In these trying times, it’s easy to see how wasteful our federal government can be, and what poor stewards they are of our money. Unfortunately it’s not only the federal government that’s out of control, but our local government and leaders are as well.

Last month a set of pedestrian crossing lights were installed on the corner of Kenwood Road and Ga. Highway 314. The project lasted all month.

All four corners of the road had a nice concrete base poured, complete with curbs, 10-foot-tall stainless steel poles topped with red and green electronic crossing signs and push buttons for crossing. To top it off, a few rows of red bricks were laid between the poles. I can only imagine that the bricks were there for some sort of decoration.

There are no stores or shops in this area and the closest gas station is a mile away. There are no sidewalks on either of the roads and no crossing lines painted on them.

In the 12 years we have lived here, I can safely say, I have never seen more than two people ever cross this intersection on foot. One is a local man who jogs up Hwy. 314 almost every day. He doesn’t stop to push the button. The other was a man who ran out of gas and knew where the gas station was.

The contractor and crew who installed this thing must have been under some sort of deadline, because several days they worked late into the night, Saturdays and Sundays as well.

I don’t know what the final bill to the county was, but with all the overtime, and the project itself, it had to be tens, if not hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars.

What kind of madness is this? People are losing their jobs and their homes, yet the government just keeps spending money that we don’t have. If the county has this kind of money, to blow on worthless and unneeded projects like this, then they don’t need more money from me or you, by way of property taxes, sales taxes or higher user fees.

Better yet, lets just vote these irresponsible people out, and put people in who know how not to spend what isn’t theirs.

Thomas R. Henry

Fayetteville, Ga.

login to post comments