Isakson’s evasive answers are no help
I just watched U.S. Senator Isakson’s town hall meeting at Kennesaw State University. I appreciate the senator participating in a town hall to hear his constituents after months of requests. While I was worried that questions from the audience would be censored, I was pleased he took all types of questions from a mostly unhappy crowd.
Unfortunately, the senator gave many “non-answers.” He refused to answer whether he believes in climate change, saying that the weather changes from year to year. He refused to answer whether he would support a single-payer health care system, instead referring to his preference to bring the ACA discussion to committee. He refused to answer whether his ancestors were English speakers when they immigrated to the U.S. The last few speakers were so frustrated that they ended their questions with “Say yes or no, that’s it.”
Senator, we want town halls so that we can communicate with you. But they are only valuable if you answer the question.
STACY EFRAT, MARIETTA
Senior citizens deserve homestead exemptions
In an article by Jim Galloway titled “Public schools an issue in Emory annexation,” News, Aug. 10, it is stated as an apparent negative, referring to senior exemptions that “my school system will lose $101 million this fiscal year because of exemptions granted 51,000 homeowners.”
Many retired senior citizen homeowners live on a fixed income and treat this exemption as a lifesaving option. They should not be forced out of their homes due to repressive and un-American tax policies.
As it is now, our counties can double-bill homeowners with both millage rate and property valuation increases in the same year. It should be a priority that provisions from California’s 1978 Proposition 13 be implemented and include cap limits, 100 percent school tax exemptions, homeowners’ presumed ability to pay and reassessment only at the time of sale.
J.A. JERNIGAN, ATLANTA
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