- City of Jackson has informed neighbors on MLK Drive they may be assessed up to $15,000 to pay for reconstruction of the street
- City says it needs just shy of $1M to match a $6.8M American Rescue Plan grant for the project
- City Manager will look for ways to lower assessments
- Video shows contentious Ward 1 meeting, MLK neighborhood, and neighbor discussing need for reconstruction
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your Fox 47 neighborhood reporter Darius Udrys here at Jackson's Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor — a spot where the city has big redevelopment plans. But neighbors here are worried about what it might cost.
Brian Mashburn, Neighbor: "It's one of the better roads in Jackson…."
Brian Mashburn has lived on MLK for five years, and questions the need for an expensive makeover…
Brian Mashburn: "We don't have potholes, like most of the other streets. It doesn't make sense in a dollars and cents situation for a city that claims to be broke."
It's those dollars that have Mashburn and some others concerned as the city looks to invest in the area. The City of Jackson sent out notices in January saying properties on MLK Drive may each be assessed up to $15,000 for reconstruction of the street. The overall amount the City says it needs to raise? Just shy of $1M.
At Thursday night's Ward 1 neighborhood meeting, the mood was contentious. MLK reconstruction was topic number one.
Jimmy Williams, Neighbor and Business Owner: "You've got people that's not even here yet."
Jonathan Greene, City Manager: "I know"
Jimmy Williams: "But they're all on a fixed income."
Jonathan Greene: "And they all have a voice, and they all have to be able to participate."
Jimmy Williams: "I'm speaking for everybody."
Jonathan Greene: "Thank you very much. I wish you'd appreciate how much City Council is thinking about them, too."
Jimmy Williams: "See, that's what you say. That's something I ain't going to believe."
City Manager Jonathan Greene, whose voice you hear responding, says the City won a $6.8M grant for the project from the American Rescue Plan. But the grant requires a local match. How much neighbors would need to chip in remains to be determined.
Jimmy Williams: "You came out already talking about a million dollars. You came out and said 'I need a million dollars'."
Jonathan Greene: "I did. I totally did."
Jimmy Williams: "And if that was the case, you shouldn't even say that."
Greene promised to look for alternatives to these assessments.
Jonathan Greene: "At the last City Council meeting, City Council said: Mister Manager, we had this hearing of necessity. Sounds like people are a little concerned about what these assessments are. What are some options we can have to lower assessments?"
A skeptical voice from the crowd fired back: "Don't lower it. Just pay it."
PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS REPORT:
I'm your Fox 47 neighborhood reporter Darius Udrys here at Jackson's Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor — a spot where the city has big redevelopment plans. But neighbors here are worried about what it might cost.
Brian Mashburn, Neighbor: "It's one of the better roads in Jackson…."
Brian Mashburn has lived on MLK for five years, and questions the need for an expensive makeover.
Brian Mashburn: "We don't have potholes, like most of the other streets. It doesn't make sense in a dollars and cents situation for a city that claims to be broke."
It's those dollars that have Mashburn and some others concerned as the city looks to invest in the area. The City of Jackson sent out notices in January saying properties may each be assessed up to $15,000 for reconstruction of this street.
How much neighbors would need to chip in remains to be determined. But neighbors I talked to are concerned how that additional assessment would affect those on fixed incomes who struggle to pay their taxes.
I contacted the City's spokesperson Aaron Dimick about where we are in the process.
He says an assessment wouldn't necessarily reach the $15,000 maximum. And residents, he says, are free to petition the City in opposition.
If more than 50% of property owners affected sign on, it would require a supermajority of 6 out of 7 City Council members to approve.
I'm told such a petition is already in motion.
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