Politics is Life

I'm a political junky; I admit it.  I truly enjoy politics.  Now, don't get me wrong, there are some areas of the political world I could surely complain about, but even with the problems I would much prefer our system of government to any on the face of the earth to date.  There is nothing in our world other than faith that is so all encompassing that it can touch the general populace's lives more than being in the political world.  From setting local ordinances on noise to the discussion on gas and grocery prices to being the leader of the free world, all politics is life.  And if you're like me, you watch the news networks consistently to see what is going on in our country and around the world because, like it or not, we live in an era when one slight word or deed can seemingly make or break each of our lives.  One word from Fed Chairman Mr. Bernanke and Wall Street and your 401k rises or falls.  One sign of aggression from some Middle Eastern regime and oil prices shoot through the roof.  One comment by our state insurance commissioner Mr. Chaney and our wallets feel the strain.   One action taken by our city council on local taxes, road repairs, property cleanup, or any other issue you may think of and in some form it can and most likely will directly effect you.  All politics is life.

I thought that I would take a minute today to share with you who read my ramblings on a consistent basis a few of my political hot button issues that have been on my mind as of late.  I will try and focus primarily on local areas of note but please forgive me now if I delve into state or national politics as I continue to write.  Often times local issues are more influenced by state and even federal politics than one may think.

First, I would like to begin by addressing the upcoming local city elections which will be held next spring.  There seems to be alot of talk starting to swirl concerning the state of our city and potential names for council seats.  Putting the right people in the right seats is a must if Pascagoula is going to reach her full potential.  I have said that consistently for many years.  It is up to you, the voters, to choose wisely who will lead your city the next four years when the time comes.  Please look at the substance of the person, not just a name or a family lineage.  Base your decision of supporting a candidate on what their qualifications are and how their stated values align with your own.  I have been humbled and blessed by the support I have been shown by being allowed to serve you and I hope to continue to serve you for many years to come in whatever capacity you the people should require of me.

I know for me when I am vetting a candidate for office I look for a strong moral and fiscal conservative with a proven record of being a voice for the people while being actively involved in the day to day life of their community and work.  I am using those same standards as I now focus on the state and national elections facing us.  I am unashamedly a conservative Republican.  I know it is not popular in this day and time to be so out front with such a view point but that is who I am and I believe in the party of Lincoln.  I worry at the liberalism and dare I say socialism that is steadily creeping into our society more and more, perpetrated primarily by those on the other side of the aisle.  I have said for years that having a "D" beside your name may not mean much in a city election but it means alot when you start talking about county, state, and national policy.  As the old preacher once said, "When you wallow with the pigs, you'll start to stink too."  Jackson County has long been known as the conservative foundation of our great state.  I truly hope we can reclaim that title in the upcoming elections over the next few years. 

My conservative values drive me on many issues facing Pascagoula in the upcoming months.  One such issue very much on my mind is the discussion of city taxes as it pertains to the recent reassessment of property values coming out of the tax assessor's office.  I mentioned this issue briefly in a previous posting but did not have the full scoop at that time.  I feel I now have a better grasp of what is at stake and how to frame this discussion.  As it sits, most of you reading this experienced a 30% increase in your property assessments this year, which depending on the value of your home could equate into an increase of city and school district taxes due by 70-520%.  In real dollars your tax increase for the city and school district could be between $200-850 when you add the two together.  You recently may have seen that the county voted to lower their mills by 1.5 which does help alleviate some of the burden, but there is still an increase that you will see.  When you couple all of this with the recent news that two of our larger insurance companies have once again raised rates by about 14% and the continued high price of gas and other necessary items such as milk and groceries, I am concerned for you and your families. 

The city is healthy fiscally speaking, yes, but the cost of doing business does not go down and has not gone down.  It takes more money every year to operate our city's services and continue to try and promote the growth we all want to see.  I have been outspoken on this issue for years calling on us to actively seek ways to diversify our tax base by attracting small business and by getting new commercial construction out of the ground, while limiting the number of tax exemptions we grant our local industries.  We have done much to promote small business growth within Pascagoula and it is slowly coming along, and if it were not for the state and federal bureaucratic red-tape we would see more commercial buildings out of the ground helping us to reach our goal of diversifying our tax base by following our plan for renewal and redevelopment.  But I say all of that to say that it is my goal to try and reduce your tax burden as much as is reasonably possible while also being fiscally responsible with the city's budgetary needs.  Yes, the cost of doing business does keep rising, but like my grandfather always said, "You can't get blood from a turnip."  In these tough economic times we are in now, any little bit helps - I know that.  That's why I am trying to watch out for your wallet as we discuss these local taxes this year.

You may have seen that the city council recently passed a noise ordinance.  This was a direct result of your calls and emails to me asking for something to be done.  After meeting with our police chief and city attorney, I read numerous ordinances trying to find the right fit for our city.  The impetus for the ordinance was the boom cars - you know, the loud stereos in cars that make your dishes shake in your home and your ears ring when you're parked next to them at a red light.  The city attorney, police chief and I mulled through many, many ordinances on our way to the one that was passed to make it as easily enforceable by our officers but that had teeth so it took care of the problem.  The ordinance ended up addressing all kinds of loud disturbances with a fine of up to $1,000 and / or 30 days in jail.  I am proud to say that the ordinance passed unanimously and has been active since the 15th of August.  Chief tells me it seems to be working well.  Thank you for expressing your interest in the health of our city by sharing your concerns with me.  You made a difference.

If you keep up with state politics as I do, then you've probably seen the discussion on voter identification.  It seems that some representatives in our state house have been playing politics with a very important issue that is higher than their pay grade.  And while I respect their concern and have listened to their arguments for why they felt the need of birddogging an issue that truly is a Secretary of State matter, it seems that the people of Mississippi got dooped on this one.  Mr. Hosemann, our secretary of state, spent month and months traveling around the state speaking with local county clerks and election officials working through the complexities of voter identification.  It is his job which he was elected to by a statewide vote to handle these issues and put them forth into a format for consideration as law, not local representatives who are not statewide elected officials. 

If you will indulge me for a minute I'd like to explore voter ID.  I understand the history of our state and fully respect our history.  Does our history make voter ID a little more touchy of a subject for some?  Why sure it does.  That is no secret.  How do you overcome any conflict or negativity in life?  Through open dialogue and factual evidence.  Our society today is designed to show some form of ID at the bank, when you check into a hotel, when you use your check or credit card, when you go to a doctor - everyone has some form of identification.  To me, there is nothing more sacred to our republic than the right to vote.  Our right to vote gives us, the people, the power to choose our government.  By all means I want that right protected at all costs and if I have to reach in my wallet and pull out my ID to vote, then I am glad to take that extra ten seconds to do so.  To those who say it is a way of disenfranchising some voters please excuse my ire at such a comment.  Some in our country love to throw up the ills of our past when it suits them and their agenda.  I for one on this issue do not take that excuse in 2008 as reason for not voting.  So thank you Mr. Hosemann for all you have done and to you representatives who think it cute to play with the most sacred of our rights as citizens of this great country, grow up.

On a lighter note, I'd like to thank all of the volunteers who gave of their time to help with the Dixie Youth Ozone World Series.  From the committee to the volunteers to the players and coaches and parents, it was a great week of baseball that will be remembered around our city for years to come.  Congratulations to the players on that team.

Finally, the three year anniversary of Katrina is coming up Friday.  It seems like yesterday in many ways to me, as I am sure it does to you as well.  The monument at Beach Park will forever be a reminder of what we went through that day and the days thereafter.  I am still so humbled that the words I penned were chosen to rest on the granite marker at the foot of the monument.  Those words still ring so true to me today as I reflect on what all has happened since August 29, 2005 and as I look optimistically into the future that is head of Pascagoula.  I hope you find some of the peace and understanding in the words below as I have:

"May the wind of destruction and the waves of sorrow forever remind us of the opportunity and hope we have found."

However you choose to mark this date, I want you to know that it is a honor and privilege to serve you on this city council.  If there is ever anything I can do to assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

All politics is life.  I encourage you to stay informed and stay involved.  What you may think is small, can make a big difference in the life of your community.  Oh, and by the way, don't forget to come out and cheer on the Panthers in their opening game Friday the 29th at the High School Stadium against Gautier.  Go 'Goula!

Frank Corder

Pascagoula City Councilman - Ward 4