Thursday, October 20, 2011
Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery
|
|
||
|
Thursday, October 20, 2011 |
||
|
Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery |
 |
OpinionFielder’s Choice Strong leadership Haley Barbour said there’s no better government job than governor. “And this is likely my last government job,” he said. Barbour’s two-term stint as governor of Mississippi is winding down. A new governor, either Johnny Dupree or Phil Bryant, will be sworn into office in January. Close to Nowhere Boy or girl turtle? Thanks to Wikipedia, I may have an explanation as to why youngest granddaughter Remy is finding (and bringing home) lots of box turtles. And I quote: “Prior to hibernation, box turtles tend to move further into the woods, where they dig a chamber for overwintering.” Since we live in the woods and Remy rambles all over those same woods, she’s finding the poor turtles that are just trying to find a bed before the coming cold. Wyatt’s World Glorious October weather in Mississippi Ah, glorious October in Mississippi. Is there any finer weather in the world? April and October are simply spectacular in Mississippi. I’d be hard pressed to tell you which one I enjoy more. And now Daylight Saving Time lasts all the way to November!
Letters To The Editor Yes on Initiative 31 On November 8, the voters of Mississippi will have the opportunity to amend our state constitution to limit the power of government to use eminent domain to acquire property from one private individual and turn it over to another private individual or company for their private use. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the city of New London, Connecticut, could force an entire subdivision of residents to sell their land to the Pfizer Corporation so Pfizer could build a research facility. The court decided that the increased tax revenue from the research facility would benefit the public and was therefore a “public use.” This interpretation is now what our founding fathers had in mind when they introduced the concept of eminent domain. The traditional uses for eminent domain have always been schools, roads, bridges, railroads, etc., not tax revenue from economic development. Since that ruling in 2005, 43 states have enacted laws limiting the powers of eminent domain to protect landowners’ rights. Mississippi has not done so to this point. In several recent legislative sessions, eminent domain reform bills have been introduced but died before becoming law. So the Mississippi Farm Bureau spearheaded an effort to amend the Mississippi Constitution for eminent domain reform – to keep individuals’ property from being taken by the government and turned over to other private parties. More than 120,000 Mississippi voters signed a petition to put the reform measure on the next statewide ballot to let the voters decide whether Mississippi should do what most other states have already done to protect private property. Opponents of this initiative say that is is a solution without a problem. I say they are very short-sighted. There have been instances all across the country of private property being taken for economic development purposes. Just because it isn’t a problem in this state now doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future. Tough economic times force officials to make difficult decisions. The chance to increase tax revenue at the expense of someone’s private property rights might be too hard to resist. Other opponents predict an economic disaster if this initiative is passed. They say that Mississippi won’t be in the running for large economic development projects that bring jobs to our state. The Institute for Justice did a study that examined the economic indicators in states that have already passed eminent domain reform measures and found that, “There appear to be no negative economic consequences from eminent domain reform. State trends in all three key economic indicators were essentially the same after reform as before...even states with the strongest reforms saw no ill economic effect compared to states that failed to enact reform.” Farm Bureau’s stance has always been that economic development situations are best handled with a willing buyer and a willing seller. Economic development can and does occur without the use of eminent domain. We need to do everything we can to inhibit government from using eminent domain for private economic development. Vote Yes on Initiative 31! Randy Knight, Hometown Heroes Immanuel Betts, Marines, 2nd tour, Afghanistan Chad Bowman, Afghanistan Houston Brimmage, National Guard, Iraq Frederick D. Brown, Army, Afghanistan Shanika Buffington, National Guard, Iraq B.J. Butler, Army Wesley Crutcher II, Afghanistan John Davis, Army, Iraq John Westley Day, National Guard, Iraq Michael Dunworth, Navy, Iraq LaCourtney Ellis, Army, Afghanistan Tiffany Erwin, Army, Afghanistan, now in Iraq Charles Fairbairn, Army, Iraq; now in Afghanistan Wayne Gowland, Army, Iraq Jarod Grimes, Army, Iraq Jorty “Bubba” Holmes, Army, Iraq Lee (Brandon) Hutchens, Marines, Iraq Sammie Ivy, National Guard, Iraq Jason Janicki, Army, Iraq Robert Jordan Jr., Army, Iraq Scott King, Navy, Afghanistan LaVandes Lester, Marines, Iraq James Light, Army, Afghanistan Sale T. Lilly IV, Navy, Afghanistan Antione McNeil, Army, Iraq Victor Miller, Army, Iraq Chad Minor, Air Force Will Olita, Navy, Arabian Sea (Afghanistan) Chadwick (Chad) Phillips, Army, 2nd tour, Iraq Scott Poff, National Guard, 2nd tour, Iraq Deron Randolph, Marines, Iraq Darryl Wayne Ricks, National Guard, Iraq Candace L. White, Army, Afghanistan Justin Sanders, Army, Iraq Cody Sanderson, Air Force, Iraq Mitch Swann, Army, Iraq Landon Tucker, National Guard, 2nd tour, Iraq Chauncy Turnage, Army, 2nd tour, Iraq Supporting Our Troops If you’d like to add a name to this list, please contact The South Reporter, Attn. Linda Jones, P.O. Box 278, Holly Springs, MS 38635; 662-252-4261; or email: southreporter@dixie-net.com |
     
|
Report
News: (662) 252-4261 or southreporter@dixie-net.com
Fax: (662) 252-3388
Questions, comments, corrections: southreporter@dixie-net.com
The South Reporter
P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
©2004,
The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.
Web
Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter
