The Warren County Board of Supervisors has been given a golden opportunity. The governing body must take advantage of that opportunity.

Population shifts from the City of Vicksburg to the county have resulted in about $80,000 extra in the county coffers each month via casino tax revenue. The monthly revenues generated from the county’s .8 percent of the state’s 8.8 percent tax collected on casinos is to be used for much-needed road repairs. The added funds, seemingly, would enhance the road improvement projects.

“It certainly all needs to go to paving,” board president Richard George said. “The more money we’ve got, the further we can get down that list.”

The county issues annual reports on road conditions. The reports are listed by condition ratings. The 2010 report listed 346 roads in Warren County that needed repair. The best roads rated as 99, while the lowest came in at a 41. The roads are judged by condition, traffic counts and repair costs.

Sections of Bovina Cutoff Road, Bell Bottom Road, Indian Hills Drive, Indian Hills Circle, Garden Grove Street, Whatley Road, Pecan Boulevard, Pecan Tree Lane West, Pecan Tree Drive, Oakwood Drive and Shadow Wood Drive were resurfaced this year with county funds. State subsidies based on population financed a new bridge on Redbone Road, and work is in progress on new bridges on Fisher Ferry Road across the Big Black River and on Bazinsky Road.

What must be avoided —and we feel confident that it will — is to take the newfound revenues and redirect the funds to other projects. These funds are allocated for road repairs and that is where these funds must be used.

Drive around the county and many roads are in desperate need of repairs. Many are plagued with patchwork and temporary fixes.

We hope due diligence is put forth to identify the roads in the worst shape and affect the most residents as repairs are planned. The extra $80,000 per month allocated for these repairs certainly will help that process.