I just finished watching the Lee - Lumumba Debate on WAPT. Lumumba ate Jonathan's lunch! Lee became frustruated, anxious and tried to use interruptions to silence Lumumba. It didn't work. Experience, a broad knowledge of how goverment works and the duties, responsibilities and limitations of the Council were Lumumba's strong points.

It will be interesting to see if this debate and the next three days of heavy campaigning will have an appreciable impact on the election. According to several polls, the undecided number is around 16%.

Don't forget to VOTE: If your candidate didn't win or didn't get enough votes to make the run-off, make a decision based on facts - not fiction about the candidates who will be on the ballot.

@sarahmina

"I called the jackson Chamber for places to look in Jackson & was ultimately directed to Madison or Ridgeland. Yes, the jackson chamber."

Isn't it the Jackson Chamber that Jonathan Lee boasted about his BIG part in establishing? I rest my case.

Folks, you MUST wake up and listen to what this young man is trying to tell you: it ain't nothing pretty!

@darryl "No reason to inject race into a business transaction."

oh really!! i thought that we were discussing the privatizing of jails, prisons and public schools. The simple fact that black folks in this state are the ones who are the most adversely effected in these privately owned businesses. One of the reasons that there are so many problems in these systems is the fact that many like you do not feel/think that RACE matters.

It does.

Tight shoes do not hurt the feet of the man who is not wearing them!

@drryl "Privatizatin means less dependence on state and local government to provide funding and services. It also means net money coming in. What is not to like?"

The POWER. The ABUSE. The control: especially as it relates to jails, prisons and schools. In private jails and prisons, numbers control funding and services. There are far too many African-American males and females who are locked up for minor charges. The more prisoners the private owner has - the more money he/she makes. Guess where the money comes from? That group that you described as being "less dependence on state and local government". These private facilities are supported by state and local tax dollars.

Mississippi is about to embark on the Charter School crap. Did anyone read the national studies on Charter Schools? These are also private programs that depend on "state and local governent to provide funding" for the services they render. So, money does not come in: the money goes out. The benefit of these two private systems should be the rehabilitation of prisoners and the production of students who are on grade level and with the academic ability to compete. Please know that when a child is taken out of a public school and enrolled in a Charter School, his/her money is taken from the public school and is given to the private corporation.

It ain't happening in either setting! The END does no justify the MEAN. Isn't this enough "not to like"?

I agree, robbier. This young man is on the move and has been a "fantastic and refreshing Council President". If he continues on this positive path, in four years, he should be ready to run for Mayor of the City of Jackson. It's not everyday that you meet young people with so much depth and understanding.

Keep up the good work, Yarbor. Many are watching and talking about your political future. The things that I am hearing are all GOOD!

My simple question is: why now, jonathan?

I'm all for the sell of unused City properties for the sake of business development; however all of the privitization plans make me nervous - to say the least.

Oh, I forgot about this. At the televised debate, each candidate was asked to tell the audience about temselves. When Johnson gave a short laundry list of his experiences and accomplishments, some in the crowd booed!

why????????

@ Frank Mickins
".....these were not innuendo; both were on public record." Thanks Mr. Mickins! I am among the mourners of a candidate I supported but lost. The defeat was not half as bad as the so called "scorched-earth" campaign waged aganst him: pre and post election.

I worked as a volunteer on election day at Green Elementary School. I actually witnessed a police officer become disrespectful and just plain low down and nasty when Kathy Johnson, the Mayor's wife, kindly and gently ask him, "Will you please consider voting for Harvey Jonson?" There was total disrespect and disregard to her. Voters can and should be able to vote for the candidate of ther choice; however, when one is willing to take personal jabs and spread lies, this is a poblem.

We have many people in this city who are low informational political participants. There are others who criticize the fact that ALL streets in Jackson are not paved - some worse than others; yet, we are willing to listen to those who say, "He hasn't done anythng" or "The mayor lives in Madison." As Mr. Mickens said in his blog about public record re Lee's judgements and Quinn's bankruptcies , this lie could have been dispelled by simply checking public records. The Mayor's home phone is also a public list.

Many pretend to be so concerned about crime. Most of the crime that is committed in Jackson is Black on Black. The murders are done to and by people who know each other - people who should love each other. When "Scorched-Politics" are used against an opponent, it fuels the fire of negativity and encourage far too many to become aggressive, rude, cruel and socially unacceptabal: It then takes away the oppotunity for a people who have trust and positive hope issues. It also diminishes the capcity for any thoughts of a brighter future.

Yes Ladd, we MUST do better; otherwise, Jackson will not become a "Destination City"; it will become the City destined for failure!

Key to this technology is that citizens can now be assured of objectivity. The van does not know who lives on first. The Mayor has used a system in the past and I think it was called: The Worst/First - meaning that streets were fixed in the order of severity.

Mayor Johnson is constantly looking for ways to ensure citizens of his policy on fairness: The City's new hire,"a funny-looking white van" will assist in this task.