An open letter to the 22 Jackson mayoral candidates

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Last Friday, we were officially informed that you filed the necessary documents to run for the office of Mayor of the City of Jackson, Mississippi. Consequently, we are seeking detailed information regarding your positions on issues of importance to Jacksonians.

Obtaining this information is of vital importance because: 1) there are 22 candidates running, many of whom are new to the political arena; 2) too often votes are cast without sufficient knowledge of where the candidates stand on crucial issues; and 3) the city currently faces challenges from the federal and state levels not previously witnessed.

We hope you realize Jacksonians will not elect people based solely upon general matters such as their educational background, organizational affiliations, family, or name recognition. While those background details could be important, they do not speak to job-related fitness, character, or even to details regarding the municipality itself.

Jacksonians are looking for candidates with a clear vision and the skill sets required to lead us during this third decade of this new millennium. Therefore, we hope and trust that you will respond in writing to the following questions within the next two weeks. These questions:

(1) What are and how are you prepared to effectively address each of the most important challenges facing Jackson in and after 2025?

(2) What specific policies will you support to significantly increase Jackson’s revenue and tax base?

(3) What specific steps will you take to protect and improve city resources and services, such as the municipal airport, the infrastructure including streets and the water/sewage systems, policing, the libraries, and public spaces including parks?

(4) What policies and strategies will you support to strengthen working relationships with county and state offices? 

(5) What measures will you champion to move more citizens from poverty to jobs paying a living wage?

(6) What city ordinances will you recommend be passed to ensure transparency and accountability of city government activities?

We look forward to your responses and sharing them with the thousands of voters in Jackson whom are part of our print and online audiences.