sport.

"We have faired well this session in the city of Jackson," Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said Thursday afternoon. "One of the major things we wanted out of the session was money to help with the rehabilitation of the bridge on Woodrow Wilson over Mill Street. We had actually asked for help in the last session for them to help us out, and now we are set to receive $3 million. We had previously gotten $1 million from federal funds, so at $4 million we feel like that is enough to add some life to the bridge and stop some serious deterioration it has suffered."

It was a nice haul, but the Legislature froze out the city on a couple of other fronts.

House Bill 523 and Senate Bill 2145, either of which would have included a 1-percent sales tax increase without state oversight, died during the session.

Although it did help JSU with its regular operating needs, representatives passed on pledging any money toward a proposed $196.4 million domed football stadium for the school.

The Legislature also chose to keep the Department of Revenue in Clinton instead of moving it into the Landmark Center downtown, a plan Johnson called "important" for the growth of downtown.

"Overall, this legislative session was good to the city of Jackson," Johnson said. "We could always use more help, but we're appreciative of the help we received. This money will help us, in many ways, to preserve our cultural and entertainment venues, as well as with infrastructure with the bridge."

Officials at Jackson State University did not respond in time for this story.