Disturbed by move to make MDOT head appointed position
Re: “Bill calls for appointed MDOT head” in the Sunday 1/29/17 paper
Concerning House Bill 877 by Rep. Gary Chism (R – Columbus) to abolish the Mississippi Transportation Commission and replace it with one appointed commissioner of transportation.
I see this as just another power grab by the governor and the Legislature. There is a reason Mississippi has a better highway system than Alabama, and Alabama is not #50 in the nation.
Just before Representative Jeff Smith said, “… we are very lucky in the Northern District to have an excellent transportation commissioner in Mike Tagert,” he was quoted as wanting greater qualifications for transportation commissioners than “a pulse, being a registered voter and being 21 years of age.” That is contradictory and rather harsh.
Personally, I feel like those are the exact qualifications some of our legislators possess.
Billy Wilemon, Jr.
Aberdeen
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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