JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Five million dollars of debt from past due water bills in the city of Jackson was relieved yesterday by the People’s Relief Campaign. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes is not confident in the debt relief program and doesn’t understand why the city of Jackson is involved at all.
“Now all of a sudden, $25 million [is] showing up,” Councilman Stokes said. “And like a buzzard, there he is. What does his sister have to do with this money? What does he have to do with this money? We need to know.”
Concerned with this new debt relief program, Councilman Kenneth Stokes does not understand why the city of Jackson is involved with this program if a federal judge placed third-party manager Ted Henifin in charge.
“You can’t be partly out the water business,” said Councilman Stokes. “That’s just like being partly pregnant? You pregnant or you’re not. You either in the water business or you not.”
The City of Jackson confirmed that the mayor and Ted Henifin partnered together to bring much-needed relief to the citizens of Jackson.
“He could have been doing something if he wanted to besides trying to block people from appealing their bill,” Councilman Stokes said.
Stokes has been a longtime supporter of adjusting bills for residents who have inaccurate water bills. He believes the city should wipe everyone’s water bill and start over with a clean slate.
“Make everybody suspicious because he’s lying Lumumba,” Councilman Stokes said. “Why is his hand in this? Why is his family member hands in this? Anytime it’s money he shows up like a buzzard. Fresh meat, fresh meat on the line.”
Councilman Stokes had more questions, but his main concern was who are these people coming in and collecting sensitive information from residents.
“The Peoples Relief Campaign? Who is that? Is it a corporation? Where are they incorporated out of? Who’s the chairman? Promise? Who is that?” said Councilman Stokes said.
According to the Chief Experience Officer of JXN water, PROMISE was put into place by Ted Henifin.
“Our main goal was trying to get this debt relief to the people. We work with Promise which is an organization that has a very, very well-proven track record of getting funds to the portion of communities where there may be challenges and the regular ways of transmitting funds to people that need them,” said Tariq Abdul-Tawwab, chief executive officer of JXN Water.
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