James “Jimmy” A. Rogers has announced he is running for mayor of Opp.

Rogers has served as the District 2 representative on the Opp City Council for more than 19 years.

During that time, he served four years as mayor pro tempore and served in the parks and recreation department for eight years.

During the Jerry Boothe administration, Rogers ran the Opp Utility Department for four years.

“I have the experience and knowledge to run city hall and the Utility

Department for the City of Opp,” he said. “I have run two successful

businesses in Opp for over 50 years. This is proof that I have the ability

to oversee the business affairs of my community.”

Rogers said he believes his business experience has taught him a valuable lesson and that’s to live within one’s means.

“As a citizen, I believe that we must stop the City of Opp from borrowing millions of dollars that as a community, we are unable to repay,” Rogers said.

“If elected mayor, I plan to stop excessive borrowing,” he said. “I have come to the conclusion that under the current leadership it will not matter how high the electric, water, sewage, TV cable, Internet, garbage fees and business license rates are set, there will never be enough money to satisfy the needs.”

Rogers said he does not want Opp to fall victim to financial woes as other cities have.

“If we continue on the current path, I am concerned that the City of Opp will end in bankruptcy,” he said.

Rogers said he believes that the aging population of Opp is finding it hard to make ends meet due to utility costs.

“In my opinion, 50 percent of the citizens in Opp are retired people living on Social Security and cannot continue to pay these high utility rates,” he said.

“These citizens must have money left to live on,” he said. “At one time, Opp’s population was at 7,400, but according to the last U.S. Census, our population has dropped to 6,200. Businesses have moved away or closed completely in the city. Other businesses are not moving here because of the high overhead.

“Residents are moving out of Opp because they cannot afford to pay the high utility deposits and high utility rates,” he said. “I will support recruiting new industry and will work diligently to bring jobs to our city.”

Rogers said he and the rest of Opp are ready for a change.

“My promise, when elected mayor, is that I will also keep the best interest of the citizens of Opp first, and not my own, nor those of my friends,” he said.

Municipal elections will be held on Aug. 28.