Much like the business community in Natchez did two years ago, the Mississippi business community is realizing its role in government is far more than merely a taxpayer.

Thursday, the Mississippi Economic Council — the state chamber of commerce — presented its strategic plan for the state to lawmakers and the governor.

In short, the MEC wants legislators to expand charter schools, recruit more businesses, improve teacher quality and increase funding available for entrepreneurs.

MEC turned the plan over to the governor — who pledged his support for it — and asked him to pursue its implementation.

But the business group didn’t release the reigns entirely, saying it would continue to update the plan.

Creating development plans for the state is nothing new for MEC — it released Blueprint Mississippi in 2004. But this time, the council took the plan directly to lawmakers and asked them for action.

It’s a key formula that is all too often missing from our communities. Businesses operate to improve their bottom line, not always realizing that influencing major changes in local government may be the best way to prop up that line.

Natchez and Adams County businesses realized they needed to be more involved when government nearly shut down the agency responsible for recruiting business and industry.

A year after the creation of Natchez Inc., the results are good.

When the private sector wakes up and gets involved in government, smart things happen that improve business for all of us.