In the public interest

By Staff
Indications are that the governor will sign HB 413 giving Meridian officials another chance to fix a nagging problem.
The bill, passed by both houses of the Legislature and sent to the governor last week, encourages the Meridian City Council to confirm a nominee to the city school board who lives outside the city limits.
Why is this important?
A handful of residents who live outside the city limits but inside the Meridian Separate School District have no voice in school matters. They cannot vote for the mayor, who nominates school board members, or the council, which confirms them. As a result, a local version of the old "taxation without representation" argument needs a solution.
To his credit, Mayor John Robert Smith nominated a person with impeccable qualifications for a seat on the city school board. Her nomination was rejected by a myopic city council. Mayor Smith has indicated he will again nominate a qualified prospective city school board member who lives outside the city limits. Hopefully, this time, the council will confirm his nomination so that this problem can be resolved.