Wednesday,September 3, 2003

Add 'No' to council vocabulary

No is obviously not in the vocabulary of elected PTC officials who vote for unnecessary expenditures and now, a nice-to-have (?) addition to city hall staff. No need to repeat questionable items such as a nowhere cart-path bridge over Ga. Highway 54, a pet park and an endless list spent on low-value-added legal bills. All while revenues dwindle and the base infrastructure, like our paths, crumble. Compare these actions versus legitimate businesses which can't raise revenues (taxes) via a vote.

Yet the real kicker is the "new" assistant city manager position paying up to $108,000 a year. There is no need for this position given the life of PTC without such a position. Instead, like many pressured businesses, the city mayor and commissioners must reduce expenditures and the expectation of servicing everyone with every need.

Why no layoffs or reduced hours. Instead an addition to upper management! Good stewards understand that saying no is often the prudent response in hard times, all while remaining strong in the basics.

So NO is the answer at the ballot box for all who vote for more.

P.S. After the first day of school at McIntosh, we failed to mention the BOE brains (?) who laid out the new school entrance. What a hopeless mess. This is on top of 30 months to complete a school upgrade of dubious need. I-285 took only a little longer.

P.P.S. Ditto for the expensive library remake; the vote will be no.

Bill Ivie

Peachtree City, Ga.