Sunday, January 17, 2010

JJ Readers: Consolidate school districts.

Readers who participated in a recent JJ poll think the state should solve the budget crisis by consolidating school districts. This choice received 27% of the vote. Cutting 10% across the board garnered 20% but what was interesting was the choice of legalizing marijuana placed third at 17%. Is there a silent support in Mississippi that has gone largely unnoticed for such a move? Interesting. Unfortunately, more sensible moves such as consolidating counties received little, if any votes.

Consolidate school districts
80 (27%)
Consolidate counties
7 (2%)
Cut Medicaid
1 (0%)
Cut K-12 education
0 (0%)
Cut higher education
0 (0%)
Raise sales taxes
4 (1%)
Raise Corporate tax
2 (0%)
Internet sales tax
1 (0%)
Raise income tax
0 (0%)
Cut DHS's budget
3 (1%)
Cut MDOC
0 (0%)
Reform MDOT
22 (7%)
Cut across the board 10%
61 (20%)
Layoff employees
2 (0%)
Legalize weed & tax it
51 (17%)
Lottery
27 (9%)
Consolidate higher education
14 (4%)
Soda tax
5 (1%)
Increase tobacco tax
8 (2%)
Increase gasoline tax
2 (0%)
Reduce sales tax exemptions
2 (0%)

11 comments:

stilettoGOP said...

NOOOO on legalizing weed. That's the last thing we need, an additional legal "vice" to have people driving around under the influence of.

And yes, I'm one of those "it's a gateway drug" people. If kids start looking at pot as common as a cigarette, then what's the next "mild" drug?? Meth??

HELL no don't legalize marijuana. Kids (and adults) will still continue to get it as they always have, but why make a drug even more prevalent?

Tax the cigs.

Jane said...

Alcohol's gotta be one of the worst drugs and it's legal.

Anonymous said...

Alcohol is so much worse than pot. And, yes, I think it's a gateway drug for certain people. It's still safer than alcohol and should be legal. There are a lot of prescription drugs that are so easy to get that are much stronger than pot.

Anonymous said...

I COMPLETELY agree with stilettoGOP! We have fought the long and hard battle of "over the limit and under arrest", we don't need to add to the mixed messages we are giving our children of what's acceptable behavior. Another "legal addiction", come on people....they / we have enough to deal with already. Peer pressure is hard enough...at least they don't feel so "weak and uncool" arguing they don't want to be "arrested".

Anonymous said...

The gov. shouldnt tell you what to put in your body. If you want to poison yourself, go ahead and do it, just pay the tax on it. People already drive around whacked out on pain killers, drunk, high, jacked up on legal prescription amphetamines. Is there a body of evidence to say that if it were legal then people would drive around high? If booz was illegal would there be no more drunk driving?

Anonymous said...

If booz was illegal would there be no more drunk driving?

Of course not but drunk driving would without a doubt be dramatically reduced.

Anonymous said...

1:34.....wow...so? no limits on anything?? We are in control of our bodies...totally...just TAX it?? Something tells me you have no children to raise and have never lost a loved one (due to someones negligence and mistakes). I agree you can't control others and there will always be bad choices, but are limits so bad? Aren't laws there to protect the innocent and make law "breakers" accountable? True, our system is "flawed", but it's the best we have to date.

Anonymous said...

If booze were illegal, we'd have illegal rum runners and moonshiners and criminals back in charge. We tried that once before. Weed is not going to go away, no matter what you think about it. Remove the criminal element, regulate it like the rest of the drugs/Rxs/booze/tobacco we use, tax it, and remember to teach your children well.

Anonymous said...

I think if you price/tax the vice high enough, it will be less likely to be abused. Now there will always be approx 7mm people in the US that will abuse. That number hasn't changed in decades. I for one believe we need to be raising the costs of abused prescriptions. I believe this is the new "gateway" drug to more dangerous illicit substances. How many out there know folks with a nasty little pill problem? Lorcet, Codeine, or any run of the mill pain killer, Riddlain (sp). If you don't go stop a 20 something sometime and ask them. You might be very surprised.

Price pot high enough and I bet the usage is somewhat recreational rather than binge which seems to be the current trend with alcohol and pills.

We could debate these issues ad nauseam.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 7:08; prohibition was a spectacular failure that cost the government a great deal of money in the process.

Marijuana should be legalized so that the state could collect revenue on it, or at the least decriminalized so that the state wouldn't have to prosecute crimes against folks who are in possession of less than an ounce.

A number of the so-called "criminals" in our corrections system probably have convictions based solely on marijuana related offenses. if you don't have to house these people, you can free up some of the money we spend on corrections, further alleviating the budget stress.

Making something against the law does not cause people to stop using it. On the other hand, taxing it to a level that is economically unreasonable for some makes it difficult to obtain.

Legalize it? said...

Here is an article published today in the WSJ.



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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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