Dear Editor,
This past legislative session, $24 Million that the laws says should have gone directly to classroom supplies instead went directly into the general fund to cover prior corporate tax cuts.
In 1992, the sales tax in Mississippi was raised from 6 percent to 7 percent, specifically for education. Section 37-61-33 (3)(iii) dedicated 9.61 percent of the new penny tax to be exclusively for classroom supplies.
This year that dedicated sales tax raised $36 Million in revenue. Unfortunately, the majority only gave $12 Million to the children’s classrooms. The rest went poof!
Tax cuts went to corporations, as well as classroom supply funds.
We would all be better off if legislators just started following their own laws.
We have the money in the Capitol – just the wrong priorities.
Jay Hughes
