Why does Steve Brown have a column in your newspaper?

I am sitting in front of the Janet Smola email, Mr. Brown referenced in his Oct. 8 column. He has maliciously distorted the content.

The email he misinterprets was written in response to a request by the president of the Kedron Hills Homeowners Association for clarification on millage rate increases and the SPLOST initiative. Janet Smola is responsive to information requests. The email communication [is dated] August of 2008. Per Janet’s OK, the president proceeded to distribute the email to neighbors and since that time the email has been passed around to other interested residents.

It’s an informative piece that clearly defines several different tax applications.

Obviously Steve Brown wants Janet Smola to lose her school board seat. He has already displayed outrageously aggressive behavior towards her.

Most recently, in his Oct. 8 column Mr. Brown wrote that Janet Smola has started an “anti-seniors campaign.” This is a grossly distorted interpretation of part of the email.

The information he took out of context had to do with Janet Smola explaining that senior citizens prefer supporting bonds because tax exempt seniors won’t need to contribute to a bond. SPLOST, on the other hand, asks senior citizens to join the rest of the community in paying a one cent sales tax.

I would think an elected official would need to be familiar with voting patterns – that’s all Janet pointed out. At this point in time, a bond cannot be used to solve the needs of the school system listed in SPLOST. Janet Smola also stated SPLOST is active for a five-year period – it does not go on indefinitely.

Mr. Brown further distorts the email content by suggesting SPLOST was a last-minute secret. However, if he had interpreted the email correctly, he would have understood the SPLOST initiative came about per Governor Purdue’s August announcement of additional cuts in state funding.

The senior citizens I adore in Peachtree City happen to be among the most intelligent, wise and politically active citizens I know. Their grace inspires me to be active in our church, and I enjoy sitting in classes with our senior citizens because of their shared viewpoints and perspectives on life’s challenges and joys.

I don’t know Mr. Brown’s senior citizens. In regard to SPLOST, the active senior citizens I know counsel that an educated society is a better society and they understand that in these extremely difficult financial times everybody needs to work together and do what they can to protect our schools.

Many of Peachtree City’s senior citizens have successful adult children who were educated by the Fayette County school system and would be the last to deny Peachtree City’s students the same programs their children received. There are also a great number of senior citizens in our community who care about the school system their grandchildren attend.

Drew Elizabeth Groome

Peachtree City, Ga.