If the budget passed on Tuesday by the Linden City Schools board and the one proposed by the Demopolis City Schools are any indication, the two city school systems in our county are well prepared for proration this year.

Both budgets have surplusses that will help them weather any kind of proration storm, the first wave of which should be made known early in October.

Both city school systems had people working on them with an eye to the possible problems that may lie ahead with the state budget.

Tax revenues are down for both cities this year, although not as much as was earlier feared. Nonetheless, city schools are preparing for an even leaner year with their biggest revenue providers outside of state and federal funding.

What we as a people can do is shop locally whenever possible. Our dollars we use to pay for gas, groceries, clothes, games, books and anything else in town helps provide funding for our local schools. The same goes for our county school system.

We all want better education, and that comes with funding. That funding can come from us; we can help promote and bolster our education system by spening dollars here at home.

Not everything can be found here in Marengo County, but most things can. We encourage our citizens in the cities and in the counties to shop locally first for those things you can buy here.

From the smallest purchase to the largest, part of those purchases goes into the education budget. The more that goes in, the better those systems can withstand the proration that is almost sure to come this school year.

Do what you can, and we all reap the benefits of quality school systems. Good schools lead to more businesses coming to our area, a better quality of life and a source of civic pride.

What you give to buy locally is well received by our school systems. Do what you can to help.