Jackson Free Press

Ward 6 Councilman Tony Yarber is spending a lot more on campaign payroll than attorney Chokwe Lumumba.

Tim Howard, the treasurer for the Committee to Election Chokwe A. Lumumba, told the Jackson Free Press this morning that he was away from his office and couldn't say exactly how much the campaign has spent on salaries.

However, Howard told a JFP reporter the campaign regularly pays three individuals—Adofo Minka, Geanette Ross and Brittany Gray—with each earning $500 per week.

Lumumba's April 15 pre-runoff campaign report shows that Minka received $1,850, Ross received $2,000, and Gray received $1,700—$5,550 total. Other individuals receiving compensation were paid once or twice or twice, Howard said.

Meanwhile, Yarber's committee has doled out more than $31,466 for payroll during the eight-week campaign cycle.

Of that total:

• $10,000 marked "field" went to Floyd Smith.

• $7,091.61 went to Theresa Kennedy

• $4,000 to went to Yarber (officials with his campaign said Yarber draws a salary because he suspended his employment as an educational consultant and motivational speaker to run for the mayor's office).

• $2,536 went to Janene Tillman

• $2,340 was paid to campaign communications director Pam Confer

• $2,054 went to Kimberly Bracey

All campaign-finance reports received to date are posted at http://www.jfp.ms/documents.