(Photo from Mayor John Horhn on Facebook)
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- Mayor John Horhn delivered his first State of the City address Tuesday after taking the reins of the capital city in July.
Jackson Mayor John Horhn has focused on several areas during his first 100 days in office, but the one garnering the most of his time is fighting crime, from placing more police officers on the street to finding outlets for the city’s youth.
During his first State of the City address Tuesday afternoon, Horhn listed many of his administration’s accomplishments since taking office, from much-needed road paving and gutter clearing to fostering a better working relationship with other local, state, and national officials while also working to erase blight.
“We’re riding into a bold new future for our city,” Horhn told the crowd gathered at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
When the mayor began his half-hour address, he spoke of strides the city is making in combating crime. He said on October 21, 2024, Jackson recorded 89 killings. Today, Horhn said that number has dropped to 51 a year later.
“While that is a 41 percent decrease, even one death is one death too many,” he said.
Mayor Horhn emphasized that the narrative for Jackson’s young people must be changed or they will be a lost generation. There must be alternatives for the city’s young people, he said, because it is impossible to police Jackson’s way out of youth crime. Alternatives can include counseling and workforce training.
The mayor also said the capital city needs more officers on the streets equipped with modern equipment and technology.
Recently, a task force was created to study all aspects of law enforcement, including youth-related crime, drug activity, and coordination between the Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and Capitol Police.
Horhn gave an update on the nationwide search for a new police chief. Originally, the process was expected to take upwards of 90 days, but that timeline has been pushed back, he said. The search committee has held more than half a dozen community hearings while listening to JPD officers.
“It became clear, time isn’t the measure that matters the most, the process is. What counts is getting this decision right,” Horhn said, adding that the role carries real weight for Jackson’s future.
The search is costing taxpayers $65,000.
“We’re listening to every voice, weighing every perspective, and moving carefully, because this role carries real weight for our city’s future,” the mayor said. “This is the responsible way to lead. We want to legitimize this position for the long-term by making sure every step is taken.”
The mayor went on to address the city’s troubled water system. Jackson has been working with the federal government in an effort to transfer $54 million from capital funds to the operational and maintenance account of JXN Water. The system went into federal receivership three years ago after years of neglect.
“There’s nothing we can’t accomplish if we work together,” Horhn said, noting the transfer of funds will give the utility more flexibility to manage day-to-day needs while investing in infrastructure upgrades.
The majority of the Jackson City Council would like to see the city immediately regain control of the city’s water system. Horhn said earlier he is unsure what will happen once that interim oversight expires in 2027.
“We’re going to cross that bridge when we get to it. But some options are to put him under a contract, or we could select another interim,” he said earlier in October, referring to Ted Henifin, JXN Water’s interim administrator. “But we’re still evaluating and trying to consider how we’re going to approach that.”
An overarching theme of Horhn’s speech stressed the need to build relationships. The city’s prior mayor had a tense relationship with council members, state and federal leaders. Getting Jackson to rise, he said, requires reaching out to all people, from powerful politicians to the average Jacksonian.
“This kind of partnership is what progress looks like: city and state working hand in hand to deliver results for the people of Jackson,” said Horhn, a former state senator.
Mayor Horhn said another top priority of his administration is to tackle the eyesores across the city. However, the mayor wants to do more than just tear down the blighted buildings, leaving a vacant space. Horhn sees it as an opportunity to show community strength.
“I believe it’s time we recognize our vacant spaces as opportunities,” the mayor said. “Instead of vacant lots and overgrown corners, we can create new green spaces.”
Those green spaces can turn into urban farms, places that enhance the way of life for the neighborhoods of Jackson and provide fresh vegetables for its citizens, Horhn said.
“And turn blight into beauty for the people of Jackson,” he added.
The mayor said the effort will help in “right-sizing” Jackson. Jackson was constructed for 250,000 people but is home to only 144,000. Open spaces should be seen as opportunities in a city where about a third of structures are considered blighted.
Mayor Hohrn thanked several state politicians including Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House Jason White for their interest in making Jackson a better place.
Earlier this month, Hosemann praised the direction Jackson is headed, saying, “With the city entering a new chapter, the time is now to pursue opportunities that will increase tourism, attract investment, enhance downtown, and promote future growth.”
