To the Editor:
The City of Kosciusko is proud to join the Mississippi Municipal League and its 295-member municipalities across the State of Mississippi in celebration of Municipal Government Week, January 14-20, 2018.
City government is, without question, the government closest to the people. At a time when people nationwide seem to have less faith in their government, we in municipal government want to be sure the people here at home are aware of the critical services we provide.
Over 50% of Mississippi citizens live in a city, town or village. In addition, thousands more rely on cities for places of employment, professional services and retail trade centers. These citizens look to us to provide important services such as police and fire protection, garbage pick-up, street and sidewalk maintenance, water and sewer service, parks and recreational services and much more.
It is a constant challenge for the City of Kosciusko to provide such services within our budget and in the face of requirements imposed on us by other levels of government. During the current legislative session, the city of Kosciusko will join municipalities across the state in support of a bill that would increase the amount of sales tax diverted back to each city by the State of Mississippi. This increase in sales tax revenue must be used for street, water and sewer improvements. The best part of this proposed plan is that our city will receive additional revenue without increasing anyone’s taxes.
Even in challenging times, I believe that our officials and employees are doing a great job in meeting the needs of our citizens. I am proud of our city’s record and look forward to the opportunity to showcase our services during Municipal Government Week.
Jimmy W. Cockroft
Mayor of Kosciusko
