Chick Graning's Response

I have given both candidates the opportunity to write a response, and here is Chick's. Comments will not be permitted to this article. Post comments on the Mayoral race to my previous article.

In reply to your write up regarding the Mayoral race interviews, I would like to make several comments:

1) Thanks for the kind words about my wife. She is special and loves people--- she would indeed be a full time ambassador for Natchez. Jake's wife, Mitzie, is an outstanding Neonatologist in Jackson. I seriously doubt if she will retire, as he says, if he becomes mayor. Therefore, his time will continue to be divided between Natchez and Jackson as before. Add to that his current business interest here and being a full time mayor will be difficult, if not impossible.

2) If my opponent's experience at dealing with the city's finances for 16 years is seen as a positive in the race, then why are the city's finances in such abysmal shape? Where was my opponent's leadership for all those years? During those same 16 years, I started a commission-only insurance business and built it from zero to retirement. In addition, during this time, I recruited a number of agents, trained them, and made a very successful sales force with them.

3) Apparently I came across in the interview as a " bull in a china shop". I am aggressive, but only where challenges are concerned. This is a good thing! I am a team builder, and my real strengths are communication, compromise, and cooperation. These methods of management are the best and most thoroughly proven way to make progress.

4) My opponent or his campaign manager have begun to "sling a little mud". I refuse to join in that sort of thing, but I WILL answer statements I consider to be unfair or untrue. I will continue to run my campaign just as I will run the city--in an honest, above board, and open manner. The voters of Natchez truly do have two clearly different choices in this mayoral race. I offer a mayor who brings a brand new outlook to the duties and responsibilities of city government, and a work ethic to make good things happen. My opponent brings 16 years of experience in three administrations which have left our budget and our finances in a shambles, our streets un-paved (until the state came to our aid), and large portions of our city, particularly Holiday Apts., Cambridge Heights, and Maryland Heights, are without recreational facilities altogether. My opponent has been in charge of recreation for most, if not all of his 16 years in office. If so, then why are those children still playing in the dirt? Was there no money or no management, or both? Also, I disagree with your assumption that I will be the "historical" mayor and Jake the "growth" mayor. My opponent appears determined to thwart my drive to improve our public school system, most recently in his flyer stating public education is not the mayors job. In ANY community, the road to economic developement (growth!), and the road out of poverty lead directly through the school house! My opponent seems unwilling, or afraid to tackle such a daunting challenge.

5) My opponent is attempting to demean me via innuendo and assumptions,i.e. "lack of experience", "politicical neophyte","--he doesn't understand--", and other politispeak. My answers are based on fact and are a matter of public record.

Once again, please consider that the voters of Natchez will get exactly what they ask for. Vote your concience, but VOTE.

NOTE: No comments allowed to this article. Make comments on the Mayoral Race to the previous article.