Mary Hawkins Butler

[dawgatUSM]

I'll be honest, I've heard nothing but unpleasant things about this woman. So naturally I do not feel as though I should vote for her tomorrow but to be honest, I probably haven't given her a fair shot. So, anybody got any commentary. Please keep it civil. Thank you

sorry, last minute research so I had to resort to six pack

 

[MaroonNation]

If you don't vote for her she has people who will find out and she will have you killed in your sleep.

 

[weblow]

I know people dislike her so this is all I have to add. I have personally spoken with her about two issues in our neighborhood. Both times she what she promised is exactly what happened. I am sure she has plenty of faults but someone who actually will do what they claim to do this day and age are harder and harder to find, especially in politics.

I also believe that who she is challenging is crooked as a snake so that makes it easier.

 

[MaroonNation]

Plus her Twitter handle is @HawkButt

 

[ronpolk]

I don't know her personally. I've never met her, so she may be an awful person. However, you can't deny the job she has done in Madison. I understand this is a different job than the mayor of Madison but just judging on past results, she will do a great job.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

 

[coach66]

She's a good small town major. Most

Folks that call Madison their home love her. Most business people don't care for her. I would vote for her for Mayor but I'll probably vote for Pickering. If she won auditor she would probably resign after she mounted Rudy and several BOS heads in her office.

 

[fishwater99]

She and her husband are crooks too.
He was indicted in a land deal by the FBI a few years ago, then he ratted and got off.

 

[MSUProfGuy]

She and her husband are crooks too.
He was indicted in a land deal by the FBI a few years ago, then he ratted and got off.

agreed...she is terrible. Lived in Madison most of my life, well before it became what it is today. She gets too much credit and is a total crook. Don't waste a vote.

 

[MabenMaroon]

Maybe if she gets elected, the state of MS will get brick facades on all of the highway entrances to the state. Maybe all of the Wally Worlds, blue and orange box stores will be required to have face lifts as well. Mean while the rest of the infrastructure crumbles and decays but by golly the aesthetics will be better and all the more affluent areas can rest easy that the common folks ugliness will not invade their domain.

 

[LandsurveyorDawg]

She's got my vote. At least we know she's going after the crooked engineer.

 

[Beretta.sixpack]

Stacey Pickering is best politician in MS.....He will be governor when he wants

There is no way Mary Hawkins will win over Stacey Pickering.....I lived in Madison from late 70s up until the last 10 years.....she did great things for Madison, and she should stay there....

Stacey Pickering is the best up and coming politician in Mississippi, and I think you will see him make a run for governor when Phil Bryants term is over......and he will probably win in a landslide....wouldnt be surprised to see him end up in washington in some elected position...

 

[patdog]

I would vote for her for Mayor but I'll probably vote for Pickering.

My thoughts exactly. I love her as mayor of Madison and I damn sure don't want to lose her. I also think she's running for auditor just so she can investigate the Madison Board of Supervisors and Rudy Warnock. She's a better mayor than she would be a state auditor.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

She's a hell of a mayor and her opponent is under investigation for corruption. I don't really understand why anyone wouldn't vote for her...

 

[horshack.sixpack]

The Mayor Mary Rules:

If she agreed with whatever you were trying to do in Madison, you like her.

If she didn't agree with whatever you were trying to do in Madison, you hate her.

If you are actually envious of Madison and the property values, low crime, and here pumping those facts, you hate her.

You may just hate her because your are friends with someone who said she was terrible.

She is a bit unusual in politics in that she does actually stand for something, hence the number of people who either love or hate her. All that said, she has kept Madison on a decent path and she would absolutely crack heads of people who she thought were doing "wrong" in the state. Those she liked would not get a second look. In other words, business as usual at the state level of politics...

ETA: I don't live in Madison the City.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

There is no way Mary Hawkins will win over Stacey Pickering.....I lived in Madison from late 70s up until the last 10 years.....she did great things for Madison, and she should stay there....

Stacey Pickering is the best up and coming politician in Mississippi, and I think you will see him make a run for governor when Phil Bryants term is over......and he will probably win in a landslide....wouldnt be surprised to see him end up in washington in some elected position...

Maybe he'll be elected spokesman of his cell block.

 

[coach66]

Good post, Mary is a very polarizing figure, not much middle ground with her.

nm

 

[mstateglfr]

Maybe if she gets elected, the state of MS will get brick facades on all of the highway entrances to the state. Maybe all of the Wally Worlds, blue and orange box stores will be required to have face lifts as well. Mean while the rest of the infrastructure crumbles and decays but by golly the aesthetics will be better and all the more affluent areas can rest easy that the common folks ugliness will not invade their domain.

Sounds like you will be voting for her early and often.**

 

[GloryDawg]

Her grandfather years ago tricked a lot of Madison county residents out of their mineral rights on the land they owned. Her family still owns them today and will not let them go. That's all I have to say about her. She might get some votes in Central Miss but she is going to get clobered in the north and south where no one knows who she is.

 

[Xenomorph]

How much are mineral rights in Madison County worth?

Is Freeport-McMoran mobilizing for some huge coup in Flora that I'm unaware of?

 

[seshomoru]

I voted for her because I don't think Pritchett has a chance against Pickering.

Oh noes! Cross over voting! McDaniel was right!

My superintendent election only had republican candidates and it's the one that affects me the most.

 

[coach66]

Because of CO2 mineral rights in Madison County are quite valuable. We have a

MSU brother that is now a multi millionaire because someone sold him land to build a subdivision on and didn't reserve the mineral rights. He never built a house on that sight.

 

[ronpolk]

Oh noes! Cross over voting! McDaniel was right!

My superintendent election only had republican candidates and it's the one that affects me the most.

I'm not trying to start a republican vs democrat debate but what should it matter if the state auditor is republican or democrat? Granted I don't know much about what this position does other than catch people stealing money from the state, but in my mind it shouldn't matter if this position is republican or democrat. Kinda feel the same way about the AG spot. Maybe someone can enlighten me why it should matter if the are republican or democrat.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

I'm not trying to start a republican vs democrat debate but what should it matter if the state auditor is republican or democrat? Granted I don't know much about what this position does other than catch people stealing money from the state, but in my mind it shouldn't matter if this position is republican or democrat. Kinda feel the same way about the AG spot. Maybe someone can enlighten me why it should matter if the are republican or democrat.

It shouldn't matter for the actual job, but it is often used as a stepping stone for higher office.

Democrats never have anyone good to run for governor, lt. governor, etc., because they rarely win the lower offices to build credible candidates.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I voted in the GOP primary but did not vote for Auditor.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Mississippi Land Transaction Rule 1: Always reserve mineral rights.

 

[ronpolk]

It shouldn't matter for the actual job, but it is often used as a stepping stone for higher office.

Democrats never have anyone good to run for governor, lt. governor, etc., because they rarely win the lower offices to build credible candidates.

Makes sense.

 

[seshomoru]

I remember Lucien Smith's campaign for Treasurer...

Vowing to stick to his conservative values and fight Obamacare.

As treasurer? How?

The lower statewide offices have become nothing but platform builders for future elections and it's put some people in some positions they have no business being in, or even care to be in.

 

[patdog]

Yep. It's been a long, long time since we've had a CPA in the state auditor's office.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

There is no way Mary Hawkins will win over Stacey Pickering.....I lived in Madison from late 70s up until the last 10 years.....she did great things for Madison, and she should stay there....

Stacey Pickering is the best up and coming politician in Mississippi, and I think you will see him make a run for governor when Phil Bryants term is over......and he will probably win in a landslide....wouldnt be surprised to see him end up in washington in some elected position...

I could actually see Madison people NOT voting for her to keep her as mayor. I could see others in the state not voting for her because they don't like her. I know in the Jackson metro you need only drive through Madison and then check out any other Jackson suburbs and there is a huge difference in appearance and what is allowed to be built. I perceive most metro Jackson hate as envy.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Hamp King was from my hometown...

...and Jasper County was one of the few counties to go for Mason Shelby over Ray Mabus in the '83 Auditor race.

 

[MadDawg.sixpack]

She and her husband are crooks too.
He was indicted in a land deal by the FBI a few years ago, then he ratted and got off.

Exactly. Electing her State Auditor would be like putting Dickie Scruggs as the head of the MS Ethics Commission.

Only down side to NOT electing her state auditor is that she will still be Mayor of Madison. Apparently for life.

 

[OleMissLogo]

Yep. It's been a long, long time since we've had a CPA in the state auditor's office.

That isn't too concerning, though, because the State Auditor is a supervisory position. If they were actually performing the audits, then that would be different.

 

[msu84grad]

She is a politician all right...

First of all let me disclose that I know the Queen from personal experience -- a relative of mine once was on the Madison City Council. Needless to say we rarely talk about her at family get-togethers. As a person Mary is a nice lady. But as a mayor she is destroying the ability to serve the customer there. The excessive demands and regulations may mean beautiful buildings, but where is the industrial base to take the tax burden off homeowners? If Madison is so great why did Annandale fight tooth and nail to stop annexation? Who else is going to pay for the expensive city services? Since she is so adamant against any industry there is no tax base if the economy goes south. Also she is determined to make everything there in her image which can price out any small business trying to start. I know of a simple dry cleaning business where their building cost doubled because the Queen demanded they add a fake second story, and doubling their initial cost with no added benefit. And this was not a chain store -- it was one couple trying to start a business. Have you ever wondered why there are little or no small businesses in Grandview or Colony Crossing? How many times did Wal-Mart itself have to get design approval before they arrived?

Mary may have the best intentions for the city of Madison, but somehow it just seems shaky to me.

 

[OleMissLogo]

If Madison is so great why did Annandale fight tooth and nail to stop annexation?

To be fair, just about every neighborhood right outside a suburb limits will fight annexation. Why? Because if they are close enough to the city line to be considered for annexation, then they are enjoying all of the benefits of the city without paying the taxes of the city. This is the case everywhere, not just outside of Madison.

 

[seshomoru]

No Idea what the context of this was...

But WLBT actually had this image up on their broadcast a few years ago. Again... I have no idea what the actual report was about, but thank goodness for DVR.

 

[johnson86-1]

First of all let me disclose that I know the Queen from personal experience -- a relative of mine once was on the Madison City Council. Needless to say we rarely talk about her at family get-togethers. As a person Mary is a nice lady. But as a mayor she is destroying the ability to serve the customer there. The excessive demands and regulations may mean beautiful buildings, but where is the industrial base to take the tax burden off homeowners? If Madison is so great why did Annandale fight tooth and nail to stop annexation?

It's pretty normal for residential areas, especially affluent residential areas, to not want to be annexed by a city. If they're close enough to be annexed, they already get most of the benefits of being in the city and the school district often doesn't change with annexation. They'll already have water and sewer in place, and provided they didn't skimp such that their infrastructure is falling apart, the city can't save them money that way (and lots of time they tie into city water and sewer anyway). All the residents get is higher taxes and maybe a slight reduction in home insurance assuming they add a fire station or two to decrease response time to the annexed area. The flip side is that the main push by the city to annex is typically, "look at them there people with money; we should take some of it." Just not going to be appealing very often.

Who else is going to pay for the expensive city services? Since she is so adamant against any industry there is no tax base if the economy goes south. Also she is determined to make everything there in her image which can price out any small business trying to start.

It's not unusual to have bedroom communities follow that model. You've identified the downsides, but small businesses aren't the only thing that are priced out. Madison has basically taken an approach where they are attempting to freeze (or even shrink) the number of lower income people that can live within the city limits. I'm not a big fan of it, and think that it should be illegal to place minimum sq. footage requirements for new residential construction within a city, but I can understand the appeal of that approach when you are looking at Jackson to the south.

 

[MadDawg.sixpack]

I'm not completely sure on the details, but I think this was when her cat came up missing so she had the Madison police department pick people up for questioning.

 

[ronpolk]

That isn't too concerning, though, because the State Auditor is a supervisory position. If they were actually performing the audits, then that would be different.

I disagree with that. As the state auditor I think you should at a minimum be a CPA. I think this position should have a deeper understanding of accounting principles thank most.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

I disagree with that. As the state auditor I think you should at a minimum be a CPA. I think this position should have a deeper understanding of accounting principles thank most.

I agree in principle. I also think it's supremely important for the auditor to be 100% squeaky-clean when it comes to corruption, at a higher standard than any other office because it's his job to root out everyone else's corruption.