Council Member responds to Mayor Conger’s proposed budget changes
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the Editor: Standing Firm for the Citizens and First Responders of The City of Jackson
I was deeply unsettled after reading Mayor Conger’s social media post following Thursday’s City Council agenda review meeting. During that meeting, council members made it clear that there is no appetite for imposing the Mayor’s proposed tax increases on the hard-working citizens of Jackson.
In response, the Mayor’s new proposal—shared on social media Friday evening—suggests defunding critical needs of our city’s police and fire departments. Using the lives and safety of our first responders as political leverage to justify a tax increase represents a disturbing new low. I will not be bullied into raising taxes on our citizens, and I certainly will not support any plan that endangers the brave men and women who serve and protect our community. Let me be clear: I will not vote to defund the police or our firefighters, and I strongly believe my fellow council members will stand firm on this as well.
The safety of our citizens and our first responders will remain our top priority.
As outlined in Section 20 of the City Charter, it is the City Council—not the Mayor—that holds the authority to apportion and appropriate all funds and to levy taxes. In past years, the Mayor has attempted to advance his agenda by overstepping this authority. That ends now.
I look forward to working collaboratively with my fellow council members to find responsible, effective solutions that serve the best interests of Jackson’s citizens. We have both the duty and the authority to do so, and I have full confidence in this Council’s ability to meet that responsibility with integrity.
I also want to thank the many citizens who have reached out to share their concerns. Your continued involvement is vital. A transparent and participatory government process leads to better outcomes—and it is the essence of our democracy. We are, indeed, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Sincerely,
Jackson City Council Member
Candace Busby
