Road belongs to Jasper or Newton?
Your Viewpoint
By BILLY STEPHENS Jasper

I have been living on a county road off of Huff Creek Road for 10 years give or take a few, in what I thought was Jasper County. I have been paying my taxes to the Jasper County Courthouse since I moved to this location.

The Jasper/Newton county line does run down the middle of my road, but I live on the Jasper County side. This is quite obvious since I have been dutifully paying my taxes to Jasper for quite some time.

Due to the recent rains, like many other roads in our area, the road to my home is in terrible shape. It is so bad, in fact, that it is not drivable.

I have to leave my truck on Huff Creek Road and either walk or ride my four-wheeler to my house. I contacted our recently elected County Commissioner Roy Parker to see about getting some rock put on my road so that I can at least get to my house.

He came to look at the damage and informed me that I do not live in Jasper County, so there is nothing he can do. I'm curious to know how he justifies a taxpayer paying taxes to a county that, according to him, doesn't even live in.

And if he can't justify that situation, how does he plan on explaining his lack of enthusiasm for his elected position?

I am not asking for pavement or anything of that extremity. All I want is to be able to drive down my road and park in my own driveway.