Area leaders agree, the Legislature needs to come up with a funding mechanism for the state’s roads and bridges within the two-days allotted for a special session that convened Thursday in Jackson.

Under consideration for funding the state’s roads and bridges are a state lottery, portions of a recently enacted internet sales tax and a gas tax.

“I’m good with whatever they come up with,” said Mike Lazarus, District 1 Adams County supervisor.

“I’m for the whole nine yards,” said Calvin Butler, District 5 Adams County supervisor and board president.

Not only do both supervisors have bridges out in their districts due to the U.S. Department of Transportation forcing the state to close some 100 roads and bridges that were deemed unsafe for travel, they also know the county has been scraping by issuing capital improvement bonds to fund road and bridge work in the county for years without adequate help from the state.

Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, said before going into the special session that whatever plan the state comes up with will likely take some of all of the above funding options.

No one wants another tax and whatever option, be it lottery, gas tax or portions of the internet tax, it all amounts to a tax.

However, when it comes to state government, funding safe and adequate roads and bridges is the least the government can do.

It is a shame our state leaders have neglected their basic duties so long we have arrived at this point.

The time for them to get this correct has long passed. We cannot afford to drag it out further as they worry about how their actions might affect their next election cycles.

Let’s get it done quickly.