Community control of tax dollars

As taxpayers to Mississippi, citizens expect their elected state leaders to prudently allocate their money in support of essential services such as public education, mental health, public roads and bridges, and public safety. According to Representative Jay Hughes, JD, State Representative from District 12 at Oxford in Lafayette County, “the legislature is trying to lay the groundwork to raise your local taxes by shifting the responsibility of K-12 public school funding down to your counties and cities.” 

If the legislature, with the support of the governor, elects to abandon its responsibilities to fully fund public education according to current law, we the taxpayers should refuse to remit our local sales and income tax dollars to the “black hole” treasury in Jackson. Instead, we should keep our tax dollars in our communities to support our local public schools, a welcome opportunity. By doing so, we can mitigate any further tax increases and potentially avoid any tax increases as predicted by Representative Hughes.

State politicians and bureaucrats do not appreciate the educational problems, needs, and interests of local cities and counties, nor do they represent the best interests of those outside their districts. Why then should they dictate how our local schools are funded, how well they should perform, and what outcomes should be achieved? It is particularly troubling that they conveniently ignore established educational standards, proven best practices and requisite funding needs. Moreover, priority must be given to unique educational characteristics, demographics, socio-economic, and cultural needs and interests of our local public schools. We request that all taxpayers in Mississippi join together in putting an end to the inadequate funding of public education by the State. Now is the time to act by calling or writing your legislators.

Bruce and Mary Betsy Bellande

Oxford

Appreciate veterans

I want to share a speech my 12-year-old granddaughter, Julia Neugebauer of Mount Prospect, Illinois, delivered to her school assembly on Veteran’s Day. I am so proud of her. It brought tears to my eyes when I read the speech. I include the speech so our veterans can know they are appreciated by our younger generation.

“Veteran’s Day is a day of honor. It’s a day to honor those who have passed away or are still with us. We should be thanking our veterans for our lives. They’re the reason we have independence. They’re the reason we’re not under someone else’s rule. They’re the reason we can live in peace. I think that everyone should honor them and show our veterans some respect. I think Veteran’s Day is important because I believe no matter what age you are, you should know that veterans are the reason we are safe. Veterans should be looked upon as not only heroes but also champions. They deserve all of our attention and a great deal of thanks. They’re not just people that we are to thank for a holiday off. They’re people we have to thank for our lives, freedom and pursuit of happiness. Veteran’s Day was made for a purpose, let’s celebrate, respect and give thanks to our veterans.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. We say these words every day without thinking about it. However, to the veterans that risked their lives; our pledge is a reassurance that they had a purpose. To me veterans are heroes, they don’t have to protect us, give their lives for us, or keep us safe, but they do. When you hear the word veteran what do you think about? I think of my Grandpa John. He was a soldier in his late 20s. Now he’s near 80 and lives with my grandma in Mississippi. I think of how scared he must have been. I wonder if the whole thing was a dream in disguise or a nightmare.”

Patricia Maloney

Meridian

Why Keytown, why Key Field?

Dewitt Key’s funeral was Jan. 12. We should hope there are many Keys left in the Kemper County area. Some of Mississippi’s most unusual and noteworthy history is because of Kemper County folk.

In 1929-1930 some Key brothers figured, attempted, kept trying and came up with a solution to a huge problem: airplanes were limited in range because the amount of required fuel weighed too much.

The Keys believed refueling could be done in the air. They had two planes, with flexible hoses, that flew close together and transferred fuel. The “delivery plane” landed, refueled and went back up when needed.

The biggest obtacle to ovecome with air-to-air refueling and maintenance of the plane’s engine, was solved by an automatic shut off valve invented by Meridian resident, A.D. Hunter. The valve prevented the fuel from spraying on the engine once the nozzle disengaged from the air craft’s fuel tank.

This procedure went until 1935 when the brothers stayed in the air for 27 consecutive days. Their wives and families stayed at the air field during the flight and cooked their meals, which were taken to the brothers by the refueling plane. When they landed July 1, 1935 the national press and enormous crowds were there to greet them. They became local heroes.

The Meridan Municipal Airport was later named Key Field in their honor. Their plane was named “Ole Miss” and it is in the Smithsonian today. This is an honor to Mississippi. Let’s be proud of the Keys, this important phase of early aviation, and pass this pride on to future generations.

Goodbye to DeWitt Key. His life honored the accomplishments of his cousins. 

Ruth Ethridge

Collinsville