The Hancock County Republican Women delivered a great event for the voters in Hancock County last night at the Diamondhead City Hall presenting the Republican candidates for office for the August 6, primaries and November General Election, for those who survive August.
The format was very good; the questions were very good, and you just can’t be Joe Gex as a moderator. The only thing lacking was pre-event publicity. So, we’ll do some post-event coverage today.
For the most part the State Officials sent representatives to speak on their behalf. The State level candidates appearing to speak for themselves were:
Public Service Commissioner:
Dane Maxwell, current Mayor of Pascagoula, who said his number one promise to the voters would be to incarcerate all RoBo callers. Maxwell pointed out that he took the lead in DC on the Miss. flooding issue meeting with the Corps of Engineers. He said that he is also the only candidate who has ever actually worked with the PSC.
Kelvin Schultz said if he is elected to PSC, his first priority would be to establish a full time Complaint Department because his experience has been that PSC does not return phone calls or take any interest in the needs of the people they are supposed to be serving. He would also do everything he could to monitor and keep down rates for the public.
Pascagoula Mayor Dane Maxwell working crowd at Diamondhead Candidiate Forum. Photo via Lana Noonan. pic.twitter.com/MujdxivMHn
— Slabbed New Media (@SlabbedNewMedia) June 20, 2019
The two candidates speaking on their own behalf for Transportation Commissioner, Southern District, were Tom King (I) and Tony Smith.
Tony Smith is concerned with spending at MDOT saying that the state employs over 300 engineers with this agency, yet we have spent $4 million in outside engineering costs. He said that MDOT is currently under audit with State Auditor, Shad White. Smith said that when travelers cross Louisiana and Alabama state lines into Mississippi the sight of the Mississippi highways with trash and much needed maintenance such as grass cutting is very obvious.
Tom King, pointed out that MDOT has been under state audit annually since 2012, and every audit has stated that the agency needs more funding from the state to remedy the continuing battle to provide safe roads, bridges, and maintenance of roadways. He stated he has done everything he could with the funds provided by the legislature.
Mark Baker, the only Attorney General candidate to appear was late because of another event booking, but did make it before the end. He promised his long standing position as a conservative representative would continue as Attorney General. He promised to take on any and all who will challenge Mississippi in court for the state’s conservative policies, and believes “in a world full of problems, to strive to be a solution.”
For the most part, the local Legislative incumbents, Patricia Willis and Phillip Moran, did what incumbents do—they cautioned the voters not to give up the seniority they have in Jackson for getting things done for House District 95 and Senate District 46.
Patricia Willis’ competitors laid out the ground work for their campaigns and terms of office if elected to work for health care for all Mississipians. Nancy Depreo put special emphasis on care for the mentally ill, whom she claims are suffering currently in the state for lack of attention to legislation to meet their needs.
Robert Dambrino and Jay McKnight both want legislation to make Mississippi a friendly workplace to attract business, bringing the teacher pay up to southeastern averages to attract teachers and prevent them from leaving the state.
The Phillip Moran–Blaine La Fontaine section of the Forum was the finale.
Moran explained the 75%–25% split on the BP money with the coast receiving the 75%. He plans to see that the $86 million of the $383 million coming to Hancock County for projects becomes a reality. He believes his seniority in the Senate will make that a reality as he has forged relationships for the past 8 years in a positive way with his colleagues in Jackson which benefit the voters of District 46. He wants to use BP funds as a leverage to bring even more funding for the state. He stated that he wants to be on record as opposed to any tax increases and will continue to work directly with the people and legislature in a positive, not negative way to encourage economic development.
La Fontaine stated his platform is to do a comprehensive analysis of the state regarding economics, education, and environment. He wants to, if elected, connect Senate District 46 to the local governments and their needs through better communication. La Fontaine wants to keep a close eye on the BP funds to make sure they arrive at the right places. He wants tax reform with an emphasis on education and solutions, not ” sound bites.” He says we lack leadership in Jackson and is committed to delivering it through his vision and plans for the coast and state working for the people and not using his position to benefit himself.
As I said, the Hancock County Republican Women can take a victory lap for a well done program, jut more publicity next time!!!!
Now, the voters have to do their part—SHOW UP AT THE POLLS ON AUGUST 6!!!
I suppose we’ll all stay tuned to see if the Hancock County Democratic party has a Debate or Forum planned before August 6.
Thank you Lana
Were other candidates for the PSC position invited to this forum and declined the invitation?
I don’t know how the places to speak were handled. You would have to ask someone on the Republican Women’s committee.
Maxwell and Schultz are the only 2 running on the GOP side.
Lana & Douglas – thanks for the setting me straight. I am thinking too far ahead to the general election with abundant interest. I realized after I posted that this was a Republican Women’s affair and thus only Republicans speaking. My bad!
Anna,
I reviewed the candidate list for Hancock County for the primary and general, and the Democratic Committee didn’t come up with but a handful of people to run. Don’t know what’s going on there.
Can anyone who attended the night before shed some light on local candidates? I was told lots of candidates for County Supervisor, Circuit Clerk, Sheriff and Coroner spoke.
I’m pretty sure WQRZ has audio of both nights.
Yes, Doug, I think he did say he taped it. Sometimes he will rerun those events.
Wow I must have missed the announcement for the show!!! Always good to see who is prepared for a Q and A
That was my only criticism of the event– not enough publicity beforehand.
If someone gets the opportunity you might want to get Moran to explain SB 2002 of the extraordinary session to everyone.
When he (and that pompous ass Tate Reeves) brag about the coast getting 75% of the BP funds, people need to understand that includes Pearl River, Stone and George counties as well.
It also includes crazy language about county seats within 25 miles of such counties as well as property east, west and south of said counties.
The legislation also includes 2 lists of different projects across the state.
I am very used to reading and interpreting legislation but something is wrong with this one.
The language in this legislation has some hidden meaning that only those who added it know exactly whom it benefits.
Please ask your senator, as most people don’t take the time to read legislation and some of us that do don’t completely understand it sometimes.
I will say this, confusing language is only added to hide something.
CF,
That’s the oldest political trick in the world. They do it from the locals to DC. One side sticks stuff in they want, and refuses to support the other side unless they give it the nod. No new ground broken there.
By the way, the State Dept. of Education lists all of those counties in the report on the Coastal School Districts. Don’t know where the “powers that be” in Jackson drew the border between the Coast and the rest of the state.
Yes it is the oldest political hack in the business. The problem is either nobody knows the truth, don’t care about the truth or they are scared to ask about the truth.
Believe me when I tell you that Jackson is a worse place than D. C. is.
Since Miss. ranks the highest in states that depend on Federal aid, it may be safe to say there is no difference between Jackson and DC😳$$!!
Spend some time in Jackson during the session.
While I have never worked in D.C. people that I know and trust have educated me on the difference.
Election year politics are the worst display of effectiveness and usually contain important agenda items that have died on the calendar in the 3 previous years.
Everyone should go to the state legislature’s website and look at this year’s bills. Look at all the ones that Moran had anything to do with. You can’t tell me we have “Experience Working for Us” in Moran. He is lame at this point, thanks to the powers at be.
Heads up: It’s meeting week throughout the County:
Board of Supervisors tomorrow, July 1, at 9:00am- busy Agenda with further discussion on the ongoing situation with Phillip’s Pest Control. The company contracted for the past 32 months for mosquito spraying services was not presented in the June 3, Docket for payment, and is not on the Docket to be presented tomorrow. Last payment for $15,000 was on the May 6, Docket for invoice dated April 16.
The Hancock County Alliance for Good Government has been taking note that even if you watch the meetings of our public bodies online or attend in person, it is still difficult to know what is really going on. For instance in the Supers minutes of June 3, a motion was passed to approve the docket with the exclusion of the pest control service, but another motion was passed right after that to rescind the motion to exclude. Then, when studying the docket itself, payment to the pest control company was not included in the docket approved???
We’ll see what takes place tomorrow, I guess, as best we can.
The Board of Supervisors has a long appropriations hearing beginning at 1:00pm tomorrow afternoon. It is an interesting list because some are actual departments of County government and some are non profits. There are 24 listed to approach the Supers: Way down fourth from the bottom is Tourism, which some call the “economic engine” of the county. That session should be equally as interesting to witness as the regular meeting tomorrow morning.
Interesting that the Hancock County Solid Waste Commission is not listed for funding when they list the County as a funding source for their operations. The Library System is on the list as well as other county funded entities such as Health Dept. Extension Service, Boys and Girls Club, etc.
Neither Waveland nor Bay St. Louis have their agendas published online yet for their meetings, Bay St. Louis at 5:30pm Tuesday, and Waveland at 6;30 pm Tuesday.
Diamondhead is online with their agenda for their regular meeting at 6:00pm Tuesday, if you want to check it out.
Been a long day. After a ” not too lengthy” Executive Session, the Board of Supervisors voted to pay Phillip’s Pest Control Service. The long list of “non profits” came forward at the hearing today for $upport from the county. The county administrator encouraged them to come together with a consolidation plan to avoid duplication of services and administrative cost. Oh, if only we could have gotten a public endorsement from a public body when The Hancock County Alliance for Good Government did their study on the consolidation of the two school districts in the county. Bet the “non profits” wouldn’t be pressed like this for consolidating services if they all had football teams!!!!$$$$
The city of Bay St. Louis approached the Supervisors for $10,000 for Martin Luther King Park on Washington St. They could have had the money for that if they hadn’t let $25,000 walk out the door several months ago when they threw a bidder under the bus who wanted to lease the Garden Center for 3 years. By the way, guys, where is the appraisal you voted to have done on the building??? Haven’t heard another word about that.
I saw the Chamber on it but it did not say Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. They need to re-evaluate what they give them.
Tourism- Can’t say enough. They bring in buses weekly and coordinated the PT Boat! They didn’t have their hand out for one nickel like the Chamber does and they do it all for a crumb of payroll unlike the chamber. That means more dollars to the effort of tourism.
The chamber just recently gave a check to the city from an anonymous donor. That was awesome from the donor! That donation passed through the Hancock Community Development Foundation. Typically the foundation pays a toll fee to the chamber and it is a percentage of the money. Hence, the entire donation probably didn’t get to the 7th Street Play ground but some went to the chambers coffers!
I need some input on the coroner’s election. The Faulk guy seems like a total quack and knowing the Crittenden guy is into witchcraft doesn’t settle well with me. Jeff Hair seems qualified but can anyone provide some insight? Is there something I’m missing?
The for profit nonprofits are everywhere. They need to be weeded out. Picking them by the public platform they can accommodate for elected officials is not serving the public. If we fund a nonprofit like the library that shouldn’t give them extra money to buy gala tickets for the chamber fund raiser or support other nonprofits for social gain. It is simple stick to what you do. If it is worth its salt for the percentage of tax dollars to the intent! We may do it but floating $500 -600 thousand dollars of overhead in payroll to the chamber does not fit into the equation! That is the swamp my friends! No give back! Just receiving is bad! The other chambers do not operate in any way the way ours does. They have the port, county and a few cities on the dole! But in reality they are no better off. Just reducing membership dues to have parties and give them access to politicos! Fact not fiction! Not one thing has been done that doesn’t support the salaries ahead of public interest! They are not benevolent as it is advertised in the local news paper!