Dear Editor,
Crime in Yazoo City is not news, but apparently efforts to reduce crime by rolling back business closing hours to protect our citizens is – but not in a good way?! With the recent good news that City Council actions have resulted in a significant reduction in crime, I would have thought our mention on WLBT this week would have been to sing our City’s praises for “doing the right thing”. How wrong I was!
It seems that some businesses don’t think it’s “fair” for our City Council to roll back closing hours, even as the rollback did nothing more than get us in line with surrounding communities. Since the very reasonable rollback of business hours has resulted in an almost immediate and drastic drop in crime; it would seem that all would be pleased and supportive of the City’s actions. Such is not the case – at least not for those who seem so willing to subject our community to drug and alcohol induced crime.
For the past few years, Yazoo City has become a battle zone and cesspool of crime, violence, drunkenness and drug use, and especially in the hours between midnight and 4am; hours that most are and should be in bed. As surrounding community businesses and bars close earlier in surrounding communities, Yazoo City has became the focal point and destination of every “not yet drunk/drugged enough” party animal in a four county area. Why in the world would Yazoo City wish to invite the worst of the worst into our community, and to endanger our citizens and the men and women in law enforcement?!
A recent organized protest of the change in closing hours by the affected business owners (and “patrons”) was held in Yazoo City, and someone apparently called WLBT news. One disgruntled business owner told WLBT that he had lost $2,500 or more because of the closure. Another said that his customers didn’t come out until after midnight. I am curious as to why these folks would be drawn to Yazoo City for Coke and chips (because we all know that it is illegal to sell alcohol after hours.). You’d have to sell a lot of chips to make $2500.00. What is there to do or to buy – legally that is – in Yazoo City between midnight and 4am? I’m also very curious as to why WLBT thought this to be newsworthy…?
But maybe the business owner has a legitimate point. If these businesses are losing that much money, our community could take a devastating financial hit with the loss of sales tax revenues, taxes that I am sure are being properly reported. If you believe that sales transactions under cover of darkness are being reported, and taxed, then I still have some oceanside land in the Sahara to sell you. I’m not concerned – in the least – about lost sales tax revenues from these businesses due to earlier closings.
We should absolutely NOT retreat from the positive steps taken by this council! They have done, and they are trying to do the right thing to bring some order, safety and security back to this community. Our law enforcement officials should not risk their lives or waste their time cleaning up someone else’s problem. Intoxication, violence, profanity, assault and murder is our reward for longer business hours. We don’t want these problems, and we sure don’t need them.
One closing thought. I would suggest that anyone who supports an environment of crime and lawlessness in our community, is either indifferent to it, or is complicit in it and supportive of it. These people don’t care about Yazoo City. Now is no time to shrink away from responsible government and leadership. I support and applaud our City Council, and encourage them to stand firm, along with our law officers, for the sake of our community.
Bill McGraw
