•I think the Legislature should try fully funding the MAEP formula for at least five consecutive years so we can get a better gauge on how truly impactful it is. When it’s only been fully funded twice, both election years, you’re not giving the system an opportunity to work.
•I don’t think a lawsuit, as proposed by former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, is the best means of improving school funding. I lean more toward supporting the initiative for a Constitutional change to force the Legislature to utilize new growth to better fund education. But whenever I see anyone attempting to tweak any constitution, I get a little nervous.
Joel McNeece
•I think schools that serve Pepsi products in the concession stand instead of Coke should immediately surrender seven points on the scoreboard before the opening kickoff.
(Actually, this is Dr. Bruce Longest’s suggestion after last week’s Bruce game at North Pontotoc, but I too have found nothing outside of Mountain Dew that Pepsi has ever made worth drinking.)
•I think my 8-year-old yellow Lab Jack is a science wonder, and partly nuts with a chance of crazy. I’ve never seen a dog eat as relentlessly as he does, and I don’t mean just food. Over the past two weeks I’ve taken away a wooden spoon, a section of the newspaper, and one of our granddaughter’s t-shirts that he was chewing on and no doubt intending to swallow.
•I love high school football and I love summer. I don’t love high school football in the summer. A credible reason has never been given by the Mississippi High School Activities Association as to why high school football has to start prior to Labor Day and I’m not holding my breath on them coming up with one anytime soon.
•I don’t understand how any governing body can pass a deficit budget in excess of a quarter of a million dollars, as the City of Bruce is proposing, and feel like that’s the best you can do.
Among the excuses offered is that departments don’t spend all the funds in their budget each year. Then you’re putting too much money in their budget. We’re quick to complain about the free spending in Washington, D.C. If we can’t adopt a balanced budget at home, we shouldn’t be throwing stones.
•Did I mention I think my dog is crazy? I came home from work one day last week and his collar and name tag were gone from his neck. It’s been a week and there’s no sign of it.
•I don’t begrudge a one mil tax increase from the county seeing how much their expenses are climbing, but it demands supervisors be even more mindful of avoiding any potential wasteful spending.
Email Joel McNeece at joelmcneece@gmail.com & follow him on Twitter @joelmcneece