Rockdale Citizen

"I just read in the other Conyers paper about the proposed custodian services that RCPS is considering. Every year the school board finds new smart ways to save money. Why didn't they do this five years ago when the economy first started hurting. It makes me wonder what else they are overspending on. What about the suits at the county office? Can we not cut those fat salaries?"

"Do bicyclists not have to follow the same laws of the road as motor vehicles? The group that rides through the county every Saturday runs red lights, stop signs, and fails to yield right of way while turning right. Not to mention taking up a whole lane of travel. I thought they were to maintain the far right side of the lane. I understand taking up more space when passing the bike in front of them, but riding four to six abreast the whole time is a bit ridiculous. I'm not trying to start any controversy, just wanting to know. If they can ride side by side, why do I have to ride staggered when I'm riding motorcycles with my friends?"

"Olde Town has been beautiful this spring. Thanks everybody for keeping things so pretty and clean!"

"This is for Zo and his partners. ... from every paycheck, money is deducted for Medicare and Social Security along with federal taxes and state taxes. I have paid into Social Security for the last 47 years and am now getting a check every month from the money I paid into it. The reason Social Security is going bankrupt is because during the Eisenhower administration the Democratic congress started moving money out of it into the general fund. Medicare began in 1965. I am still working so I still pay Medicare and Social Security taxes but along with that , the government takes $115.40 out of my Social Security check every month to pay for my Medicare premium, then I have to pay $123.80 for my supplement insurance, making my monthly premium for my health care $239.20 even though I have paid into it for all my working life. ... I wouldn't mind paying more taxes if it wasn't wasted by all the corrupt politicians. Let me list a few that are easily found with google to verify it: dead federal employees got $120 million in 2011, General Services Administration spent $823,000 on a 'convention' in Vegas, Solyndra -- $535 million for green energy is bankrupt, Evergreen Solar -- $5.3 million also bankrupt, Abound Solar -- $400 million in the process of bankruptcy, First Solar -- $15 billion also bankrupt and 12 others, $765,828 for pancake breakfasts. All this money the president and congress has piddled away is tax money that someone worked for, was away from their children for, stayed up late and got up early for but I guess you wouldn't know about that either. The next time you make a call on your Obama phone, just think about the person who had to work to pay for that phone call for you."

"This letter is in response to Zo. Two responses: First, Let's suppose I went week after week to put money into a savings account. I then turned 65 and go to get some of my money and the teller says, 'Sorry, we gave the money to someone else.' How should I respond to that? The government forces us to use Social Security as a government-backed savings plan. Yet now they say that Social Security is nearing bankruptcy. You see Social Security is not an entitlement. It is the money I have been forced to let the government keep for my retirement. The government is not giving me anything. I am only asking for what I am supposed to have. But the government has given this money to people who have not paid into the system. This in my opinion is theft by taking and malfeasance. Secondly, you mischaracterize conservatives using hyperbole to say that we are opposed to all taxes. We are aware of the need for taxes to supply the services you named in your letter. What we are is opposed to more taxation without evidence of appropriate use of moneys already given to government. Example, Louisiana and New Orleans were given billions of dollars to build levies in case of a category 4 or 5 hurricane. When Katrina hit the levies were insufficient or not there. So where do the billions of dollars go? President Obama asked for $800 billion to stimulate the economy for 'shovel ready jobs.' But there were no shovel ready jobs. So where did the $800 billion go? If you had to have repairs on your house and you paid someone to do the repairs, but they never came and did the repairs; would you give them more money? I personally have not seen responsible handling of money by government lately; therefore I am opposed to more taxes. That includes the T-SPLOST."

"The main reason I do not like MARTA is that fact that it is always in trouble financially. It's a situation like the post office. Every few years, MARTA needs to be bailed out. The bailout usually comes through the government subsidies or expansions like this. It's almost like a Ponzie scheme. By expanding, they get a big influx of money from SPLOST and then the new riders at those stations so they get to pay off some old bills and stay afloat for a few more years. But eventually, the expenses will outweigh the revenue because of the way they operate it. This seems to be the pattern I have seen from watching the news over the years. It is a poorly run organization and I don't want it here."

"I just wanted to say thank you to Erik Lombard and his team in the department of planning and development. Even though I don't know why they have my street torn apart here in Milstead, they have informed me the day they need to cut off the water and they provided me with a big package of bottled water. Thank you so much for taking care of us during the busy project!"

"My issue is addressing the Conyers Post Office located off Highway 138. I would like to compliment the staff on their friendliness and efficiency in handling customer needs. My problem does not concern the staff, but on the maintenance of the property. Why is it that other post offices in Georgia, which are all run by the United States government, are so well maintained and ours is not? Why is it that our post office grounds are so trashed, shrubbery not trimmed, faded out crosswalks that are not yellow any longer, and two stop signs leaving the premises that look like they have been there since the 1980s? Why are we not allocated the funding to make Conyers look well represented? A United States facility should not look like this!"

"Attention school board, county office higher ups and administrators. Right now you are being paid to have the schools ready for next year and develop strategies that will improve the performance of teachers and students. I have some questions for you. 1. What are you going to do this next school year that will energize and excite your teachers? 2. What is your plan to ensure each teacher is fully supported and supervised? 3. What is your plan for a communication policy to keep parents and community members informed and part of the education process? How do you know each teacher has a good plan to energize and excite the students about learning? 4. What system of measurement will you use to determine how successful you are? My fear is that you guys are sitting around waiting for the next school year with no real plans to fix behavior issues or morale problems and you plan on being reactionary again instead of staying on top of things with an actual plan that works."

"Today is June 19. I can't find the June 17 poll."

"I went to a professional enrichment thing in Atlanta this week and I was so grateful to be from this county. I sat at a table filled with men and women from all over the Atlanta and metro area and listened to them discuss (read: complain) things that were going on in their communities and my colleagues and I just looked at each other and shook our heads, so sad for other places, but so grateful for what we have here."