gas prices affects everyone 06-20-08

IT'S NO SECRET THAT GAS PRICES CAN AND HAVE AFFECTED LOTS OF INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES. SO IT'S NO SURPRISE IT'S AFFECTING LEFLORE COUNTY ROADS. OFFICIALS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING ROADS THERE. BUT CHANCERY CLERK SAM ABRAHAM SAYS HIGHER GAS PRICES MEAN IT COSTS MORE TO GET WORKERS TO THE JOB SITE. DIESEL IS EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GAS. WHEN THE COUNTY HAS TO PAY AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR TO DO WORK, IT COSTS FROM 30 TO 40 PERCENT MORE BECAUSE OF THE PETROLEUM PRODUCTS IN ASPHALT. HE SAYS THE BY-PRODUCTS ARE ALSO HIGHER, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED PRICE OF GAS. RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT A FOUR-MILLION DOLLAR BOND ISSUE TO TRY TO FIX THE COUNTY ROADS IN NEED OF REPAIR. SAM ABRAHAM, LEFLORE CO. CHANCERY CLERK, "IT'S HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON DOING A MILE OF ROAD, AND WE ARE HAVING TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO TRY TO CUT BACK ON OTHER AREAS TO KEEP THIS SERVICE GOING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE LIFE-LINE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM AND EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM YOU HAVE IN PLACE. SO IT'S HAVING AN IMPACT ON THEM." LEFLORE COUNTY PLANS TO PAY THE FOUR MILLION DOLLARS BACK OVER A 20-YEAR PERIOD. THEY ARE DOING THIS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.