I continue to be baffled by the other 4 candidates lack of participation. To be fair, one of the candidates has attended the last 2 Board of Supervisor meetings but he leaves before the results of the Executive Session are even heard by the public. And you want a seat at the table?
The number of candidates for this office will divide the vote. I have to ask: Why are you running?
Last week the political ad for Michael Eugene Johnson, Jr. was included in the 11 Sep 2015 issue of the Tunica Times. Johnson did not participate in the Supervisor debates. The moderator stated that he was only interested in debating the General Election Candidates. Let's have that debate now:
Johnson's ad is headed with: VOTE, Michael E. Johnson, Jr., Supervisor, District 2
My platform is headed by: Vote for Transparency, Elect Barbara R. Tuchel, Supervisor Beat 2
See the difference? Johnson's ad is all about him. My platform is all about YOU.
Johnson: "My wife Elizabeth and I are both lifelong residents of Tunica who desire to see our hometown flourish while we raise our two sons here."
Tuchel: Hometown? Beat 2 takes in more than the Town of Tunica.
Johnson: "I realize that tough decisions have to be made to make Tunica sustainable, and that business as usual will not work. We need elected officials who serve the public and truly care about what is best for our community."
Tuchel: And you've shown this how? Where were you when many citizens were working to remove the former Superintendent of Education? He was harming our children, ruining our schools and therefore, making us less attractive to new businesses and residents. I've never seen you at a Board of Education Meeting. But you don't really care about that, do you? To ignore our public schools and their impact on our children, our economy and our potential residents speaks volumes about your willingness to serve all residents of Beat 2 and all of Tunica County.
Johnson: "We must act together to create jobs rather than taxing our existing businesses and residents until they fail or leave."
Tuchel: It was large landowners and others who sat on the Board of Supervisors from 1998 until 2011 who reduced and/or continued our tax base for essential services to just about nothing. And who did this benefit the most? Who were these Supervisors?
Dunn, Henderson, Battle, Jr., Tucker, Pegram, Burnett, Battle,III, Jackson, and Bobby Williams.
What has to happen is this: When revenue from gaming started going down, we needed to increase revenue from other sources. Essential governmental services have to be funded by taxes because we can control this source of income.
To make matters worse, the above Supervisors bonded all of these Tourism Assets (Arena, Museum, Airport, RiverPark and Golf Course) without doing any feasibility studies. Then they kept refinancing these bonds and borrowing a little here and a little there and we still owe the money. What is your solution? Close the doors on these facilities? Put people out of work?
Johnson: "Simply raising taxes will not solve our problems."
Tuchel: You are right...simply raising taxes will not solve our problems but cutting taxes to next to nothing created a huge financial mess. We have to right size our government by being taxed for essential services. We have to make our public schools desirable. We have to get Economic Development to work for all of us and not just the rich landowners with property to sell. What have these manufacturing plants done for the citizens of Tunica County? The landowners made some money. The plants don't pay any taxes for 10 years...except for School taxes...and there are virtually no jobs for Tunicans. How's this working for us? It's not. We need to get a return on our investment from Economic Development.
Johnson: "This government must be treated like a business that spends less than it takes in. This is currently not the case."
Tuchel: And who put us in this position? Former Supervisors and two of these guys are on the 3 Nov 2015 Ballot so they can take another shot at us? Pegram and Jackson were listed above. They didn't make decisions that benefitted Tunica before so what is their plan now?
Johnson: "We do not have the revenue from gaming that we have enjoyed in the past. However, Tunica County receives more gaming revenue than any other county in the Mississippi Delta. If we all work together, Tunica can be the most desirable, safest, cleanest community in Mississippi, full of growth and prosperity."
Tuchel: Those sure are some pretty words. Here are the facts: We have more debt than other gaming locations too. Go take a look at the taxes from other MS counties. Those that have gaming didn't get rid of their tax base. Tunica did.
Johnson: "As a Tunica County leader, I will work to create unity and partnerships so we can address our challenges together. My decisions as Supervisor will consider what is best for all the people of Tunica, and I will not be motivated by personal gain."
Tuchel: What? Who are your supporters? The farming community? Who are you related to? Where have you been? I haven't witnessed any leadership from you or any other Beat 2 Candidate.
Johnson: "We have to come together to provide a better quality of life for all the people in our community."
Tuchel: And just how are you going to do this? You haven't been involved with our government before. So, why now? Are wealthy Tunicans losing their power? Are you representing them or us?
Conclusion: Beat 2, meet your new Supervisor: Michael Eugene Johnson, Jr. Make no mistake, he is going to win this election. Tunica won't stand-up for what is best for them. We have continued to elect and re-elect those who say they are running to serve all of the people. The result is always that they serve themselves and their friends. Beat 2 isn't ready for a candidate who isn't related to anyone in the State of Mississippi. Beat 2 isn't ready to stand-up for a candidate who has already stood up for you.
Beat 2 isn't ready to Vote for Transparency by Electing Barbara R. Tuchel, Beat 2 Supervisor.
Or are YOU?
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