A ‘yes’ vote in special election means more Mississippi Power money for Coast cities

Voters in South Mississippi will soon decide whether to approve decisions in each of their cities to adopt new franchise agreements with Mississippi Power.

▪ Voting for approval of the city ordinance will entitle the city to 3% of gross revenue that Mississippi Power collects from residents and businesses.

▪ Voting against approval of the city ordinance will entitle the city to only 2% of gross revenue, which state law requires Mississippi Power to pay.

Mississippi Power would not release a list of localities where votes will take place, instead saying cities are individually handling news about their elections.

Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, D’Iberville, Ocean Spring, Pascagoula, Moss Point and Bay St. Louis have confirmed their elections will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday Aug. 4 at municipal precincts. Some municipalities have already held their elections on the franchise agreements.

Waveland has not yet approved its franchise agreement with Mississippi Power, so a vote in that city will be delayed, Mayor Mike Smith said. Gautier is served by Singing River Electric Power Cooperative and will not be having a special election.

Mississippi Power serves 23 counties in south and east central Mississippi.

Anita Lee

Sun Herald

601-909-0638

Anita, a Mississippi native, graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Support my work with a digital subscription