Mississippi's legislature seeks to overtake governance of Jackson's troubled water system

by

kobee vance

• Published on February 8, 2023 • Comments

Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, at the speaker's well, is surrounded by Democratic lawmakers, as he speaks against suggested legislation that would transfer ownership of the water system from the city of Jackson to a new public entity managed by a nine-member board selected by the mayor, governor and lieutenant governor, at the state Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Jackson, Miss. The bill passed the body and goes to the House.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

Mississippi lawmakers agree that Jackson’s water system needs assistance to be fully restored, but parties are divided on how that should be done. Both chambers debated bills yesterday that are opposed by the majority of Jackson lawmakers.

Kobee Vance

Mississippi's legislature seeks to overtake governance of Jackson's troubled water system

Senate Bill 2889 would take authority of Jackson’s water systems away from the city and place it under a board of supervisors appointed by the Mayor, Governor and other lawmakers. Republican Senator David Parker of DeSoto authored the bill. He says his daughter lives in Jackson, and his personal experience while visiting prompted the legislation.

Parker says “I think we’re offering a solution based on the recommendations of the receiver, and based on the concerns of the citizens and the rate payers in that district.”

Democratic Senator John Horne of Jackson spoke against the bill, saying no members of the Jackson delegation nor city officials have requested this change.

“The Reciever just got here, why don’t we give him a chance to do his job,” asked Horne. “Why are we inserting ourselves in a process three or four weeks after this gentleman gets here to try to essentially usurp his authority.”

Jackson’s water billing system was also being questioned in the House, where Independent Representative Shanda Yates of Jackson authored and presented House Bill 698.

Yates says this legislation “would make sure that billing is equitable in fact, and that billing is based on the amount of water that customers are actually using.”

Representative Yates says this legislation was authored when the federally appointed third-party manager announced plans to bill water users based on property value. Democratic Representative De’Keither Stamps of Jackson spoke against the bill.

“I am thoroughly pissed off with the water situation in Jackson, and the billing situation in Jackson,” says Stamps. “But we should not hurt every municipality in the State of Mississippi because of the billing situation in the City of Jackson.”

Both bills passed their respective chambers despite pushback from the majority of Jackson and Hinds County lawmakers.