Legislature’s Sales-Tax Change Unconscionable
Quietly, lawmakers extended the list of items that are off limits to 1-percent tax collectors. Now, city officials say that the $15 million they were hoping to collect could be …
Put Sideshows Aside in GOP Primary Runoff
Once again, public officials in Mississippi have thrust our state into the national spotlight. And once again, it's not for anything positive.
Under Tougher Policing, Know Your Rights
The Jackson Police Department and office of Mayor Tony Yarber are making no bones about the fact that the city's posture toward fighting crime will be increased police visibility, more …
Media: Stop Feeding Bloodthirst Toward Kids
No doubt, research shows that treating even guilty minor suspects as adults increases recidivism and their chances of committing more severe crimes later.
Gov. Phil Bryant Must Explain 2681 Support
Either Gov. Phil Bryant has no idea what is happening in his own state—or he isn't being forthright about his motives for signing SB 2681, the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration …
Justice System Should Help, Not Just Punish
Last summer, a SWAT team descended on the home of a man named Cornealious "Mike" Anderson in a quiet suburb of St. Louis, Mo., and took him to jail. The …
Voter ID Is Here, Like It or Not
On June 4, for the first time in modern history, Mississippi voters will be required to show a government-issued photo-identification card before submitting a ballot. Registration for that election—the Republican …
City: Make Smart Decisions on Contracts, Department Heads
From where we sit, mayors put too many people into key city roles, such as Planning and Public Works, for political or personal reasons.
Jackson Needs a Transparency Movement
Every time Jackson has a city election, the Jackson Free Press news team spends the last week or so following the money, trying to track down shadowy, unregistered or unreported, …
Bypass the Legislature on MAEP, Medicaid LGBT Rights
In the past six years alone, under a Republican-led Senate and, until 2012, a Democratic-led House of Representatives, MAEP has been shorted by more than $1 billion.
Stop the Death Penalty Now, Mississippi
If you were unsure last week whether Mississippi should immediately declare a moratorium on the death penalty, then now it's hard to deny the evidence.
Show Us the Campaign Money—On Time
On Tuesday, April 1, candidates seeking the office of Jackson mayor are required to submit their campaign-finance reports.
Stop the Execution of Michelle Byrom
Michelle Byrom is clearly not guilty of the crime for which the state plans to execute her next week.
Stop Endangering Lives with ‘Hot’ Police Pursuits
Here in Jackson, the police department has caught up with modern criminal-justice best practices based on the reality that high-speed police pursuits must be limited to situations where the risk …
Take a Breath, Jackson
Still, it is completely irresponsible for both elected officials and supposedly "real" media outlets to spread the rumor that Lumumba was murdered.
State Worker Pay Raise Could Jumpstart Economy
Last month, in a story that didn't receive a huge amount of media coverage, state economist Darrin Webb told a legislative panel that the state of Mississippi is—not projected to …
Yes, We Need To Continue Talking About ‘It’
People who go through structured discussions that focus on race and culture in America frequently report that it can dramatically change their lives.
Felons Deserve Voting Rights Back
Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General, wants states to roll back laws that prevent people who have been convicted of a felony from voting.
Embrace All Forms of Downtown Housing
The building at 300 W. Capitol St. is the nicest public housing in the state. Or so its last two occupants—currently, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, and his predecessor, Haley Barbour—like …
Editorial: Shop Local, Shop the Best
When we launched the Best of Jackson reader poll back in 2002, we did it in part because we wanted people to fully grasp all of the wonderful and unique …
