Once again, the Natchez Board of Aldermen took advantage of its position by gobbling up more power by changing city law.

This time the law that was &8220;adjusted&8221; involved building permit fees. Before last week&8217;s law change any building work &8212; new construction, renovation or expansion &8212; that needed to be permitted required a fee be paid.

Aldermen decided everyone should not be held to the same standard.

Part of the regulation waives permit fees for non-profit agencies such as the local Habitat for Humanity chapter that builds low-income housing. That seems smart.

But the second part of the ordinance seems troubling and more than a little muddy in how it will be applied.

In addition to non-profits, the aldermen have changed the law to allow for fees to be waived on projects deemed economically beneficial to the city.

That&8217;s a really gray area of ordinance since aldermen will serve as the judge and jury, determining how that stipulation is defined.

Throughout the past year or two, alderman have assumed more and more power, even going so far as to attempt to push through legislation without much public debate and even giving themselves raises ahead of police and firefighters.

Waiving fees for some, but not all, projects is the latest evidence that the power grabbing continues. Aldermen really need to look in the mirror and realize that their actions are not looking good to taxpayers, no matter how good aldermen may feel as their own power grows.

As Lord Acton once said, &8220;Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.&8221;