Dear Editor,
This letter is in response to your column titled “Annexation needed for city to grow,” which was published in the Jan. 30, 2020, edition of The Columbian-Progress.
I was born in and remain a lifelong resident of Marion County, as are my parents and their parents before them. My father and grandfather have owned businesses in Columba and Marion County. My family and I work, worship and play here. I have dedicated more than 25 years to the youth of this community. My family has paid and continues to pay our fair share of taxes. I assure you that I have a vested interest in the success of my city. You accused those of us in the proposed annex area of “enjoying economic and social benefits of the municipality without paying their fair share of taxes.” I respectfully as you, sir, how much in property taxes have you paid to enjoy these supposed benefits?
You stated that if a city does not annex, that its resources are drained over time. Let me propose a few solutions to this problem that do not involve the city robbing its citizens.
1. Let’s take a look, a real transparent look, at the current revenue and spending practices of the city. I would be willing to bet there are many ways the city can “adjust” the way it does business that would help increase available funds. I personally would like to see the figures for the recent 3% tax increase.
2. Let’s spend some time and money cleaning up the current city limits. Perhaps if the city were more inviting, more people would want to move in and purchase property. How does the city plan to take care of the newly acquired property when it cannot care for the existing areas?
3. Let’s offer incentives to small business owners so they want to open businesses in our city. From my perspective, it seems as if we are running businesses out of town. Many that I have spoken to state high taxes as a reason they close or relocate.
4. Let’s develop properties the city already owns including the newly acquired 80 acres in the prime location in town and close to U.S. 98. We seem to have the money for other projects in the city. Let’s invest money that is going to show a return for our city.
In reference to your comment about the proposed annexation area taking in a reasonable area without any “weird meandering to only take in certain places.” I implore you to do a comparison of the first proposed area and the final proposal. In my opinion, there are some very suspicious changes that have taken place. I wonder if the citizens realize that if this annexation is approved, the courts have the authority to redraw those lines?
Mississippi statute states that “reasonable public and municipal services will be rendered in the annexed territory within a reasonable time.” The fact is that the city has no plans to provide the new territory with any services. It simply cannot afford to do so. Again, I refer to the poor conditions of existing structures, roadways, septic systems and empty buildings. You stated that the legitimate interests of the 6,000 current city residents should not be drowned out by the 900 opposition voices. The truth is this annexation will have a major negative impact on ALL of us. Because I guarantee the city leaders will have no choice but to increase taxes for everyone in the “new city limits” in order to pay for the services the law requires. And shame on you for making this “us against them.” It is certainly NOT. We are all in this together as we will all suffer the consequences of this injustice if annexation is brought to fruition.
Once you have established yourself in this community, taken the time to get to know ALL the people, and stayed here long enough to personally feel the impact of our taxes, then perhaps your opinion on our community will have more merit.
Kim Todd
Lifelong Marion County resident
