Jackson Mayor Touts Progress Amid Budget Cuts

Jackson Mayor John Horhn used his State of the City address to say the city is making progress, citing faster business-permit approvals, the reopening of Thalia Mara Hall, a posted redevelopment bid for the Jackson Zoo, private housing projects and efforts to develop the Pearl River waterfront. He said the city had eliminated a $25 million budget deficit, a claim some City Council members disputed. Jackson’s 2027 budget is about $23 million smaller than the prior year, with cuts affecting police, fire and public works, while infrastructure continues to deteriorate and the tax base declines. Horhn is seeking funding and investment from public and private sources, is considering data centers as a revenue source and wants local control of the water system restored; talks remain slow, and the system is still under federal oversight.