As parents and children scour store shelves for clothes,notebooks, pencils and other supplies, it’s a good time to rememberthe importance of shopping and buying those back-to-school itemslocally.

Local purchases, whether they’re made in Brookhaven, Wesson,Monticello, Meadville or McComb, generate sales tax dollars forlocal communities. Those dollars in turn are used to help pavestreets, spray for mosquitoes and pay for a wide variety of cityservices that would otherwise have to be funded some other way.

The most recent sales tax totals, which wrapped up the state’sfiscal year, showed sales tax collections down in most communitiesin southwest Mississippi. In a sluggish economy, it is moreimportant than ever to shop locally for goods and services.

Shopping locally plus buying locally adds up to a bettercommunity for everyone involved. That’s a math lesson we all shouldbe encouraged to learn and follow.