MDOT presents The Extra Mile podcast legislative session.

(Paul) Welcome in to another edition of The Extra Mile podcast legislative session. I’m Paul Katool MDOT Digital Media manager. I’m joined as always by my co-host Will Craft. He handles government and constituent affairs for the agency. As we head towards the end of the session, we’re going to continue our run of having legislators on the podcast.

Today we have State Senator Barbara Blackmon on with us today. She took office in 2016. She also had previous experience in the legislature from 1992 to 2003 and she represents Senate District 21. That’s Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison and Yazoo counties. Senator Blackmon, thank you so much for coming in to speak with us today.

(Senator Blackmon) Thank you all so much for having me.

(Will) We’re very happy to have you. Well, Senator, we just want to get to know you a little bit and tell the folks a little bit about you. How did you get involved in politics? What drove you to seek out the office back in ‘92?

(Senator Blackmon) In 1992 my husband was already in the House of Representatives, and they were in the middle of redistricting. And they had to show that there was a viable black candidate for a particular seat in order to try to create a black district.

(Will) Okay.

(Senator Blackmon) And my predecessor at that time Bob Montgomery had resigned from office and I ran for that position. And I would come in one or two o’clock every morning. I represented all, the seat was for all of Madison County and all of Holmes County at that time. And I did not know it, but the seat was only about 40 percent black. And I was campaigning, campaigning, campaigning and my husband told me, “Why are you doing all this campaigning? You can’t win that seat. It’s not a black seat.” And so, I went and looked at the numbers and I said, “Well, why did you have me in here doing this?” And he said, “Well, we’re trying to create a viable black district. And lo and behold I won the seat.

(Will) I was about to say.

(Senator Blackmon) I won it and then he told me I messed up their numbers. But to said I had the right pedigree because I had gone to the University of Alabama, and I had gone to New York University, and I had gone to University of Mississippi. So, he said that’s the only reason that I was able to win that.

(Will) Well, you know, and you just mentioned your education background and I certainly want to ask about that because it’s quite impressive your lists of attendances here. But one thing you just mentioned coming back in ‘16. What was it that made you want to get back into it in ‘16?

(Senator Blackmon) Okay. What happened was I ran for lieutenant governor.

(Will) That’s right.

(Senator Blackmon) And that’s why I got out. And I could have run for the Senate as well as for the lieutenant governor because back then they did not have it where you can only run for one seat. But I wanted to be in or out. At that time, you just could not make any headway in legislation and I wanted to try to do something that would have an impact for the state of Mississippi because I felt that what I had to offer was progressiveness for this state.

And so, I lost the lieutenant governor’s race. I was the democratic nominee and so I was out for 12 years. And then the senator who was representing me made some comments that I did not like. Didn’t sit well with me. And I just didn’t think that he should be representing the people that feel like me. And that’s why I came back.

(Will) Hey. They told you in ‘92 you couldn’t do it. I know they didn’t say that in ‘16 because you did it again, right?

(Senator Blackmon) I tried. I did it. I won by only 32 votes too.

(Paul) Every vote counts as they say.

(Will) That’s impressive.

(Paul) Well, let’s take things back to the future. So, you are the chair of the Housing Committee. Please tell us more about your roll on that committee and what kind of work the committee does.

(Senator Blackmon) Well, we have been conducting hearings on the housing needs in the State of Mississippi on whether it’s rental properties or senior citizen homes, affordable housing. And we have attempted to offer legislation each session related to what our hearings show. We have not been successful because I would say that there’s just not a there’s a lack of support for housing in the state of Mississippi. And it’s unfortunate because we lack so many things in the state that we have this brain drain. And if we had opportunities for our students, our kids here in the state, if we had affordable housing for them, if we had cultural activities for them, then we could address the brain drain.

(Paul) That makes sense. That makes sense. And another committee that you serve on very relevant to The Extra Mile podcast, you are the vice chair of highways and transportation. So, what is going on with the highways and transportation committee? Any legislation we need to know about?

(Senator Blackmon) Well, MDOT budget is always significant. We’re in conference time right now and MDOT has gotten a substantial injection of funds through the federal government, and we hope that those monies will be utilized in the communities that are underserved because as you all know being MDOT employees Biden and the Secretary of Transportation has said that the underserved communities deserve to get the kinds of funds that other communities have gotten. And so, we hope that that is the mission of MDOT to make certain that that occurs.

(Will) I know it’s certainly something you know that to address the rural needs of the state. It’s very rural, generally speaking but there are certainly some areas that are more so than others. And they need some attention, right? Absolutely.

(Senator Blackmon) That is exactly true. And we are a very rural state just like one example where I represent one between Canton and Carthage, Mississippi Highway 16. That is a horrible, horrible death trap. And we have when I was here in ‘19, well I think it was like 2001. We got included in Vision 21 for 16 to be addressed and it still has not been addressed.

(Will) It’s got to be on the list then.

(Senator Blackmon) It’s on the list now but it hasn’t been addressed.

(Will) Maybe get it higher up the list.

(Senator Blackmon) That’s correct. That’s correct.

(Will) Well and I know another interesting topic going in our highways and transportation, the emergency road and bridge program a big thing. We’re still waiting kind of to see what that’s going to look like the next iteration. Are you hearing things about refunding that program again?

(Senator Blackmon) They’re supposed to well, it is represented that more monies will be placed in it but as you know, this is the time of year where you think you’re getting something and then something happens.

(Will) The conference approaches I know you mentioned seems like it’s you know already here and it’s still another week to go, but this is really the bargaining chips trading out and hashing out all the differences that’s been going on throughout the session. We’re close though.

(Senator Blackmon) That’s correct.

(Will) We are close.

(Paul) No doubt. And maybe not transportation or housing or anything but is there any other legislation out there that you are keeping your eyes on as we head towards the end sign you die?

(Senator Blackmon) Well, yes, the ARPA money because our cities and our counties, water, sewer, roads and bridges as you mentioned. Those monies are monies that again as came about as a result of President Biden. And they’re supposed to be being utilized for these communities that are underserved, are unserved and we hope that there will be some agreement where these monies can get out to the cities and counties.

(Will) I know water and sewer infrastructure is such a need statewide especially in some of our local you know smaller communities. That’s absolutely correct. Any other legislation that you want to mention or throw out? I know there’s just so much going on. Selfishly, I’ll ask you one. I know you have an extensive background in taxes and the tax system. We’ve got the income tax bill going back and forth right now. That coming out? Are we going to see the light of day on that?

(Senator Blackmon) Well, that’s what the big impasse is right now. As to whether that is going to come out now the senate initially passed something that was, I thought was good and that was giving some car tag relief, giving the grocery tax relief, eliminating the four percent. I don’t think that we can afford this poor state to take a billion seven out of our state budget up to two billion dollars. I just don’t think we can do that. And especially in light of the uncertainty now with what’s going on in Ukraine, we don’t know whether this pandemic is truly over. And you don’t know if the federal government is going to continue giving us all of this money. So, I think we I think we and I hate to use this term conservative, but I think we should.

(Will) It’s okay. It’s absolutely okay.

(Senator Blackmon) We should be conservative in what we’re doing. We need to address the needs of our citizens. We have to do that. But we can’t take a billion plus dollars out of a state budget and then think we’re going to be addressing the future needs of our citizens.

(Will) It’s been interesting to watch the back and forth as it’s come through and now again, we’re approaching the finality her You know, it’ll be just interesting to see what ends up coming out of it all. You know, I’ve heard that there you know might have to be an extension to the session or maybe even a special. You’re hearing any of that out there?

(Senator Blackmon) I’m hearing the same thing. I certainly don’t want that to occur.

(Will) Ready to get back home?

(Senator Blackmon) I mean this is a citizen legislature and we all have jobs that we need to get back to.

(Will) That’s exactly right. I can understand.

(Paul) No doubt.

(Will) Well. Did I lose my mic? Oh, we’re good. Sorry.

(Paul) You’re good. You’re good. Roll with it.

(Will) Senator, I know you spend a lot of time traveling the roads and back and forth in the district coming to the capitol here. Is there any place that anytime you’re in the area you’ve got to stop in? Got to get a bit here? Got to see what’s going on maybe a local hot spot back home that’s new and upcoming? Favorite spots?

(Senator Blackmon) Well, it’s Mudbug season.

(Will) Oh, yeah. That’s right.

(Paul) Crawfish action. Love it.

(Senator Blackmon) Yeah. So, I’m looking for some great Mudbugs.

(Will) Do you have a favorite spot?

(Senator Blackmon) I really do. A Mudbugs over

(Will) A Jackson staple. I’ve been there many times myself.

(Senator Blackmon) That’s where I like

(Paul) Well, that is I think we can all agree. Crawfish season is a great thing. Great great late spring, summer activity for sure. All right, Senator Blackmon, well we really appreciate you coming in today to speak with us. Just have one more thing for you. How can the public, your constituents best contact you?

(Senator Blackmon) Please call 601.359.3237, Pat Trials. She’s my assistant at the State Capitol and she can always get in touch with me.

(Paul) Excellent. Excellent. Thanks again for coming in to speak with us today. We want to thank all of our listeners out there for tuning in to The Extra Mile podcast legislative session. We also want to thank our producer Katey Hornsby and our editor Drew Hall. They do a lot of work behind the scenes. Remember you can listen and watch each episode by visiting go mdot dot com forward slash the extra mile. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The handle there is at @MississippiDOT. And as always remember to drive smart out there on Mississippi highways.