Wednesday, August 25, 2010

JJ obtains letters between Jackson & State on water bonds

JJ obtained through public records requests copies of all correspondence between the City of Jackson and various state agencies regarding the proposed $6 million in bonds that would fund improvements to Jackson's water system.

Mayor Johnson sent the first letter to the Bond Commission on August 5, the day after he learned the bond package was not approved by the state. Mr. Johnson asks the Bond Commission to reconsider its decision. He states on page two Jackson will be forced to rely on local resources despite the fact there are actually TWO loan funds available to Jackson through the Mississippi Department of Health and Department of Environmental Quality. JJ pointed this out in an earlier post and the Governor confirmed it in the letter he sent to Jackson on August 16. Ignorance because a few days later, Attorney General Jim Hood stated in a letter on August 12 the City of Jackson never submitted an application for the loans (funded by the bonds) as stated in the law. The Mayor responded to Mr. Hood in a letter on August 13 that while the law required Jackson to make an application to the Mississippi Development Authority, it didn't state what the application "should include" or what form it should be. It should be pointed out the bill didn't become law until July 1 so MDA probably has not had time to craft an application.

The Johnson administration submitted an "application" on August 11 to MDA in the form of a letter. The MDA told JJ no application had been submitted but it did receive a letter from the Mayor. However, Mayor Johnson does have a point in that apparently no formal application exists.

These letters illustrate JJ's contention. Mayor Johnson didn't read the law and assumed he would automatically get the six million dollars. He included the assumed money in his budget for the 2011 fiscal year. He got caught with his pants down when he found out there were some procedures he had to follow before he could get his money. Instead of meeting with the Bond Commission to determine what was needed to get approval, he instead ran to every tv camera in Jackson and attacked everyone he thought responsible. His administration didn't bother to even follow the law and ask MDA for the funds until a week later. The question still remains as to why Jackson should pursue this route when there are some pretty good loans with better terms available from the state.




Note to the Jackson Free Press: While you complain about the Legislature supposedly singling out Jackson by imposing the application requirement on Jackson and painting it as racism on the part of the legislature, perhaps you should actually read HB# 1701. If you did, you might see who actually sponsored the bill: Watson, Peranich, Holland, Scott, Clark, Coleman (29th), Reynolds, and Dedeaux. ALL were Democrats. HALF of them were blacks. Yeah Donna and Adam, this was a bill passed by racist Republicans in the legislature that hate Jackson. Perhaps you should go ask the Black friggin Caucus why they put this in the bill. Bill (Section 50).

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that the Fondren Bugle will be posting something that makes the rejections of Jackson's "application" a race issue.

Because, anything that happens to the detriment of Jackson is "always" along racial lines.... according to the Fondren Tablog.

Kingfish said...

The more she and Lynch write about it, the more ignorant they look.

Anonymous said...

Ignorant. Nope. Just plain stupid.

Anonymous said...

You've cherry picked here. The bill as introduced had no such application for the city of Jackson in it, so don't go trying to say that the bill as signed by the Governor was the bill that the sponsors introduced or that they agreed with every amendment that was made along the way. Moreover, don't act as if this bill only authorized the $6 million for Jackson. It's a large bill that authorizes bonds for a lot of other projects including projects at several of the state's HBCUs. And finally, let's not act as if Democrats are universally anti-racist, especially in Mississippi, where in most circles anyone who is more than a nominal Democrat is more often than not regarded as an anti-gun, anti-fetus, pro-gay, pro-socialism scumbag.

Anonymous said...

Hey 2:15PM, you sound like you just regurgitated a Donner K cheer-leading chant. And, it appears you don't really read very well.

Face it, Harvey is inept.

And he was premature in his attack. This isn't a Democrat or Republican issue, KF simply makes points out the very partisan and censored discussions that go on over at the Fondren Bugle would never go and print the FACTS about a misstep like this and the very catalyst for the application process.

Calling Harvey out is KF's job, and frankly, JFP cannot compete on the same level because it does not support their fascist agenda (I am referring to moderated/censored discussion that is not in line with the owner).

Anonymous said...

actually HB1701, which contains the bond money, was effective on passage back in early April.

Kingfish said...

2:15: The initial bill had the provisions in Section 44 and 50 in the final bill. Except for the JRA requirement, it stayed the same as written by the bill's sponsors. Nice try.

4:14: I stand corrected.

Kingfish said...

Adam and Donna left out quite a few pertinent facts because it didn't fit their agenda. They practice what is called advocacy journalism. Factchecking indeed.

Anonymous said...

Yup. They write the "story" to fit the agenda. The upside is that beyond the baker's dozen of me-too cultists who post on the JFP tablog Ladd's reach and influence is minimal.

Anonymous said...

The Fondren Bugle still hasn't reported on the facts re: Malachi.

BUT you know if that was Melton they'd be all over that story like flies on dog shit.

KaptKangaroo said...

From the Fondren Bugle....

Banks and Harden, along with Jackson Reps. Mary Coleman, Credell Calhoun and Alyce Clarke, Rep. Walter Robinson of Bolton, and Jackson Sen. Hillman Frazier, called on the city to send an application to MDA. The legislators, all Democrats, reserved most of their energy for criticizing Barbour and the Bond Commission for not supporting much-needed improvements to the city’s water system.

What a load of horseshit. Every letter I read encouraged the city to submit an application (Barbour and Hood). Isn't there a meeting set between all of them to resolve this?

I would respond to Donner K directly, but she has censored my voice on her tablog.

Kingfish said...

Gets even better:

sound familiar?

Anonymous said...

Rick Hill continues to consume copious quantities of hallucinogenic drugs.

The only sane one is Weill who isn't afraid to tell the truth that Jackson is headed full speed towards insolvency.

Auburn Rat said...

and once insolvent the state can move in and run the 106 square miles + as a state controled district. The "Legis" issued the charter at it's good pleasure in 1822 or so and it can revoke it....and should. had to say it. It would be for the best. If the stae owne 61 percent of the realestae then it already has a majority say and should exercise same.

Auburn Rat said...

sorry for the spelling...i'm in a hurry here.

Anonymous said...

2:01, interesting thought, except that there would be cries of racism from every corner of the state. Although the idea of abolishing the city council is tempting...

Anonymous said...

I am confused why anyone would say Jackson should turn down the money from the legislature and apply for money from other loan funds?

Jackson, like every metro-city in the United states of its size, needs hundreds of millions of dollars to solve it's water/sewer infrastructure needs.

Of course Jackson will apply for the other funds, but why should that preclude Jackson from getting the funds already approved by the legislature?

Kingfish said...

Compare the terms.

Kingfish said...

For the amount of money harvey wants to spend a year on this project, he could borrow 14 million instead of six million for the same payment using the fund from the department of health.

KaptKangaroo said...

Basically it comes down to math. I know this eludes some of our representatives and the Fondren Bugle who want to politicize the discussion.

Let me see.

I want to borrow 6 dollars and it will cost me 14 dollars in repayment over the term of the loan.

OR

I can borrow 14 dollars and it will cost me 14 dollars over the terms of the loan.

Hmmmmmm.....Obivously, Haley is doing the math.

KaptKangaroo said...

The funniest part of all this reporting over at JFP....

They are debating the finer points of what "illegal" means. Freakin' waste of time.

NO COMMENTS on any of the bond issue. Too complex for their simpleton minds?

Anonymous said...

Furthermore Kappy, ol' Harv can borrow more ( >$6m but <$14m ) and pay it back o'er a much longer period of time.

But you see, he wants to have it both ways. He -- and the debt lovin' shroom freak in his finance department -- wants to bullshit Jackson that we need to re-fi bonds to the tune of a net +$10 MILLION over the new term in order to bail out the NOW but then we wants to borrow the $6 million over 7 years which hurts the immediate and near term budgets with higher annual debt service costs versus the other options available.

As far as finance math. That isn't a competency of any skill level at the Bugle.

Kingfish said...

You are right, KK. What will happen is the city's budget will implode and then they will start screaming racism and how everyone backstabbed harvey when in reality, they are too dumb to add two plus two. When I say they, I mean Ladd, Lynch, and the regular commentors.

Fondren Bugle Wisdom said...

Change equals progress. If Kenny Stokes is behind it, then it's a good idea.

posted by Walt (aka Ray Carter who lives in Dinsmor) on 08/24/10 at 05:51 PM

Don't Expect the Bugle to Understand Any of This said...

"Why should we issue $6 million in bonds...for the same amount it took to pay them off, Jackson can borrow $15 million, and the $15 million is 83% federal money," Governor Barbour said.

Anonymous said...

"Basically it comes down to math. I know this eludes some of our representatives and the Fondren Bugle who want to politicize the discussion.

Let me see.

I want to borrow 6 dollars and it will cost me 14 dollars in repayment over the term of the loan.

OR

I can borrow 14 dollars and it will cost me 14 dollars over the terms of the loan.

Hmmmmmm.....Obivously, Haley is doing the math. "

I had heard these rumors that Repubs are good at math... ;-)

Anonymous said...

4:13 can you summarize down to a point?

KaptKangaroo said...

OK.

For all the cof-fee drink-ing Fond-r-en Be-a-u-gle....sorry I was speaking slowly for others to understand.

Let me summarize the situation.

Jackson needs work.

Jackson needs works done to water system.

Jackson needs money.

Jackson needs money to pay for work done to water system.

HOW?

Listen to Barbour, Hood, the Feds, and everyone else that seems to know what to do, but continues to elude the current Jackson City leadership, and especially their Buglers.

Anonymous said...

7:30 I'll type slowly for your benefit. The quotation marks (those funy little, um " " " things, at the beginning and end of MOST of my post mean I was quoting a previous post. Ask the poster of the original to use smaller words if you don't understand it. The little " ;-) " (that's called an EMOTICON) is something used on the inner webs here to indicate a JOKE (hint: if someone has to explain a joke to you, you'll never get it). The emoticom came at the end of the eleven words I added, hinting that the Dems in Jackson City Council can'r handle finances, which apparently is news to some people. That nice Mr Barbour expalined very carefully how the Jackson government could accomplish ehat they need to do, but save the few remaining taxpayers in Jackson a lot of money by doing it a different way.

Anonymous said...

KF, You didn't zap 11:32? What's up? You usually zap personal bashing, and the rest of the message was purely redundant to what has already been said. Nothing of quality has been added by 11:32.

Are we going to snap at each other like children on JJ, or are we going to act like adults?

I vote to ZAP!!

Anonymous said...

You are a complete numbskull 5:54 PM. If you crave banning and zapping then please head over the JFP and enjoy the self-adoration over there.

KaptKangaroo said...

I don't want to vote to zap you 5:54 PM, I want you zapped just to piss you off. Moron! This is not a democracy, this is Jackson Jambalaya!

KaptKangaroo said...

Actually, the JFP would ban that type of post, because, you know, they like, censor their comments and any opposing view to suit their message.

So as the previous poster mentioned, go back to romper room. Your simpleton needs will be met.

KaptKangaroo said...

For all those who want a good laugh and yet ANOTHER example of one-sided, partisan presentation of a complex issue spoon-fed to what appears to be the last bastion of readers at the JFP, look no further to the most recent article from Donner K herself.

She contends that illegal immigration is GOOD in terms of employment and productivity. She fails to present several factors in her simpleton approach:
1. Social Costs - medical, schooling, and the loss of educational effectiveness for our children b/c of overcrowding non-tax paying illegals
2. She does not show the states where these Large Populations of Illegal's reside. I bet it is in states like TX, CA, AZ. Hmmmm. Given the numbers game, you can hide a lot of people in those numbers.
3. She does nothing to discuss the economic impact of the costs to enforce the immigration laws or lack there of. These costs are very real, and would be higher if we were not applying the band-aid of an approach we have now.

So, Donner....Bumpity bump, bump, bump

When will the JFP figure out that presenting the entire discussion is what readers are after, they haven't yet, I do not expect them to anytime soon. To approach the immigration issue on a level of defining the word "illegals" was perfect fodder for the JFP; to attempt a real analysis of the impact of immigration in a comprehensive manner will not happen over there. I mean, why even try?

Anonymous said...

Fox News does a pretty good job of presenting guests who advocate for both (or all) sides of an issue. This terrifies the likes of DOnner K and her ilk who then get apoplectic that conservative guests are allowed to present their arguments. This leads them to state, over and over and over, that Fox is a "conservative" network. I think people like her really are delusional, in thinking that sticking to the one narrow, very liberal viewpoint, and ignoring all others, makes themselves "moderate". They really can't stand to hear anything that challenges their worldview. I've seen the "Rev" Al Sharpton more on Fox than I've seen Sean Hannity interviewed in the JFP.



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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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