Governor Phil Bryant is set to sign a bill regionalizing the board that oversees the Jackson Municipal Airport.
The measure restructures the board overseeing both the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and Hawkins Field. It adds board members appointed by the Governor and officials from Rankin and Madison counties. The Senate gave its final approval to S-B2162 yesterday. Republican Senator Josh Harkins of Flowood introduced the measure.
“At the end of the day, you obviously want the best people, the best service, the best price,” says Harkins. “Hopefully, this will be something that the people to use to try to make the airport the best. That’s the goal.”
Rosie Pridgen is the Chair of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, the board that will be replaced. She says officials with JMA and the City of Jackson are looking into all possibilities, including litigation, to prevent the law from taking effect.
“The ownership of the airports belong to the City of Jackson,” says Pridgen. “For the state to make a power grab such as this, we were never in agreement over this, we were never asked to be a part of any discussion. So this is a hostile takeover, and we will look to defend our airports.”
In a previous conversation with MPB News, Governor Byant says he fully intends on signing the bill once it reaches his desk.
