SOUTHAVEN, MS (abc24.com) - Southaven Mayor Greg Davis is fighting back. Not only is the state auditor suing Davis, now he's ordered the city to stop paying the mayor.
Davis owes more than $70,000 of the almost $170,000 he's accused of misspending. The battle is heading to court and the mayor says he's looking forward to it.
"This is not a city issue. This is between me and the state auditor," Davis says. It's personal, and money is on the line.
There's the mayor's $145,000 salary, and the $70,000 the state has been waiting for Davis to repay.
"We feel we have done nothing wrong. We've said that from the beginning," Davis tells abc24.com. Davis doesn't think he should have repaid a dime. He wasn't planning on giving the auditor another cent.
This week, the auditor sued the mayor. He didn't stop there, also ordering the city to garnish Davis' salary, saying the state would put that money toward his debt.
"It's the same story, the same song and dance he's been talking about. The only new thing we've learned is he feels he has the authority to freeze my pay." Davis calls it unconstitutional.
"In our opinion there hasn't been any due process in the entire procedure." Davis plans to file a temporary restraining order and believes he'll come out on top.
"The state auditor has had the opportunity for the last year to run around the state and give his side," Davis says. "Now in a courtroom, in Hinds County we'll give ours. This is finally coming to a head, something we've been asking for for months. I think it will be resolved quickly enough that there will not be an impact to my finances. If it is, I'll figure it out."
The auditor's office says state employee's paychecks have been frozen a handful of times recently, but always as a last resort.
Davis plans to file for the restraining order by the end of this week. His pay day is next week and he hopes to have the restraining order in place by then.
