Mostly-Black Town In Tennessee Loses Financial Control Just As Millions of Dollars Roll In

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A tiny, majority-Black town in Tennessee which was poised to benefit from a massive investment from Ford Motor Company has instead been taken over by the state’s comptroller.

Mason, Tenn., has about 1,500 residents. Most of its elected officials are Black and members of the Democratic party, in stark contrast with the mostly-white and Republican-controlled Tipton County government as well as Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower, who on Tuesday took the step of seizing control of Mason’s finances.

Mumpower’s power grab comes after he’d given Mason’s government a choice between relinquishing its charter–essentially giving away control of the town to Tipton County–or having him step in and assume control of the municipality’s budget and spending powers. According to Tennessee Lookout, a local government watchdog website, Mumpower says the move was necessary to address financial mismanagement in Mason.

But the city’s elected officials aren’t so sure about that.

-more-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mostly-black-town-in-tennessee-loses-financial-control-just-as-millions-of-dollars-roll-in/ar-AAVd8lD

[ck4829]

1. And then there's this bit...

Rivers and other town officials have questioned why Mumpower or other state officials did not intervene before now. Mason, which still serves as home to descendants of freed slaves, was led by White officials for more than a century. The town’s first Black Mayor, Gwen Kilpatrick, assumed office in 2015 after allegations of fraud and mismanagement led to the resignations of nearly all City Hall officials, who were White. Mason residents have elected Black leaders ever since. Mason’s current mayor, vice mayor and five of its six aldermen are Black.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I am frankly appalled at Mumpower's power grab, esp. at the timing.

But also at his obvious intent: keep the local Black population from having any say in how their city should be managed.

Considering that previous administrations (White, BTW) fucked up the financial handling of the city, his behavior is especially egregious.

I hope that the current administration of Mason, Tenn. will prevail. They jolly well should.

[uponit7771]

3. WTF Ford !?!!? Why aren't you speaking up ?!?!

[FeelingBlue]

4. Ford should pull out.

Until this is reversed.

[2naSalit]

5. DoJ needs to look into this!

[House of Roberts]

6. Ford should suspend the project until the racists give the town back to the people.

This is similar to the 'emergency managers' in Michigan that caused Flint's lead crisis in their water system.

Maybe Ford picked the location so there wouldn't be rednecks running the place.

[Ohio Joe]

7. WTF?

How exactly is this legal? This is fucked up.

[Caliman73]

12. Most state Constitutions give the State wide discretion regarding municipalities.

The only recognized governing powers in the US Constitution are the National Government and the States. Any power not specifically enumerated in the Constitution as belonging to the National Government or the Rights of the People, belongs to the State. States grant charter to Counties and municipalities which gives them the police power to intervene directly in ways that the Federal Government even cannot.

It is definitely fucked up, but it appears to be legal. I am wondering, if this can be taken up with the Feds as a violation of civil rights based on racial bias?

[Bettie]

8. So, who thinks the next step for this Mumpower guy

is to make sure that the city is made inhospitable for the current residents?

Just strikes me as a set up in so many ways.

[SheltieLover]

9. And HUGE signs erected in this nowheresville area "vote repug"

The land grab is on because of ford.

Disgraceful!

[electric_blue68]

10. Day-um greedy people. I know there was some other place I believe that..

also had their local powers taken away besides Flint some years back.😔 🤬

[LiberalFighter]

11. Mason needs to organize blacks from surrounding counties to show up.

[JI7]

15. Everyone against this racist should loudly speak out on this

[markbark]

13. Oh my head...

Why is this crap still going on in the 21st century?
White privilege stealing black opportunity with complete disregard and impunity.
Tell me again how our system is not inherently racist…
It's disgusting. Where is justice and good faith?

We'll all be lucky if the whole pile of shit doesn't implode, if not this fall then in 2024.
Our 'conservative' cretins certainly aren't capable of building the structures they're busy tearing down.
They should go collect manure and sell it for stove fuel, that's a good fit for their skills.
Still arguing about regulation of the economy, whether women are breeding stock, and whether mysterious external forces exist which legitimize our surrendering our responsibility for our actions.
In a country that led the world in many ways now has to bother with halfwits wasting our time while the rest of the world gets on with modernity.
You get out what you put in.

[JI7]

14. This type of story needs to get national attention and Ford should cancel

[MagickMuffin]

16. Black Wall Street comes to mind

"Why we all know black people can't think for themselves. We white leaders must make sure we control everything! The color population and the womens!"


Apparently white men "think" they always have to be in control.

[yardwork]

17. Well, this is a depressingly familiar story.

[Celerity]

18. this is some 'how many jellybeans are in the jar' type of racist shit

[crickets]

19. Systemic racism writ large. So wrong.

The ACLU or somebody needs to step up to this with Mason.

[dchill]

20. Kicking.

[JI7]

21. The media gives right wing "concerns" over things like CRT more attention

than these stories.

[sciencescience]

23. The claim is that it's necessary to take over because of financial mismanagement, but it doesn't

seem like there is any evidence of that by the current government.

And to take over now instead of long ago is suspicious.

[oasis]

26. Hopefully this story will receive adequate t.v. coverage. nt