Where is our city and county leadership? The local taxpayers are looking at our elected officials for some leadership in our current and future struggles over services and taxes.

Now is the time to do some brainstorming on possible ways to help ourselves. Consider some, or all, of the following.

Appoint one aldermen as police commissioner and turn law enforcement over to the sheriff.

Appoint one alderman fire marshal and turn the fire responsibility over to the county.

Turn economic development over to the county.

Turn recreation responsibility over to the county.

Consolidate the planning and inspection departments.

Revisit employee health care, pension and salary issues.

Consider turning other city services over to the county like traffic control and transit services.

Consider all of the above and implement them one at a time, then adjust the city and county budgets.

It may take years, but we have to start somewhere. We just can’t afford the status quo. Taxpayers have had enough of the bickering, turf war and bull.

Henry R. Gaude

Natchez resident