JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
When John Ed Ainworth took office as State Land Commissioner in the 70's, he quickly found two things that needed
changing.
- Local school boards and supervisors were handing out sweetheart deals
to friends and cronys who leased 16 section school lands for pennies on the
dollar. School children were losing millions of dollars in educational benefits
that they should have been getting. Ainsworth told me at the time that it was
criminal.
- The other thing he said was his office should be abolished.
Both
changes occurred as he wanted. The Secretary of State, along with school boards
and other agencies now oversee that leases get fair market value.
But this year,
like prior years, some legislators are trying to pull a fast one and get this
oversight taken away.
Delbert Hoseman, like some of his predecessors says no way. The nearly 100 million dollars in 16th section rentals now being brought in
will not allow the fox to get back in the henhouse. Here's a big thumbs up to
the Secretary of State.
That's my Point of View.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
