Mayor hosts webchat to answer questions

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile Mayor Sam Jones hosted a State of the City Citizen News Conference Monday evening.

Mayor Jones answered a variety of questions via live web chat from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“They were really interested in how are we going to move forward especially with this budget question hanging over our head,” said Mayor Jones. “How do we get passed this, and get to where we need to be.”

As expected, the city’s budget deficit was a hot topic including Mobile’s Fourth of July celebration.

One comment by the MobileTribune said:

“4 thousand dollars sounds pretty inexpensive for a 4 ^th of July fireworks display. Is it just sparklers or will the sky light up like years before?”

The Mayor responded by writing in-part:

“The Fireworks show will be similar to last years … as a result of inclement weather during New Years Eve, the vendor adjusted the city’s cost.”

More to the point, several citizens wanted to know exactly how high the city’s budget deficit is.

Mayor Jones said despite previous reports from staff in his office, the number remains at a projected $29 million.

“That's with everything that we have in terms of obligations we have to fulfill,” said Mayor Jones. “That is not deferring our obligations. The other proposals I've heard is with deferring our obligations. We don't think we can afford to do that,” said Jones.

The Mayor was able to get through 28 questions during the hour and a half web chat. At least six of them were directly related to the city’s budget deficit.

Jones said he is hoping to hold public web chats at least once a week. His office is looking to hold them on Wednesdays after the city council meeting on Tuesday.

The mayor also confirmed through the chat that he would be looking to run for another term in office.

He addressed questions regarding the empty cruise terminal and possibly bringing back Amtrack.

Click here to access the full archived web chat.