April 28, 2009

Matt Cox’s campaign accepts only local financial contributions

Starkville Democratic mayoral candidate Matt Cox’s campaign reported
more than $19,000 in total campaign contributions for the period of
Jan. 1 to Friday, all of which came from citizens who either live or
work in Starkville.

Cox’s campaign finance report filed today at the City Clerk’s office
shows the campaign having more than $3,000 on hand leading into
Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Of contributions to the Democratic
candidate?s campaign, $14,303 was in cash and $5,201 was through
in-kind services.

“It’s a special compliment to our campaign knowing our support is all
local and grassroots,” Cox said. “This level of support shows how much
our city wants Starkville to live up to its potential.”

A cross-section of Starkville residents have joined Cox’s campaign
for improved streets, sidewalks, curbside recycling and making the
city a preferred location for businesses to create new jobs. Area
physicians, public school teachers, retirees, business owners and
Mississippi State faculty and staff have contributed to the campaign.

“While the level of financial contributions is humbling, the best way
to support our campaign is to vote in May 5 Democratic primary,” Cox
said.

A husband, father, business owner and active community volunteer, Cox
currently serves the city as Ward 5 alderman and chair of the city’s
budget committee. His experience working in management for a Fortune
50 company and background in economics makes him the right leader for
Starkville during uncertain financial times.

Cox’s goal of helping Starkville live up to its potential led to him
and other community volunteers to help establish two firsts for the
state of Mississippi: a citywide smoking ban in restaurants and
businesses and a dog park. Cox, a founding member of Starkville in
Motion, worked directly to help create the University Drive bike path.

“We know first-hand about Starkville’s community spirit and a wealth
of resources,” Cox said. “It’s time bring everyone to the table and
make this one of the premiere university communities in the South.”

From SYP:

With just over one week remaining until the 2009 municipal elections, we want to let everyone know that video of all three SYP candidate forums are now available on our website:

http://starkvilleyoungprofessionals.wordpress.com

You can view all candidates’ responses to each individual question. Each question is a different video so that you do not have to watch two hours just to hear a specific response.

Please pass this link along to all your friends and neighbors.

Ben Needham is the campaign manager for Parker Wiseman. Ben is a graduate of Mississippi State University and currently works in the political field. This appears as originally sent and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the website.

The Case for Parker Wiseman

In less than two weeks, citizens of Starkville will go to the polls to choose the next city leaders. Vying to lead the city over the next four years are Mayor Dan Camp, Alderman Matt Cox, and Parker Wiseman. Today, I present my case for electing Parker Wiseman as the next Mayor of Starkville.

Parker Wiseman is a Starkville native who was educated in the Starkville Public Schools from kindergarten through the 12th grade. After graduating from Starkville High School, Parker continued his education at Mississippi State University where he received the John C. Stennis scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. While at Mississippi State, Parker held leadership rolls in several organizations including being a student senator, Student Association Vice President and President, and was elected Mr. MSU. After graduating from Mississippi State, Parker continued his education at the University of North Carolina where he received a Master’s of Public Administration from one of the best schools that offers training in city management. Parker then returned to Mississippi to complete a Juris Doctorate at the University of Mississippi Law School. Once Parker completed his educational work, he moved back to Starkville with his wife Lindsey Smith Wiseman and practices law with Knight, Mozingo, and Quarles.

Parker is running for mayor to see Starkville achieve everything it is capable of being. Currently, Starkville is not utilizing all of her resources. Parker Wiseman will change that as the next Mayor of Starkville. Parker has focused on four very important issues throughout this election—economic development, land-use and development, governing better, cleaner and more efficiently, and finally moving forward on the municipal complex. No other candidate in this race has talked more openly about moving Starkville forward than Parker. Parker is very detailed with his platform and trying to communicate what Starkville can be with the right leadership.

Parker believes we can grow the Starkville economy if we take a regional approach to economic development rather than fighting with West Point and Columbus for companies looking to locate in the area. This is important because Oktibbeha County is just as impoverished as our neighbor Noxubee County. We have 31.4 percent of our citizens living below the poverty line. That figure is staggering considering that Starkville has the most educated labor force in the state of Mississippi. What it says is that outside of education fields and medical fields there is a serious lack of jobs that pay a living wage in Starkville/ Oktibbeha County.

Stated simply, we are vastly underachieving in the field of job creation, and as a result, many of our citizens are struggling. Parker understands that while Starkville is resource rich, the city is not doing its part to promote local economic development. The job of the mayor is to set the stage for public and quasi-private entities with a stake in economic development to bring growth opportunities to Starkville. That means the mayor must constantly coordinate with the Greater Starkville Development Authority, the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, and the Mississippi Development Authority to sell this community as a great place for outside business and industry to locate. Parker understands the task and is ready to take it on!

He also understands that it is a chief responsibility of the city to ensure that land is developed in a way that is attractive and economically sound. There has not been an election in decades that is as vital to shaping the future land-use policy of this city as the current election. Right now, 65% of Starkville’s land is undeveloped, and we have a comprehensive plan that the taxpayers of this city paid good money for that has remained on the shelf gathering dust for the last four years. The time has come for the people of Starkville to say “enough” and demand better.

The choice in the May 5th Democratic Primary is clear. Starkville voters may choose Parker with his plan to lead Starkville forward or one of the two most outspoken community leaders over the last four years. The records of Mayor Camp and Alderman Cox paint a picture of largely ignoring economic development and land-use issues that should be dominating the city agenda. Voters can make a choice to continue the path of indifference or accept Parker’s call for us to begin down the road of realizing our potential as a community. That road is long and tough, but it leads us to a place tomorrow that is better than where we are today. Make the right choice on Tuesday, May 5th. Choose progress. Choose Parker Wiseman!