Letters to the Editor

T.A.D. is not a tax

Remember, the “Redevelopment Powers” granted by the referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot do not increase anybody’s taxes, (except the property owner who directly benefits from the improvements to his property).

Passage of the referendum gives the city the authority to create TADs (Tax Allocation Districts). A TAD is a tax leveraged financing vehicle that promotes redevelopment of depressed properties funded from the INCREASE in the property value resulting from the redevelopment. Read More»

Why Willis is wrong on our nation’s divisions

Although I usually find Bonnie Willis’ columns well researched, reasoned, and balanced, I respectfully disagree with the assessment and prediction she cites in her column titled “The Day After the Elections: A Prediction.“

Ms. Willis predicts that we will come together as a nation after the election (regardless of who wins) just as two sibling brothers usually come together to work things out after a fight.

Although I would love to agree with her prediction, as a lifelong devout student of politics, I must unfortunately disagree. Read More»

Abortion stances reveal core issue in American society

In a Bible study I’m now involved in, the instructor said there were five reasons for Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit: 1) a desire for something beautiful; 2) a twisting of words by the Serpent; 3) a desire for power (knowledge of good and evil); 4) a suspicion that God was holding out on them; and 5) lack of trust in the loving providence of God.

This really made me think of abortion and how it fits into all of these primeval motivations. Read More»

Where is Obama on ethnic cleansing of Christians?

Today we are seeing more terrorist attacks where sovereign soil is brutally invaded, and Americans are tortured and killed.

That attack killed nearly 3,000 Americans. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in Benghazi. Ambassador Stevens was missing for eight hours, tortured, raped and executed. Egyptian protesters engaged in terrorist attacks ransacking and destroying the American flag while ranting, “There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his messenger.” Read More»

Remember great work by our U.S.military everyday

Much has been written and spoken about the EMS unit and DNR helicopter crew rescuing a young man injured in a fall while hiking.

My intention is not in anyway to detract from their great work, but only to remind others of the work our military is doing.

What we all saw on TV or saw in the printed media, as dramatic as it was, does not hold a candle to what our young men and women do everyday in the armed forces of this country.

Everyday our military medics and helicopter crews are doing the same work with the added stress of being shot while completing their task. Read More»

Mayor: Outsourcing cost effective for PTC

Now that the bond and veto right issues with WASA have been resolved, I have called for advertising and interviews to fill two vacant board seats (resigned), one alternate (resigned) and one expiring term.

This is a time to consider who you want on the WASA board. As the recent issues have shown, it does matter, a great deal.

Now, regarding Mr. Bradshaw. He should really fact-check before he submits opinion pieces to The Citizen. Read More»

Outsourcing: Quality dips, good workers lost

I read with interest Mr. Scott Bradshaw’s scathing column in The Citizen expressing his opinion of the outsourcing of city services to private contractors.

It appears that this effort to save taxpayers’ money has gone awry and is an unmitigated failure.

I am not surprised. Outsourcing is nothing new and it has become clear that when it is done, quality goes down and cost goes up. AND, good and faithful employees of the city are lost.

Even the most casual observer can see the difference in the maintenance of the public areas in the city. Read More»

Myths, facts about charter schools for Fayette, Coweta

Here are some myths and facts about charter schools:

Myth: Charter schools do not accept children with special needs.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re in Atlanta or farther south — people with titles have perpetuated the myth that charter schools do not accept children with special needs.

Fact: My special needs child is enrolled in a charter school.

Myth busted. Read More»

Story wrong: No such thing as a female priest in the Catholic Church

The title in and of itself could not be more misleading, “Former nun to be ordained as first female Catholic priest in Georgia” (http://www.thecitizen.com/articles/10-14-2012/former-nun-be-ordained-fir...). Simply put, there are no female Catholic priests and there never will be.

Diane Dougherty’s quest to become a “priest” in the Catholic Church is a fantasy and nothing more than a show of complete disobedience and lack of charity to the Church she professes to care so much about. Read More»

Nov. election results will show direction U.S. will go

Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.” Perhaps a twenty-first century version of that statement could be, “Entitlements are the opiate of the people”!

We are creating generations of adults (age-wise) who, in behavior and responsibility, can best be described as children or adolescents. Read More»