Members of the Mississippi Black Legislative Caucus will be in Vicksburg Tuesday to meet with public officials and talk with voters about issues affecting state government.

“What we’re trying to do is to find out what the people want from us,” said State Rep. Oscar Denton, D-Vicksburg. Denton represents District 55, which covers Vicksburg and most of Warren County. “We want to bring awareness. We just really want to hear from the people, hear their concerns, their views — what’s on their minds. It’s open to the public; we’re inviting any and everybody. This is not a party affiliation thing. All are welcome.”

The 6 p.m. meeting will be held in the circuit courtroom on the second floor of the Warren County Courthouse; Denton, State Sen. Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson; Rep. Deborah Dixon, D-Raymond; and Rep. America “Chuck” Middleton, D-Roxie, are sponsoring the meeting.

Besides the legislators, Denton said Sheriff Martin Pace, Police Chief Walter Armstrong, Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Chad Shealy, director of Warren-Yazoo Mental Health Don Brown and Debra Mays-Jackson, president of Hinds Community College Utica Campus, will also talk at the meeting.

“I’ve asked all of them to talk about what’s going on in their arenas,” he said. “Mr. Shealy can talk about the schools, the sheriff and the chief about their offices. Don Brown can discuss the effect of budget cuts on mental health, and Dr. Jackson can discuss activities at Utica.”

The 50-member Mississippi Black Legislative Caucus is composed of the black members of the Mississippi Legislature. Denton said the organization hasn’t set an agenda for the next session of the Legislature.

“We’re just trying to get our strategy together and find out what we want to approach,” he said. “We haven’t pinpointed any subject we’re going to try to deal with. I hope the meeting Tuesday will help with setting an agenda. We have all kinds of issues on the table.”

Denton, however, said he plans to again introduce legislation to change the state flag, and find more revenue for the state to make up for the tax breaks approved in the last session. He added he would also support a state lottery “if it can be dedicated for roads and bridges and schools.”