I read the article in The Citizen (Sept. 1) outlining the plan of attack for the Fayette Citizens for Continued Excellence in Education and was struck by how odd a choice of a name for this group — Continued excellence in education. Get real.

Reading through the article, I find that what the SPLOST will really pay for is not excellence in education, instead it is more classroom space “for additional students,” property for four new schools (for the “additional students,” I presume), playground improvements, a new auditorium, stadium improvements, a concession stand, lockers and bleachers.

Now correct me if I am wrong here, how can we even see any remote link between these items and “continued excellence in education?” Ninety million dollars of taxpayer's money — at least we will have a nice concession stand and bleachers. A better name might be Fayette Citizens for Continued Unchecked Spending and Runaway Development.

I have to admit their tactics may work. By promising nice little bonuses to various schools they figure that parents at those schools may give in and vote for the SPLOST. They have printed material “outlining the facts” to distribute (one question, who paid for the printing costs?) and speakers ready to sell SPLOST. Get ready for the hard sell.

If SPLOST was going to be used to help make our schools better for our students' education, I would support it. Instead it is going to be used for two purposes only; to help the developers and the Realtors (two groups who have put their support behind SPLOST) increase their profits and to pay for pet projects for a select few. What a waste.

Ask yourself, if we pass SPLOST and allow the developers to have more schools to fill, how will we end up paying for all of the other improvements needed to support the increased population?

More taxes. It is a never-ending cycle, unless we go to the polls and vote no on SPLOST. This will be a turning point in our county's development, and a yes vote will merely open the floodgates even further.

Steve Fodor
Peachtree City

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