Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Free car for solicitor is abuse of public trust

It’s really sad that I am not the least surprised by the hypocrisy practiced by our local political officials. One only has to read about the financial chaos surrounding the Development Authority of Peachtree City (DAPC) and the county’s subsequent involvement to realize that the taxpayer always ends up holding the bag. So, Solicitor Steve Harris’ abuse of his office and the Fayette taxpayers by passing on the cost of his commute to the hard-working men and women of this county should not surprise anyone.

However, I still hoped that my negative impression of politicians actually might be wrong. After calling to verify that Harris is really issued a county car and having to listen to half-hearted justifications and excuses on why this is done, I hung up in disgust. No spinning of any sort can justify this inexcusable abuse on the public trust.

We have to learn to respond to such “hypocrisy” as Charles Myers called it in his Dec. 17 letter to the editor informing us of the solicitor’s car “perk,” by using that which even politicians can not take away from us: The power to vote!

So I will not go on endlessly about my injured feelings and anger about the matter, but simply encourage all who feel they too are tired of being asked to pay for such waste to vote out those who engage in the willful abuse of the public in the next elections.

Henry McAllister

Tyrone, Ga.