Rockdale Citizen

As of Friday, July 6, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Rockdale Citizen

"I want to thank the Supreme Court justices today for making it abundantly clear that this country is no longer worth being a part of. Their judgement handed down stating the individual mandate was constitutional proves that all branches of what our founders had envisioned has come to an end. Therefore, steps must now be taken to rally around those willing to take our piece of the country back and forge anew a Constitution that keeps sacred our liberties and freedoms that can never be put asunder. I call on those willing to form these alliances to begin now making your voices heard and your actions known. Our country was founded on our Judeo-Christian principles and our new America must be fortified as such to the roof top and not just the cornerstone. We will not become subjects of the rising Communist order known as progressivism or liberalism. The time for talk has ended and actions must be initiated forthwith. Governor Deal -- recall our elected officials from Washington D.C. Their place is now home with the rest of us."

"Our Supreme Court just signed the death warrant for millions of people in America. Compare our statistics to other countries with the Obamacare-style health care system. Percentage of men and women who survive cancer for 5 years US - 65 percent under our present health care system, England 46 percent, Canada 42 percent. Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received treatment within six months US 90 percent under our present health care system, England 15 percent, Canada 43 percent. As for "throwing Grandma under the bus" under our present health care system 90 percent of seniors needing hip replacement received it within 6 months, England 15 percent, Canada 43 percent. Percentage of seniors (65-plus) with low income who say they are in "excellent health" US 12 percent under our current health care system, England 2 percent, Canada 6 percent. With Obamacare we can expect our percentages to drop to the low percentages of England and Canada. Just ask the Canadians why so many of them come to the US to get health care."

"People of Rockdale wake up! If the untie Rockdale 1 cent sales tax passes, then Rockdale County loses all local control over what happens in this county! Not to mention this is another tax that you are voting for! Do we not already pay enough taxes? Why would you voluntarily vote yourself another one? When we lose all local control then MARTA will be first to come in. The chamber claims that that is not true but we've heard that song before. Please everyone, Vote NO and tell the politicians that they have enough of our money."

"Regarding the fire chief resignation. Someone on the comment section wanted him to wait until November so we could vote him a new boss in. The problem with that is our school system. My guess is that the former chief had school-age kids and didn't want his kids in RCPS. Everyone knows that the best time to move for families is in the summer so you don't screw up the kid's grades. That doesn't stop many parents in Rockdale though. We seem to have a lot of transfers during the year. Bottom line? A great, safe school system may have kept him here. If the school board doesn't like this comment, they can just hire someone from NewRock Legal Society to sue me."

"This is in response to Zo. Yeah I get benefits from taxes but you can have all of those except roads, fire, police, military and basic government. I don't want any free junk and I don't want my kids growing up depending on free junk. Keep the bailouts and welfare. Do the fair tax or flat tax at 10 percent and quit wasting all this money."

"I have asked many times in this poll for the Citizen to report on court decisions regarding criminals. We know the police are making arrests but as voters, we do not know how good the judges are doing at sentencing. You run stories all the time about crimes committed here and we appreciate it, but it would be nice to have news about judges and sentencing so we can be informed when we vote. Thank you. Maybe a weekly section of crimes and punishment. That would be real good."

"Dear Rockdale Citizen newspaper: Many articles that I read from this paper are light on details. It seems like your reporters are just parroting what PR people give them. Please ask more questions of our officials and put their quotes in response. Take this chief of staff story from this past week as an example. I am not familiar with the ramifications of this. Is it better to have the chief of staff reporting to all three under normal circumstances or is Oden utilizing him in a way that makes this rule necessary? I really wish the reporters of this paper would spell things out. I am not all that great at reading between the lines. Ask Mrs Van Ness why she initiated this. What are the dangers of having the chief of staff report only to Oden? Have there been any circumstances where the chief of staff's existing reporting chain hurt the board's ability to make decisions? Get us something better than the tip of the iceberg on these stories. Please shed more light on issues like this so we don't have to jump to so many conclusions. Isn't it the job of the editor to read each story as if they are a common citizen who doesn't know the inside scoop. Please try to improve on this before the upcoming election."

"For those who think a victory was won, with the passing of the 'OBAMACARE,' hope you're feeling as happy when the tax goes into effect. Don't kid yourselves, this will be a tax, with 20 more new taxes added. We are well on our way to become a socialist country ... This also adds to the reasons I have, to vote against the T-SPLOST, I'm tired of paying more taxes to support more entitlements."

"An open letter to candidates in Rockdale County: As candidates in Rockdale County you are -- or should be -- aware of our county sign ordinance. When your campaign signs are posted on public property and county rights of way in violation of these ordinances, you are telling voters that you are not a team player and that you consider yourself above the laws of this county. I have received your message loud and clear and so have eliminated you as candidates who are worthy of my vote. I prefer to have elected officials who work in support of our county not people who believe the laws exist for people other than themselves. Your actions -- and sign placement -- speak louder than your words and I, for one, am paying attention."

"I don't trust either political party much. But I have to say I trust the Democrats least because they want more and more of my money and wont quit taking. They are making very little effort stop welfare fraud and seem to think it is OK to use tax money to advertise welfare opportunities on the radio. They are out of control."

"To parents of high school athletes: The following is a short list of things to do if you want to discourage your child's coach. 1) Refuse to pay dues. This will force the coaches and other parents to try to figure out how to pay for your child's sport. 2) Never volunteer to help with fundraisers or logistical issues. This will make the coaches have to spend time on mundane tasks and will take them away from the thing that they love to do. 3) Never go to booster club meetings. This will keep the coaches discouraged and feeling alone. 4) Stay away from all games. This might make your child feel confident and loved and may improve their attitude. Definitely don't do that. 5) Pick your child up late after practices or games so your coach has to wait with them. This will cut into their personal life. It's very effective. 5) Never thank your coach for the time he/she spends helping your child succeed in school and on the field. This would only encourage him/her. That's about it. Oh yeah, try to send angry emails to your coach about issues when you only know your child's side of the story and copy the school superintendent. Accuse the coach of things without any valid proof and cause a big investigation for no reason. That's the kicker. That will definitely run off the good coaches in our county. I hope this helps."

"I do not support MARTA in Rockdale nor the T-SPLOST vote coming up. The local county and municipalities can change their list of projects (if they have one) without notice. In this current climate of smoke and mirrors politics, I simply do not trust our politicians. They have not cut spending where I want them cut. Entitlements. When they deeply cut and regulate entitlements, I will then trust them with a little more money."

"Just wanted to shed some light on our so-called technological geniuses in the automotive industry. The Toyota Prius has finally stretched it's mpg to 46 on the highway and 53 in town but it needs a $10,000 battery to do it. The battery has an estimated life of 10 years. This is the best of the best folks. Did I mention that in 1979 the VW rabbit diesel got 57 on the highway. That was over 30 years ago. Somebody needs to develop something better than this. Everyone thinks that the Prius and Volt are so eco-friendly. They get less than that old rabbit plus you have the issue with replacing huge expensive batteries. I wish the Rockdale Magnet school and RCA would start getting kids interested in improving this roadblock to our economy."

"T-SPLOST ....VOTE NO! Rockdale citizens: Check the Rockdale Projects on the T-Splost List and see if any one of the four projects will help speed you to work or back home. PROJECTS: 1. TIA-ro-008 Flat Shoals Rd From SR 162 to Old Salem ... Nice , But will not speed you to Work. No traffic problem exist here. 2. TIA-ro-003 New overpass of I 20 ... Not Nice! This only benefits a few Property owners of Walmart and Home Depot. We already built a bridge under SR 138 that's not used for these rich owners. Another bridge to nowhere. 3. TIA-ro-001 Sigman Road to Dogwood Connector ... The best of List, But no real traffic back-up here and will speed you up to work. 4. TIA-dk-030 Hayden Quarry Road ... What a project! No traffic here! This project can only (have) Rockdale people spend their money at Stonecrest Mall in DeKalb County. Bad for Rockdale tax base. Vote No!"

"The dude that complained about the paving road on Stanton Road and Ebenezer Road, sure got that right. The paving company oughta give everybody that uses that road a free kidney belt. Also the guys that puts up the signs that gives you $250 for junk cars, everybody in the world oughta give him a call and tie up his lines and tell him to quit putting his illegal signs up on the telephone polls and traffic signs throughout the city."

More like this story

Sept. 23 Rockdale Citizen Poll ( September 21, 2012 )
Rockdale Citizen Poll - 07-23-11 ( September 3, 2011 )
Rockdale Citizen Poll - 06-04-11 ( September 3, 2011 )
Rockdale Citizen Poll - 03-19-11 ( September 3, 2011 )
Rockdale Citizen Poll - 06-11-11 ( September 3, 2011 )

heresyafacts 10 months, 2 weeks ago

"Refuse to pay dues. This will force the coaches and other parents to try to figure out how to pay for your child's sport." -- Why are these kids allowed to play if their parents aren't paying the dues? It's time we stop carrying dead weight and assisting the 'entitled'. Hate it for the kids, but it's not fair to those who play by the rules. Regarding MARTA: someone look at the red light at McDaniel Mill and Iris Drive -- am I crazy or is that designed for a future MARTA bus stop? What's with the pedestrian walkways leading to the expressway side? Why are there pedestrian 'buttons' on poles in an area where I've seen very little if any foot traffic?

Clark 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Yes, you are crazy (your words). City buses don't stop in the middle of intersections as stopping at that island would. The walkways and buttons are there because of something called regulations. When a local jurisdiction makes substantial road improvements, they must include things like sidewalks and proper pedestrian intersection controls. Some of it is the ADA, some of it is other miscellaneous regulations. Please do a little more research next time.

heresyafacts 10 months, 1 week ago

Thanks for clearing that up. The knowledge that money, set aside for improvements, would be wasted on crosswalks to nowhere, cement islands with no purpose, and pedetrian signals in areas where they are not needed, only reaffirms my decision to vote against providing more money to waste via TSPLOST.

wayne 10 months, 1 week ago

Be careful. He'll big font you.

Clark 10 months, 1 week ago

I didn't type the comment below in anything but normal text. The Rockdale Citizen "big fonted" the comment, not me, I had nothing to do with making the text larger than normal, and I wish they would fix it.

wayne 10 months, 1 week ago

Then you're forgiven

Clark 10 months, 1 week ago

Blame the ADA and Federal Government then, not T-SPLOST. They are the ones requiring improvements everywhere where very little benefit is gained.

ctownslimm 10 months, 2 weeks ago

This is a huge deal in Rockdale sports at the high school level. Many parents refuse to pay and the kids dont have money. Many dont even try to help out on fund raisers. The schools are afraid of getting sued so they wont let coaches cut players for that reason.

Clark 10 months, 2 weeks ago

The T-SPLOST does not remove local control in the slightest. In fact, the people had a chance to voice their opinions on the projects, if you didn't, you were either satisfied with the list, or chose not to participate. MARTA service would be a completely separate tax, voted on in a completely separate re ferendum as it currently stand. Hopefully, that will change which would allow so-called "last mile" rail extensions such as Stonecrest to Conyers, Doraville into Gwinnett, AIrport into Clayton, etc, but for now, voting for the T-SPLOST in no way would bring MARTA service directly into Rockdale (Rockdale would still benefit from a station at Stonecrest).

To the person complaining about taxes, you do realize you're contradicting yourself, you say you don't want to be taxed for them because you don't want them for free. Well if you're being taxed for them, how exactly are they free?

The project list for the T-SPLOST can only be changed if the project becomes infeasible. It's codified in Georgia Code 48-8-123.

I'm not sure when you drove on those roads, but the widening and new overpass are badly needed. Traffic is very congested and hard to maneuver through many times of the day. I can sort of see your point on the Hayden Quarry Road project, but it's more designed to head off future congestion than fix an existing problem. When MARTA does reach Stonecrest, a lot of Rockdale people will be heading that way both to travel and shop at the new stores a MARTA station is sure to bring. It's one of the few cases where we've actually planned ahead for our transportation needs.

1ayk 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I still contend you must have a personal vested interest in MARTA coming to Rockdale. It is obvious the majority of folks do not want it here!

Elmo 10 months, 1 week ago

A tax, is a tax, is a tax...and we've had enough of them. The desperation shown by your SHOUTING is a good indicator of the special interest you seem to have in this "project". Somehow, I think the people of Rockdale will be just fine without TSPLOST, or any more taxation. IF what you say is true -about MARTA only coming as far as Stonecrest -then even the few people who want it are being scammed as well. How do they get from South Rockdale to Stonecrest? Wait, don't tell me, in a year or so, there will be ANOTHER T-SPLOST to start bus service to transport them to Stonecrest. Incrementalism is taking the whole country down, and it's always the people who wind up with the bill. People who use their cars for business, or just convenience, will still drive to Atlanta, and they'll be paying the taxes so other people won't have to drive...still another entitlement program. The people who pay the taxes will be providing still another service that will probably not benefit them at all. "tax and spend" is becoming a dirty phrase among the tax paying public. I don't see people en masse asking for MARTA, mostly the politicians. Big, bold, letters enticing the people to vote themselves a tax smacks of a power play. SPLOST has been a tax increase gimmick since the mid-80's, one after another. Politicians need to learn to live within their incomes, and stop coming to the trough for more and more. It's only a few miles from Stonecrest to the MARTA station in Decatur, and if MARTA is the "ultimate solution" to the metro traffic problems, then WHY are the expressways still in gridlock? In my 20-plus years of doing that commute, the real gridlock was usually on 285. People are a lot more tired of the "gimme, gimme" of politicians than they are of traffic.

Clark 10 months, 1 week ago

I'm not shouting, I typed my comment into the textbox as normal. I guess the Rockdale Citizen thought it needed to be bold and huge for some reason. The only way that people could think they are being scammed is if they kept looking at the T-SPLOST as a one-county deal, it's not, it's designed to help the region. Even if people from South Rockdale don't ride MARTA once the rail reaches Stonecrest, they'll still benefit from reduced traffic on I-20 as people much closer to the rail opt for the transit instead of choosing to drive down I-20. The reason MARTA hasn't magically solved the gridlock, is because people like you have kept it confined to 3 lines, right around Atlanta instead of allowing a wider reach into the suburbs. The politicians' "incomes" as you put it, I assume you're talking about the tax revenue instead of their personal income, is actually too low as it is. Services can't be provided to the people for nothing, and taxes are how services are paid for. Would you rather the T-SPLOST be an income tax?

Elmo 10 months, 1 week ago

Local, regional...a tax is a tax, regardless. None of your arguments hold water, and are only tax-speak for more taxpayer money? Services have always been provided for the people, when government worked within their budgets. Some of these newer "services" are not being demanded by the people, but by politicians. Again, based on two decades of commuting to north Atlanta, MARTA will do very little to improve the traffic problem. Stonecrest is well on its way to being South DeKalb Mall II, and leaving my car there all day is not an appealing prospect, then there's MARTA itself, changing trains downtown, etc. I wouldn't use it without an armed security guard along. But, you go ahead and preach it -chapter and verse. Most Progressive ideas are high on good intentions, but the result is usually lackluster, at best. In this economy, keeping my tax money will do me a lot more good than anything MARTA can offer...and it's safer, too.

Clark 10 months, 1 week ago

Why won't MARTA help with traffic? A person on the train is a vehicle not clogging the road since most people don't carpool. If people aren't demanding this, then what are they demanding? I see and hear people all the time complaining about traffic, and if rapid transit isn't the solution, then what is? It's a proven fact that on a per-dollar basis, rail-based mass transit adds significantly more travel capacity than adding road lanes to major corridors. So someone can't call me on it later, I mean major corridors as in I-20 rather than say 138 or Flat Shoals road. Local communities thrive on well-designed roads while interconnected regions thrive on mass transit. I'm not sure what MARTA you used or when you used it, but it obviously wasn't Atlanta's. Atlanta's MARTA is very safe, and I use it whenever I can, which thanks to the significant distance I have to drive to reach it, isn't nearly as much as I'd like.

AWOL 10 months, 1 week ago

I refuse to read this comment out of principal. Just write it in normal font please and I will read it but We already know you love splost and fully approve of everything politicians waste money on Clark. These guys have frittered away our money and I am not voluntarily giving them anything else period. I cannot trust them. I feel very strongly about this but still wrote it in regular font.

1ayk 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Our local leader, Mr. Oden, oh I mean Chairman and CEO always ends his commisioner's meetings with "God Bless our President." Did he ever pray for or say this about President Bush?

VPublicola 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Nor does he ever include the Governor of Georgia. Also, he is very 'selective' about what events and organizations he 'supports' when presenting his comments and in his questionable ads using the taxpayer funded Channel 23, which the county has failed to develop a policy regarding programming and use of Channel 23. Then again, remember that by his own admissions he supports 51% of the county.

AWOL 10 months, 1 week ago

Oden's success is hitched to Obama and he knows it. Saying that ingratiates him to all Obama voters. He needs them to win.

Elmo 10 months, 1 week ago

Gosh, I thought you weren't supposed to mention anything Religious during governmental functions? Obama -who has crosses covered up when they are in the background at his TelePrompTer readings, er, I mean his speeches, might not approve of Oden's tag line. We're supposed to ask God to bless the president, as his preacher asks God to d$@m the United States? Is Oden trying for a cabinet position, or just be appointed as a "Czar"? Another clear example of "do as I say, not as I do" politicians.

VPublicola 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Absolutely agree! Further, refuse to "shop Rockdale" businesses that support candidates with whom you do not agree or allow them to post their campaign signs at such businesses.

Elmo 10 months, 1 week ago

Meanwhile, if struggling merchants and retailers (yiu know, the ones who pay all the sales taxes) post anything other than "approved" signage, the speech police show up and nix it. With the influx of people, mixed with crime and the economy, Portions of Conyers and Rockdale are already filled with empty stores, and looking like DeKalb County, and the powers that be want to quash the advertising signs that promote business, i.e. taxes. The geographic location of Rockdale presents an advertising delimma for Rockdale merchants. There are close to 30 radio stations, several news paper, and advertising papers in the coverage are splitting the audiences into smaller segments. Advertising is expensive, and few merchants have the budget to use all of the available media at the same time. You can't put flyers and/or brochures under windshield wipers or on mailbox flags and direct mailing them to jus a zip code or two costs big bucks. So under the guise of "keeping Rockdale beautiful", you can only put out advertising and promotional signs during certain hours, and on weekends. We, merchants have to pay their rent on Mondays thru Fridays as well. It's like governments banning cigarettes, and the whining about the loss of the tobacco taxes. Now, they put haters on merchant advertising, and the turn to the public asking then to vote themselves a new tax, to make up for revenue loss. Meanwhile, corporate masters of the chain stores pressure their employees to sell more, but the local employees have the signage ordinances shackeling their efforts.
Competition is fierce in today's world as we are all trying to survive the economic holocost.
It makes sense to not have little signs on wooden stakes dotting the roadways and right-of-ways, but policing merchants from putting up "sale" signs in their own windows and property is ludicrous. Maybe if the enforced political signage a little more, those who win elections would remember it and get rid of the nanny- state signage rules once they are in office.

2525 10 months, 2 weeks ago

This is not the 1950's and the 1960's where you can use laws to prevent people from living in certain areas.I thought this was the 21st century here in Rockdale county! I find it to be very sad that people are still blaming the bottom rail for what the top rail children do.Regardless of what type of payment is made rent or a mortgage children will get into trouble with the law at some point in there young adult life that is a fact!The funny part is some will get caught while others will not.However,I've noticed that more children from families where their parents are doctors,lawyers and cops that are paying there property taxes and mortgages commit the same crimes as renters children do,but the only difference is some children end up with expunged and sealed records while others don't. This is according to their parent social status in the community.Further,some of you need to come off of your high horses, when has it become legal to police patrol who pays what? This sounds like a good discrimination lawsuit to me how about you?Most families that are choosing to reside here were affected by the economy and lost their homes due to foreclosure did you ever think about that?No I am not making excuses for anyone, but some of you need to come off of your high horses here.The last time I checked this was still a free country and some of these practices were supposed to be abolished and further what if a thorough background check was conducted on some of you, I wonder what would be find out!Yes,the demographics has changed and rockdale has became part of other metro counties but to publicly display your 1950,s attitude is the wrong approach here. People do what they want with their property and the best thing is for you to is to mind your on business.

AWOL 10 months, 1 week ago

"still a free country and some of these practices were supposed to be abolished "

WHat practices are you talking about?

firedad 10 months, 1 week ago

Wated to comment on the Fire Chief. Check yourself before you make a comment. He actualy is teaching at RCA as the new Public Saftey Instructor. He had the Fire Department heading in the right direction. However, the powers to be, was holding him back. It's going to be a long road ahead with the interim Chiefs in his place. They do not see nor have the vision Chief Wilson has. Wilson is a great man and it was a sad day to see him leave.

superman 10 months, 1 week ago

Completely agree! I had the privilege of meeting him a time or two. He did not leave his position of Fire Chief because of the bad school system. I would venture to say that most of Oden's direct reports are not happy with their positions because of him. Given the opportunities I think most directors would resign immediately. But the comment'er was right, the school system has gone down hill terribly int he past decade.

superman 10 months, 1 week ago

To the person who had the 79 VW Rabbit - I wish I could remember where I saw this documentary but there were these guys in the 1940s that took a car and engineered the carburetor so that it got 100 (or 200) miles per gallon. This was using technology available 70 years ago! Keep in mind the cars of that era were built from steel so you can imagine the weight! The story goes that Standard Oil did some shady things to those guys and squashed the patent. By the way, those that have electric cars and think they're doing their part, just remind them that their electric comes from coal driven power plants. Not only is it more costly they are still generating co2 gasses... You're just making someone else emit it for you.

Elmo 10 months, 1 week ago

Not to mention the $40,000 plus price tag, and $10,000 to $12,000 for a new battery. They say the battery "should last for ten years"...assuming that has any truth to it, are you going to invest ten grand in a ten year old car? Would anyone in their right mind buy it from you, or except it for any appreciable amount as a trade in, with a partially used, or dead, ten grand battery? Don't forget, it would still be a ten-year-old car, with all of the regular wear and tear on it. The little gasoline engine on board -refugee from a lawn mower to power it when the battery poops out after 50 miles, requires PREMIUM gasoline, too. Then there's the 10-12 hour recharging time for the battery. The charge might get you to work in Atlanta, and halfway back homr on those shiny, new, T-SPLOST roads, I dunno.
But, if they catch on, or Obama charges us a tax-penalty for NOT buying one, I'll get me a gasoline powered truck with big generator on the back, and cruise the interstates selling volts to Volts, at $20 bucks an hour. It costs a lot of green, to be green.

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