Lately your paper has bemoaned the lack of growth in Fayette County. You whine about empty store fronts, rising taxes, minority growth, and how Coweta is getting all the business. Could it be that you are the same people who criticized all growth, no matter what, for reasons both rational and irrational for the last 20 years?

Why do we have one auto dealer in this county? All that sales tax money could be collected here. Why do we put all our eggs in one basket by being a bedroom community for the airport? Ever heard of diversification?

Why do we favor having an infinite number of strip shopping centers to big box developments at which people actually like to shop? All the sales taxes from Braelinn and our other old shopping centers will shortly be going to Fischer’s Crossing.

Why did we shoot down the Del Webb Peachtree development in the center of the county? Having thousands of seniors living and spending here would have been a boon for the county. Seasoned citizens have no kids in the schools, commit no crimes, do not drive at rush hour, and have steady income streams. They spend a lot of money on local professional services. Why on earth did we run them off?

This development went to Spalding.

Growth is not a spigot that you can shut off or turn on at will. Now that we have a bad reputation for NIMBYism, being totally anti-growth, and just plain nuts, how will we get going again?

What is the deal with all the reports about minority growth in your paper? Are you for it or against it? Are you trying to encourage it or scare more whites into leave? Or are you just sensationalizing to sell papers?

Bill Gilmer

wmgilmer@mindspring.com

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