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Third steel mill no better than the first two
To the editor:
I have noticed a lot of people in the county throwing their shoulders out of place patting themselves on the back in anticipation of a third steel mill in the county. I would like to ask them, "WHAT ARE YOU, STOOPID?"
In 1986, when Nucor-Yamato was setting up shop, the population of the city was about 25,000, Baptist Hospitals ran the local hospital, the county had about six new car dealerships, and the Air Force base was here in addition to a fairly active industrial park. The steel mill was touted as having "high-paying jobs" that would enrich the tax base and make the city a real industry magnet.
Since then, the second steel mill along with several steel-related businesses came to town with "hundreds of high-paying jobs" and yet, our little city has begun to suck canal water. The county has one new car dealership unless I am mistaken, the local hospital is on life support from the taxpayers, without which it would promptly close. The Air Force base closed and took away a lot of jobs, many which were low paying, and the industrial park was sent to China thanks to Billy Clinton giving China most favored trading nation status. The taxpayers wound up paying about half a million to attract a big box hardware store which promptly put a couple of existing stores out of business. And the taxpayers have spent and will continue to spend money on life support for operations on the old Air Force base.
In spite of all the grand talk, big ideas and the thievery that has gone on in this period, the population of our little town has dropped to 15,000 or so in spite of annexing more taxpayers and has the appearance of going lower. Home building has suffered a major drop and the sales tax has just about doubled. I would like to know if the general population feels they are better off now than in 1986. I realize the last scumbag mayoral administration had a disproportionate share of influence on the tax increase, but still, has the industrial development monies spent on the steel-related industries helped the average citizen?
The steel mill in Osceola will provide jobs to people in Memphis, Jonesboro, southeast Missouri and northwest Tennessee and yet the tax dollars will come from the poorest citizens of Mississippi County since the sales tax is regressive. The Quorum Court of Fools will continue to complain the county can't afford two county seats, blahville will continue to put off the county on the jail bill, the hospital will continue to soak up tax dollars while the taxpayers go to Jonesboro for health care, and new car purchases will most likely be made out of county and/or state. It is time for the politicians of this county to wake up and smell the coffee, put their hands in their own pockets and cut back on the spending, lower the taxes, and try to attract small businesses and citizens. With the success the local drug task force has had in making arrests, we should have them focus on the local political structure and see what they can find there. If two steel mills didn't improve things in blahville, it's a damn good bet three won't either.