Clayton News Daily

We're all in this together

To the editor:

Recently, there has been much discussion regarding the financial health of the City of Jonesboro. As a retired teacher and citizen of this city, I feel compelled to express how I, and many other retirees who are on a fixed income, feel about the business of a property tax.

For the past several years, we, the citizens of Jonesboro, have been living off the city.

We have well-lit streets, a wonderful police department, and a public works department that does an excellent job in keeping the city clean.

It behooves all of us residents, and otherwise, to step up to the plate and pay our fair share.

Why should we expect the businesses to bear the entire brunt of these services? (I do not own a business, nor am I related to anyone who does.)

We all benefit from the services provided by the city, business owners AND residents.

A small property tax would not overburden most, if any, of the residents of this city.

We have had a free ride for too long. It would not be very pleasant to live in a city with no street lights (cost of $63,000 per year), no police protection and no one to keep the city clean.

Come on citizens, let this be one time when we can all be on the same team and pull together. LET'S BE WILLING TO PAY OUR OWN WAY!

LILLIE L. SUDER

Jonesboro