Readers Write 10/16

WATER

Each city, county must follow us eventually

“What stinks? High cost of water, sewer” (News, Oct. 4) brings up the enormous cost of Clean Water Atlanta that is being borne by Atlanta’s water customers.

The Clean Water Atlanta program is the product of a federal court order. We could elect not to comply with its provisions, but then the city would be back to paying the daily fines that were assessed prior to Mayor Franklin’s terms. The work we have done has dramatically reduced sewer spills. By preventing the imposition of a building moratorium, the work we have done has directly contributed to more than $17 billion in development.

We have reduced the volume of sewer spills by 90 percent since 2001 and dramatically increased our level of service, while reducing operating expenses, which have dropped in each of the last two years. This year’s operating budget is 18.8 percent lower than last year’s.

Finally, every major milestone under Clean Water Atlanta has been completed on time and under budget.

The American Water Works Association points out that the work Atlanta is doing will eventually have to be done by virtually every city and county in the country. While our rates may look high in comparison to those of other cities, as other utilities address their infrastructure requirements, that gap will shrink and disappear.

Rob Hunter, commissioner of Atlanta’s Watershed Management department

SPORTS

‘Broke, broken’ athlete was a fine human being

Re: “Ex-Falcon spent sad life in long, lonely end zone” (News, Oct. 4): Randy Johnson was one of the nicest people I ever met. Of course, he, Tommy Nobis and Billy Lothridge were the pride of the 1966 Falcons.

Randy called me one day soon after he arrived in Atlanta. He and Billy Lothridge wanted to witness for my students. I was the education director of Cobb County’s juvenile hall in Marietta. It was for juvenile delinquents and abandoned children. The children were so favorably impressed with Randy and Billy. I was also invited to Randy’s home in north Marietta for a social.

I never knew a sweeter athlete! To learn that he died “broke, broken and alone” was a shock. I hope that all who knew him remember what a fine person he was.

Dave Domer, Canton

POLITICS

Longing for Reagan? Please, I do remember

Re “Lessons for the GOP from the Gipper” ( Opinion, Oct. 7): Oh, these folks who long for the days of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. My memory is a bit different. The key accomplishments of Reagan were: doubling the national debt, and providing precedent for Bush II and Obama to do the same; irresponsible tax cuts, greatly favoring the rich; giving amnesty to millions of illegal aliens and runaway defense spending.

The main thing President Reagan proved to me was that it only takes a B-grade movie star to fool the American people. My lasting memory of him is from the video for the rock song, “Land of Confusion.” To end this confusion, we need to throw out both the Republicans and the Democrats. Onward, independents!

J.M.M. Harrison, Atlanta