This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, April 20, 2016

A change needed?

Lord knows Macon-Bibb County needs to change directions. Downtown constitutes a major conflict of interests to taxpayers. I am not certain if I would venture downtown at night any more than I would in most of Macon-Bibb County. Crime is rampant. Like the board of education, our commissioners and mayor spend too much to serve too few. Under the Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting, through this letter, that the salaries and positions be forthcoming. I did this with the BOE 15 years ago and it proved nauseating. Outsourcing could save millions of dollars. These folks have zero regard for their spending. If it were coming out of their pockets, massive reductions in force would be implemented. There has always been too many cozy relationships and highly questionable deals.

Now comes Lonzy Edwards with accusations that our current mayor moved money from the pension fund to balance the budget. It was awfully early to bury his champagne if he cannot prove his accusation. They call it “put up or shut up.” Being a preacher and a lawyer, he certainly should know the game. All of the taxpayers certainly should not support anyone who fails to be factual and truthful.

Disaster

C. Jack Ellis suggestions about garbage fees belong there — in the garbage. Ellis’ plan for collecting delinquent garbage fees would be a disaster to Macon-Bibb County’s “fight blight” initiative and counselor David Oedel’s (Ellis campaign legal counsel) reasoning facilitating payback of fees owed mirrors some of his flawed comments in previous Telegraph columns. The only boon in Macon-Bibb County to an Ellis term as Macon-Bibb Tax Commissioner would be the unlimited material for Telegraph articles rivaling the Dallemand era as Bibb school district superintendent.

Macon-Bibb County deserves the continued excellent service and experience of interim Tax Commissioner Wade McCord. I look forward to requesting the Democratic ballot on May 24 to vote for McCord.

Governor backed down

Many times in the past Gov. Nathan Deal said he would sign a Religious Freedom Bill. But, when it came down to it, he reneged. His explanation was the economy and it would discriminate against some people. Both were weak and not true. If he was truly concerned about revenue he would have been against a bill allowing the suspension of sales taxes on occasional sporting events like the Super Bowl or a World Series. Also, one suspending sales taxes on building material to build the stadiums for the Falcons and Braves (which is not needed). The real reasons are that he caved in to threats from big businesses and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

If people believe that we send representatives and senators to the Capitol in Atlanta to run the business of the state of Georgia, they must be smoking something. The lobbyist for big businesses really run the state. One only needs to take a look at the money that was spent on gifts and meals for members of the 2016 General Assembly.

About now, you may be thinking that I support discrimination. Not so. If a business owner who has a deeply held Christian faith has a business that serves the public they must serve every individual that walks into the business. However, if that individual happens to be a homosexual and wants that business to cater some type of a commitment ceremony (not marriage, only one man and one woman can get married), then, that business should have the right to refuse based on his Christian principles without threats of being sued or jailed.

I hope the members of the Georgia General Assembly are already making plans to submit another Religious Freedom Bill in the 2017 session and if Gov. Deal vetoes it then do same for the 2018 session and continue until we get a governor with a backbone.

I applaud the governors and legislatures of North Carolina and Mississippi for standing up against the LGBT lobby.

Comparison?

At the debate the other night one of our clueless wannabees stated that the gun manufacturers in America should be put out of business for causing so many innocent deaths. Wonder if the same applies to the auto industry? Duh?

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 5:32 AM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, April 20, 2016."