I saw in the paper that the question of school calendars has come up again. Thanks to pressure from the state legislators our dear school superintendent is willing to let us (the incompetent taxpayers) choose school start dates for next year. When are we going to take our superintendent to task on this problem? At first we were told that school would start earlier to coincide with the start of colleges, then it was so the teachers could finish their summer college courses, then to accommodate the winter break and then the fall break. I have two children in the school system. In talking with the teachers at these schools they have all told me that with the current schedule they do not have time to work on continuing their education in the allotted time during summer break. They have also told me that the worst problem that they face is getting the students back into the swing of things after one of our numerous week-long breaks. They all agree that going back to the old schedule of starting the last week of August and doing away with the fall and winter breaks is the best for all involved. I know that my kids just sit around for the week and whine about nothing to do (and we are an airline family). So, people, it is time that we listened to the wonderful men and women teaching our children five days a week.

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It is a shame when insurance companies are allowed to rule our lives as much as they do. It is so obvious that Blue Cross/Blue Shield is demanding so much that our Piedmont system just cannot see passing that kind of expense on to us. The other insurance companies were able to stay on, but BCBS apparently has gotten so used to their fat-cat lifestyles that they cannot see the public is tired of it. In this time of the baby boomers becoming a certain age, health care is more important than ever. All of you affected by this need to stand up and voice your concerns. Flood the offices with calls, flood the newspapers with letters, fuss at the insurance commissioner (surely he does something in his job), generally make a stink. If you/we don’t, we will be the ones to pay and we will pay through the nose.

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Having lived in Fayette County for over 32 years and watched many commissioners fumbling around, I have to say that Dunn and Wells certainly have lots of residents fooled. Dunn somehow believes that his Army time has promoted him to God. Wells is connected at the hip with Dunn. They insist that they have restricted the housing building boom in the county. Then, by what magic did all these houses and people suddenly appear? Dunn is promoting a bypass around Fayetteville. This road will just open the south part of the county to houses and cement everywhere. Both Dunn and Wells are guilty of violating the Sunshine Law. They admitted this some years ago, and due to good old boy politics, they were not charged with the crime. However, they continue to meet in executive session, but fail to have the vote in a public session. If my memory serves me correctly, provisions of the open meetings law are under OCGA 50-14-1. Also, I point out that one other sitting commissioner was in this violation also, but is not running in this race. I have no idea just how many violations of the law Dunn and Wells have committed, but even one is too many. Dunn brags that he authored the present ethics laws for the county, but they are never enforced. I do not know about you, but I demand that all elected officials stay within the law. If the voters re-elect Dunn and Wells, expect more secret meetings of the public’s business. Expect more and more traffic. If you vote for them, do not complain about their actions.

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Eric Maxwell takes issue with the lawsuits filed by the County Commissioners, this from a man who makes a living by filing lawsuits and, according to an article in the local paper, drives a car with a tags that says “I’ll sue.” Did I miss something or is this the pot calling the kettle black?

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I don’t see how we could have worse candidates in Georgia for governor and for lieutenant governor. I’m not going to mention any names so as not to promote any one of them, but, people, what is wrong with our system of selection? I know donated money has a great deal to do with it but why are these people donating to such worthless people? One man running for governor obviously is like a former congressman we had in this district, protecting his business interests. One woman running for governor has run a highly inefficient branch of the government only and isn’t likely to do any better as governor. One lt. governor candidate used to work for a preacher and claims to be highly principled and religious, yet he is a recent multi-millionaire taking money from American Indians who own gambling casinos to try and keep other Indians from opening some. His opponent is one of those dudes who put in maybe a $100,000 into a newly opened bank, hire con artists to build up a customer base, then sell it to a chain for one thousand percent stock increase. Who paid all that increase? We did in interest. Wake up, people, or the professionals will ruin our country.

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I’d like to see candidates vie with one another, as a badge of honor, on which has the greatest number of mom and pop contributors of less than $100. Newspapers could trumpet, ”Candidate X leads Y in mom and pop contributors.” Candidates would hide in shame the bundled thousands from corporate and industry fat cats. Oh, that’s right, they already do that.

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I have never lived in a city where I see code enforcement as much I do here. I was riding through three different subdivisions and I saw code enforcement at least five times. Either they were just making their rounds, or we live in a city with a bunch of busy-bodies.

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I feel that it is truly unfortunate that there is not a lot of activities for teenagers to do here. Peachtree City advertises itself as being a family-oriented place, but other than golf cart trails, there is not much to offer. There is not a movie theater, bowling alley, mall, miniature golf, etc. Where I do see kids hanging out at is a gas station, and that should not be a option for them. There should be other places where they can go and have a fun, safe time with their friends. When there are not places offered, then the more trouble there is for them to get into. If kids are bored and have to keep repeating the same things, after awhile it does get old. Sports can only occupy so much of their time, and teenagers like to be active and social. I also do not feel comfortable with the fact that if they want to see a movie or go bowling or to a mall they have to travel to get there. I realize that Newnan and Fayetteville are not that far, but, when you get a lot of teenagers in a car traveling, that can be dangerous. I would feel much better if my kids could either get in a golf cart or a car and stay here in Peachtree City than have to go into another city. We are building a variety of stores and places to eat, but nothing for kids. It would be great if we put up more buildings for kids to be able to hang out with their friends. Golf cart trails and the BMX track only can offer so much.

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To all those who keep yammering, “The mayor lied to us, the mayor lied to us”: shaddap, already. The editor of this paper along with many others told you exactly who he is and what you’d get if you elected him and you did it anyway. Now live with it.

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Why is the mayor of Peachtree City negotiating a land purchase on behalf of the city with one of his largest campaign contributors? Yes, indeed, his internal union with the royalty at Pathway Communities is forcing a fiscal bloodletting of enormous proportions. The mayor’s secret attempt to profit the good old boys means the charlatan is of greater value than the citizen. The disproportionate value he attaches to the privately held TDK extension property, land that should sell for around $30,000 per acre, is dripping with deception. This is truly a ripe moment in our city’s history for greediness and the sorts of self-indulgence that make lustful men cry tears of joy. You must treat the citizens and city employees with respect. You must practice sound financial strategies that benefit everyone. Where is the remainder of the council members at a time when we face more disgrace and humiliation? When do we stop overpaying wealthy developers because of their personal relationships with elected officials?

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Thus far Harold Logsdon has broken nearly every campaign promise he made. After the recent drastic fee increases, we’re moving straight for a 7 percent tax increase. He’s also going to start raiding the city’s reserve fund balances. Decent moral and principled budgeting has been thrown out the window so that we can steal from Peter to pay Paul. Just the fact that Logsdon has chosen to pay the dishonorable debts of others with our tax dollars versus lowering our taxes and taking care of our senior citizens is a disgrace. This city council (five members and no leadership) is the epitome of liberal, do-nothing, tax-and-spend government.

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Had an interesting morning. My wife and I went to the Peachtree City Hall to renew our golf cart number and were standing at the reception counter. Out walked Mayor Logsdon and not even a good morning or an acknowledgment. Friendly guy, huh?

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What we have here is a failure to operate responsibility. For Mayor Logsdon to be pushing for Pathway/Peachtree Brokers to receive higher than the assessed value for their property is inexcusable. The TDK extension is being used as justification to spend an enormous amount of tax dollars to make Doug Mitchell, a Logsdon campaign contributor, an excessive profit. The appraised value of the surrounding property dictates that the Pathway land is worth no more than $35,000 an acre. It’s time for the political insider land deals to stop. Forcing the Cannongate Golf Club to drastically reduce the quality of the new golf holes due to a lack of funding is disgraceful. Logsdon’s shoveling the money to Pathway is making Bobby Lenox look like a saint.

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FOX News network ran a special segment July 11 on how dangerous freight trains were in terrorism. There is virtually no security for the trains and the cargo can be extremely hazardous. I hope that the Peachtree City Council loses sleep over their lack of action by not stopping the railroad parking lot next to Centennial and CedarCroft. A simple accident or purposeful mischief could kill thousands of people. Their blood will be on the hands of each council member. That’s a huge price to pay to enable a couple of developers to get their property annexed.

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Oh, wonderful, now we get 25 speed bumps to negotiate in Planterra. I suggest that my fellow residents toot their horns as they bounce over each one to thank those who chose to live on the main thoroughfares and then complained about the traffic for their contribution to the pleasure of everyone’s daily travels.

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Why is it that the powers that be in Fayetteville make a stink about a wooden moose , but nothing is said when automobiles and lawn tractors for sale sit on the grass out front of the J&R Clothing strip mall? Also, the La Hacienda Mexican restaurant on Ga. Highway 85 was given grief about it’s original appearance (color) yet sits adjacent to a dilapidated Mrs. Winners and across the street from a Shell station that was the exact color that the La Hacienda was not allowed to be. Please explain.

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Is it just me, or has Tyrone gotten worse as a speed trap? Talk about squeezing the taxpayers wallet. Not only do we pay the highest taxes in the county and get nothing for it, we have to put up with the snotty police writing tickets for anything they can think up. Oh, well, just another way for the powers that be to pad their nest. What a joke. Some towns never amount to much because of their parasitic practices. Quality of life and Tyrone are not two things you would mention together.

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At about noon on [July 4] I drove north on Peachtree Parkway and was disgusted with the refuse and garbage that I saw left behind on the road by the parade viewers earlier in the day. We had eight to 10 Public Works employees picking up the garbage left behind by these pigs. We were probably paying those guys time and a half. The most seriously affected area was in front of the Balmoral Apartments and their good neighbor, Harmony Village. On Wednesday morning, I drove my cart from Braelinn to Planterra and saw discarded garbage all the way to Kelly Drive. This was probably left by the “fireworks” crowd of pigs. How much is it going to cost the taxpayers to clean up this mess? And, why do we have to spend money for these sorts of events when it is abused so badly?

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What is the deal with people filling our city one to two days before July 4 with ugly tarps and expecting to save their spot for fireworks? Who made these people so special that they can reserve a space without breaking a sweat? I go to the lake at 4 to get a good space and enjoy a nice picnic before the fireworks. Well, I can’t even get a good spot because the whole city is covered with “savies.” Where are the code enforcers when you need them? Every tarp should be picked up and taken to City Hall if the owners want to claim them. I am embarrassed to have visitors to come to our city and see what the people who think they are better then others leave out like trash, basically littering our city. Will it take a fight to break out before someone will do something about this growing problem?

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To the Starr’s Mill parents who hurled obscenities at the McIntosh High School football players in the Peachtree City 4th of July parade (don’t deny it, I heard you): what the heck are you thinking? You’re adults; they’re children. Be proud of your team, but don’t degrade and belittle hard-working young men just because they play for another school. You guys have a great program, players and stadium, but you really embarrassed yourself on [July 4].

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Is it just me or do the three crosses at the intersection of Ga. highways 54 and 34 need to be replaced or taken down? They have been there for years and are in need of being replaced or painted and straightened. I am grateful beyond words for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross at Calvary and I feel those crosses are disrespectful to his sacrifice. Paint them, fix them or take them down.

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Almost every time I get on the Peachtree City paths a reckless golf cart driver just about runs me down. I would like to report that it is all teenagers, but this is not the case. Also, why is it that fat people run their dogs on leashes beside their carts? The poor animals are about to keel over from exhaustion as the fat person sits ever so comfortably on their cart with no worries. I have an idea: let’s reverse the scenario. Let’s put the dog on the cart as driver and the fat person on a leash running beside the cart. It might even be worth the risk to walk on the paths to see a few of those go by.

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We can recycle and conserve all we want, but if our population continues to increase at the present rate (one immigrant every 31 seconds, one birth every seven seconds), we will still end up with a very crowded future and haggles over natural resources that already are starting.

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Immigrants are to illegal aliens what house-guests are to burglars. It is a sin to lump the two together.

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Here’s the compromise that I propose to the Senate. For every law violation that you give illegals a pass on, let citizens choose the law we want to ignore with no consequences.

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If about 1 million of the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in this country work in agriculture, where are the rest working? And can all of those employers really “not know” their workers are illegal? There’s a whole lot of “not knowing” going on.

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We can recycle and conserve all we want, but if our population continues to increase at the present rate (one immigrant every 31 seconds, one birth every seven seconds), we will still end up with a very crowded future and haggles over natural resources that already are starting.

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Immigrants are to illegal aliens what house-guests are to burglars. It is a sin to lump the two together.

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Here’s the compromise that I propose to the Senate. For every law violation that you give illegals a pass on, let citizens choose the law we want to ignore with no consequences.

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