Jackson Free Press

I've been to most of the debates during this mayoral election season, and to be perfectly honest, they have not shed a great deal of light on the candidates and their positions. Here's the question I think most voters would say needs to be asked of each candidate.

Councilman Frank Bluntson: The challenges facing the next mayor of Jackson are many, and it will take someone who will serve its citizens tirelessly. Do you believe that you have the energy and stamina to do whatever it takes in the next four years to overcome those challenges? Will your health have an impact on your ability to serve?

Regina Quinn: You’ve been very direct about informing the public of both your personal and business bankruptcies, but not about why in both your personal and business life you reached that point. Could you explain, in some detail, the process and the decisions you made that led you to seek bankruptcy protection in both cases?

Jonathan Lee: Your campaign has defined you as a local small business owner and businessman, with an MBA, who served as the former chairman of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, and also as someone who serves on the boards of a number of important organizations, like Baptist Hospital. Could you tell us what else in your personal and business experience, other than those things, prepared you to manage a city the size of Jackson, a budget of $350 million, and a workforce of 2300?

Councilman Chokwe Lumumba: You are a cofounder and member of the Malcolm X Grass Roots Movement. Could you explain, or put into historical context, why you helped cofound the movement, what its mission and goals are, and how they apply to Jackson? And could you tell us if you agree with the policy of the movement’s Jackson plan that encourages those of African descent to join the movement and encourages whites and other non-African people to join the Malcolm X solidarity committee, in effect splitting the races?

Mayor Harvey Johnson: You first ran for mayor in 1993, and you were elected in 1997. In the past 16 years, except for Mayor Frank Melton’s tenure from 2005-09, you’ve governed the city of Jackson, and are now asking the voters to give you another four years. What do you think the voters should hold you responsible for? Why should the voters think that the results in the next four years will be any different?