When a tree falls on my property during a storm, I have to hire a company to remove it. When a tree falls on a Fayetteville city councilman’s property, he has city workers and city trucks to remove it. That’s your taxpaying dollars at work.

Schools are back in session and once again, Fayette County Board of Education Transportation has done a great job of messing up something that was going well. Drivers drive the same route each year to learn the students and build trust with the children, but their boss has gone and messed a good thing up. Peachtree City drivers have had their routes for years, the parents on those routes trust the drivers, only to have a wrench thrown in the well-oiled machine. Drivers have gone in to speak about their routes, and they make as much progress as they would have without even meeting. It is no wonder that so many drivers try to avoid the transportation office.

I wrote an article almost two years ago about Fayette County schools not managing monies. Let’s face it: the district will never strike because the citizens will always pass bond, levies, millage increases, etc. Therefore there will never be a need to learn how to manage cash. Once again and for the third time in six months, the superintendent and the comptroller need to resign and stop embarrassing our county.

To the sixth grade math teacher at RSMS, your Obama poster is inappropriate. IF this were an election year, and IF the poster was surrounded by 43 former presidents, and IF you taught social studies, it would be a different story. Not only do I not care about your political views, I really don’t want our kids learning mathematics Obama-style: deficit spending, stimulus packages and tax increases to support his socialist agenda.

Yes, Gloria Furr is running for reelection Nov. 3, and everyone who cares about Tyrone should vote for her. She truly has the best interests of the town at heart. She works hard for the citizens. Grace Caldwell, on the other hand, has some hidden agendas and is not the same person that we voted in to the Town Council years ago. Ask her about Founders Day and see what happens.

Everyone has been talking about how Fayette County has changed so much, and it would be great to get back to the good old days of how we remember Fayette County being. Well, I’d like to thank the DOT for getting that ball rolling for our county. Banks Road looks great, guys. Thanks so much.

So you want me to vote yes for another SPLOST? OK. This is how I will vote yes to the new SPLOST: 40 percent of collected revenue applies to a reduction on our yearly property tax bills; 30 percent of collected revenue goes to paying off debt and building reserve funds; the last 30 percent is to be used to maintain and upgrade current infrastructure. Put this in writing and present it to us and I will personally help your effort. If not, expect a resounding NO to this extra tax. I don’t have a problem substituting one tax for another, but both? We’ll be waiting for your response.

Peachtree City Planning Commission, when are you going to stop the annexations? I really would like to see the property that I own go up in value the way it should have with the original city build-out numbers. I hope I am not the only person,in this town who would like to see their property value go up.

It took DOT two and a half years to convince themselves that the use of the cart bridge, when opened, would not affect air quality. Duh? The only air quality effect would be from gasoline-powered carts, but the detour sign removal would cut their driving time. Is anyone at DOT worth even half of what they are paid? They seem to have a very severe case of procrastination.

For a golf cart friendly city, it is sure hard to get around in PTC. For those who live in the Lake Peachtree and golf course area, it is a real hassle to get to The Avenue or the restaurants on 74 and 54. Why are these areas so inaccessible? I expect that the bridge on 54 at Huddleston Rd will be open when hell freezes over.

Is anyone else appalled at the mowing schedule for subdivision entrances? Times are tough, but this is ridiculous. This is supposed to be a beautiful, planned community. Are the city council and mayor planning on making our lovely city look like a ghost town? I commend the private citizens that I see out on their mowers doing the job the city should be responsible for. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who pick up trash along our roads on Saturday mornings.

I have owned a small business in Peachtree City for over 10 years. I am not sure if people are unwilling or unable to pay their bills on time. When 50 percent of my clients fail to pay their bills, it is difficult to raise a family and run a business. Hey, deadbeats, pay your bills!

I had the opportunity to visit the South Fulton traffic court in Palmetto, and I could not believe my experience. Judge Clay Collins treated each citizen with respect and truly listened to both sides of each story. He dismissed a few cases, lowered the fines on the ones he could, and did not blindly accept the police officer’s account. In his courtroom, you are truly innocent until proven guilty. All of the Fayette judges should sit in on one of his court sessions. They might learn something.

Fayetteville drivers: Quit blocking the crosswalks at intersections.

I strongly advise that you print a section on basic driving laws and what to do when an emergency vehicle is approaching. Example: I almost rear-ended a woman because she slammed on her brakes when a fire truck was coming toward us (in the other lane) on Peachtree Parkway, while driving with my 4-year-old sister. I believe people need to be reminded of road safety so incidents such as I mentioned do not reoccur, or worse.

Maybe you should concentrate more on your children, get them out of the streets, off the golf carts (especially the underaged ones) and out of the stores where local employees are basically babysitting your teens, tweens and sometimes toddlers. Perhaps Peachtree City should also concentrate more on this problem and start holding parents accountable.

Why can’t you do-gooders leave well enough alone? Robert Horgan made a misjudgment. This is just a mob mentality. They are not aware of the rules and laws to file this ridiculous application. They are stirring up a mean brew that is going nowhere, a lot to do about nothing. “He without sin cast the first stone.”

PTC renters abide by the same city ordinances as the homeowners do. Code enforcement comes a calling if we park on the grass, have yard sales without a permit or if we do anything else that is unauthorized, including not keeping the grass cut. What if that “renter” has an ailing family member or a child with a disability, or maybe they are a single mom who is working reduced hours due to the economy and the mower needs to be repaired but the children also need to eat? Or maybe they have COPD which makes it very difficult to keep the yard mowed in the heat of the summer. What if instead of pointing fingers and dividing the classes, we all just stop to help each other? Have you ever stopped to ask that “renter” if they are okay or ask if they need anything? Have you ever even said hello to that renter?

The issues before us are the most life-changing issues in my life time and I found out that there are NO public meetings scheduled or going to be scheduled by our congressional representatives. Westmoreland will be traveling out of state and will be unavailable. Chambliss might hold a teleconference. And Isakson is hiding in his cave with a maybe. Is this what we voted for? We are these men’s bosses and we need to convey our desires to them. Call these representatives and let them know their behavior is not acceptable.

Once again I am writing you about the fact that none of the three congressmen will be having a town hall meeting this August. I may or may nor agree with them on the two big issues of our time, energy tax and healthcare overhaul, but I want the chance to ask my questions. If we don’t stand up and demand that they face us and explain their upcoming votes, then they should be voted out of office. Please print something in your paper that will shame these three into meeting with their constituents this August.

Come by Huddleston Elementary School any Wednesday night or Sunday morning and just sit at the corner of Peachtree Parkway and McIntosh Trail. You will get a big laugh at “sharing the road” and sharing the stop sign. When you ask them about stopping at the stop sign, you get a nice one-fingered gesture. Now, it’s just a vent in the paper but there will be an accident where a cyclist is hurt or worse.

Is it just me, or is Peachtree City overrun by cyclists on Saturdays? Why do they have to take up a lane of traffic on the main roads through town? They are sometimes three abreast and they are not about to move over. After all, we do have 90 miles of bike paths that they could use; why don’t they use them? If they are allowed to ride down the streets, why not golf carts? They offer more protection than a bicycle.

To the ones that took the two boxes from the golf cart around 10 p.m. by the nature trail: One item was a small Bible that you ripped in half and left in the middle of the path. My youngest son took the torn Bible and put it back together the next morning. We will keep this Bible as a reminder of a lesson learned. We forgive you for this incident and hope that you will seek forgiveness and remember what is right and wrong.

To the people who decided not to tip: I served you last week and your party of seven (five “adults” and two kids) and y’all ran me to death but yet found it not necessary to tip me accordingly. Your $5 on $122 tab was an insult, and after doing the math of having to tip out the bussers, food runners, and bartenders, I ended up having to pay to serve you. Don’t bother eating out because we retain the right to refuse service, and trust me, I will NEVER serve you again — Your server.

I think it’s ridiculous that the summers keep getting shorter. I’m really tired of hearing the moaning and groaning of the current generation, how they don’t have this and that, and the enabling parents who don’t have the sense to stand up and tell them they have to suck it up. My daughter does chores, she gets punished, and she is accountable. What’s your child doing? I’ll bet there hasn’t been a lot of hardship there. When they hit the real world, they won’t thank you for it.

OK, so bunco players at the senior center are upset with poker players because the uptight power in charge said that approximately 100 seniors can no longer play and socialize at the center if they award prizes in the form of a $5 gift card or cash. These two activities provided fun and socialization for many seniors, much cheaper than an afternoon at the movies and a great deal more fun. I heard the poker players are returning and will strictly adhere to the no-cash rule as they will only play strip poker.

Lighten up, Target. Was it really necessary to threaten to call the police and then kick out a group of stay-at-home mothers participating in a mom’s night out scavenger hunt? I can guarantee all 26 of those moms participating in the scavenger hunt are customers as well. As expected, the other businesses in the Kedron shopping area were much better sports (Outback, Blockbuster, Planet Smoothie, Chick-Fil-A, Kroger). Maybe they realize that moms are the ones that do most of the shopping and they appreciate our business. Because we can always take our business elsewhere.

At the Braelinn Kmart on Sunday, Aug. 9, two children about 6 and 7 years old were sampling all the Chapstick and lip gloss at the checkout. Mom sees it and chooses to ignore it. Cashier doesn’t care and says nothing. I gently say to the pretty little country club type mom, “Ma’am, your children are opening and trying out all the Chapstick.” She looks at them indulgently, and says, “Just choose one, please.” Kiddies ignore her. She pays for her purchases, leaves the now unsaleable items, and meets hubby at the door, and the model family leaves. By the way, the courtesy desk didn’t seem to care either, so my advice is don’t buy any chapstick at Kmart. As a teacher, I wouldn’t want to be the one to have a parent-teacher conference with that mom.

Everyone who has a child in this area should take a ride over to “The Chuck” off TDK Boulevard in PTC. Or, anyone who just wishes to BE a child again. The grand opening was Saturday. The ball field is like nothing around here. Gorgeous and a real asset for PTC. What was a shame that our own mayor, Harold Logsdon, could not be bothered to show up. No official welcome from the city for building such a beautiful facility here. No thank you for creating a few more jobs here and a larger presence in sports on the south side of Atlanta. Where was the Chamber of Commerce? Or the Development Authority? The Tourism Association? From this resident, who had a great time, thank you to the owners of The Chuck and I wish you much success here. I know others do, too.

A Fulton County sewer pumping station at Trickum Creek in Fairburn was responsible for the Aug. 5 release of nearly 128,000 gallons of raw sewage into the waterway that feeds into Line Creek, listed as a major spill. This is another example of how city sewer systems are not the green way to go. When sewer systems have leaks and malfunctions it is always a big problem. Yesterday I was golf-carting around Lake Kedron and some of the sewer pumping stations in those hilly neighborhoods that surround and back up to the lake should be checked too because when you can smell them there is a problem and I sure did smell them.

We are marching on the Capitol in Washington on Sept. 12 to manifest our discontent. Please join us. Get information on the net at 912dc.com. Put feet to your frustration.

It was brought to my attention today that a local auto parts store is giving discounts to a certain race and only that race. You can draw your own conclusions as to what race this is. Obviously, it is not the African, Asian, Indian, or Hispanic American. Just wondering, what year is it?

Why is it if you cross the North Korean border illegally you get 12 years of hard labor in prison? If you cross the U.S. border illegally, you get a driver’s license, Social Security card, food stamps and free health care? Whose bright idea was this?

The Democrat Party recently approved Judge Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court Justice even after she said several times that a wise Latina woman would reach a better conclusion than a white man. Is anyone who would make such a rash, racist and sexist statement wise enough to be a judge on any court, especially the U.S. Supreme Court?

Has anyone else been wondering exactly where the money is going in the Fayette County school system? Considering the students are forced to pay for just about everything at Starr’s Mill, it’s a tad surprising to learn that there aren’t any reserve funds in this county. Students have to cough up money for every single extra-curricular activity from football to debate team to beta club. A majority of the fine arts classes also force you to pay a fee just to take the class. Band is about $70 to $80 to sit in a chair all year. Even art is around $50, and the art students still report having to purchase their own supplies (paper, watercolors, markers) when the room runs out. I’ve paid for my locker, clinic usage, agenda (which I’m forced to have, though I never use), and parking space. All the teachers were on a copy ration last year, to conserve papers. Yet, the schools still complain about lacking money. The school made plans to cut a teacher in every department this year. AP classes have strict student limits (and students have limits to how many AP classes they can have) for the purpose of conserving teachers they need to pay extra. The school is even starting to lack proper books. My precalculus textbook was missing 200 pages because there weren’t enough textbooks to go around initially. Unfortunately math has to have a book, so the school dug up some ones that were falling apart and missing pages from the county office. And then they told the students they were still responsible for further damages. My lit teacher this year (of an AP class, nonetheless), didn’t have enough books for all her classes, so we were forced to leave them in her room every day and could not finish anything we failed to complete in class. There was a collective mileage limit to field trips to conserve bus fuel (even though last I checked students paid to go on field trips too). The drama department was forced to cut its already well-planned trip (and student funded, I should add) to New York. To top of all of this, school lunch went up this year to $2.10. This would be understandable with the rising cost of everything else in the world, if it weren’t for the fact that the cafeteria was forced to cut some of its healthier menu options, like grilled chicken, because of prices. We’ve just had a SPLOST in Fayette County. We already pay higher taxes then any of the surrounding counties. Yet, what in blue blazes are we actually paying for? It seems like someone is making a mint in Fayette County dipping into the school funds.