Well, we now not only don’t have a head of our Economic Development Authority, we have no funding to secure one and carry on a program to secure business for investment in the Natchez area.

In the infinite wisdom of three members of the Adams County Board of Supervisors, they decided to withdraw the county funding for the EDA. The reason they gave for this very astute and well-thought out decision was that they didn’t think the taxpayers were getting their money’s worth.

Well, I have a great suggestion. Let’s, the taxpayers of Adams County and Natchez, stop the supervisors’ salaries. As it stands now, I think most people would agree we are not getting our money’s worth from their elected position and the job they were elected to do.

Wouldn’t it be great if we as taxpayers could just not pay taxes because we don’t think we are getting our money’s worth out of those elected officials in Washington, D.C.? You have to admit it sure worked for Tim Geithner, the newly elected head of the U.S. Treasury, on the Obama team.

So would the triumvirate of the Adams County Board of Supervisors get your head out of the sand and look at the facts?

First, approximately mid-year in 2008, the county received the final payment from Rentech on the former International Paper site.

The net dollars to the county from this transaction was $1.8 million.

Remember when the Adams County Supervisors made a big deal of cutting our taxes by $184,000? Well, they just spent $250,000 for pay increases for county workers. How is that for good bureaucratic math? You tell the taxpayers you cut their taxes by $184,000, then spend $250,000 elsewhere. Seems like there is a shortfall of $66,000 in that deal.

I have a feeling there is another reason for the sudden withdrawal of county funds for the EDA, rather than what the banditos said about not getting their money’s worth from the EDA.

Frankly, the facts do not support that line of reasoning. The EDA was responsible for closing the transaction between Rentech and the old IP property. They were instrumental in securing the new federal prison on U.S. 84. The prison alone should result in approximately 300 new, well-paying jobs for people that will also have health insurance and retirement.

This is all aside from the fact that the Adams County supervisors broke a contract with the City of Natchez over the funding fiasco.

Gentlemen, let’s hear the real reason for your sudden and ill-planned withdrawal of funds for the EDA.

The facts don’t support the reason you gave.

Kirk Bartley

Natchez resident