The defeat of the gross receipts tax leaves me with a mixed feeling.

Even though I was in favor of the outcome, I’m sorry that the needed funding will now not be there for the correctional facility. Hopefully next year, the county commission will see fit to write this legislation in such a manner that the tax will not be “never ending” and designate the funds collected by the tax for a specific purpose, mainly the construction of additional housing facilities for both the male and female inmates.

The question has never been “Do we need to provide additional housing for the inmates at the correctional facility?” but rather “What is the best way to fund the construction of new housing facilities without imposing a never-ending burden on the merchants and citizens of this county?”

Let’s do this right the next time around and get this tax passed for the greater good of all concerned.