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Dear Friends and Neighbors:
Simpson County School Board met in regular session last evening. Mr Pat Brown with the Simpson County Economic Development Foundation was at the meeting and offered to buy the 103 acres of land on Highway 49 purchased from Phillip Davis back in 2022. He offered us what we paid for it. I suggested we accept his offer, but the president of the board allowed no discussion and moved on quickly to the next item on the agenda. We have already voted to rescind consolidation and it makes no sense to keep the land so I will continue to advocate for its sale.
In other business, the board voted to proceed with borrowing $2.4 million by means of a “shortfall note.” I spoke out against this indebtedness and voted against it, but I was out-voted 4-1. We do not have a shortfall of funds. In fact we have have $45 million in the bank. I will continue to labor for common sense and fiscal responsibility. I hope and pray we can get get some more conservatives on the board at some point.
In other business, the board voted to appeal Judge Matt Sullivan’s ruling in which he ruled against the School Board in their lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors. I voted against appealing to the Mississippi Supreme Court. I told the other board members I am opposed to the appeal, first because I agree with Judge Sullivan’s ruling; secondly, because I believe we will lose the appeal, and thirdly because the School Board has wasted too much money on attorney fees already. However, I must admit I am glad for the appeal in one sense, because I look forward to a ruling from the State Supreme Court on this issue. For too long the statutes have been used unconstitutionally by school boards to arbitrarily raise their own budgets. For many years Boards of Supervisors were led to believe they had to rubber stamp school boards’ requests for additional funding. I am thankful for our Simpson County BOS for finally standing up to the school board against tyranny. Judge Sullivan correctly ruled that the State Constitution makes the BOS the sole levying authority for the county, and no other department or court can force a BOS to increase taxes or funding. I am prayerfully confident the Mississippi High Court will uphold Judge Sullivan and put a stop to school board tyranny statewide.
Please continue to pray for me as I labour for integrity, fiscal responsibility, and common sense in the Simpson County School District.
Thomas Ray Floyd/ School Board Rep District 3
601-862-3919
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