Use budget surplus to improve lives of Georgians
I have a suggestion as to how Georgia’s Republican leadership can utilize the state’s budget surplus money. They can spend it for the reason it was collected in the first place: – to make the lives of all Georgians better. Here are some examples:
1.) Pay our teachers more. Georgia is below the national average in teacher pay. Use a part of the revenue surplus to increase salaries, thus attracting better teachers and subsequently improving the future lives of our children. Better educated students will mean a more attractive workforce, leading to a stronger economy for us all.
2.) Improve access to hospitals in rural areas. Ten rural hospitals have closed across the state. You Republican leaders should bring some creativity and financing to this critical, life-threatening situation.
3.) Use some of the surplus revenue to roll back college tuition and reduce student loans.
If the current crop of shortsighted, dull-witted elected officials can’t think of useful ways to spend this revenue windfall, they should all be voted out at the next election.
EDWARD PEABODY, CUMMING
Trump’s lies harmed reputations of public servants
A letter to the editor jumbles facts in order to support Donald Trump. As the letter writer says, the reputations of the FBI, IRS and DOJ have been harmed.
However, their reputations were not harmed by their actions. Their reputations with Trump supporters were harmed by Trump’s lies when these agencies investigated him and his acolytes. Thousands of dedicated public servants had their reputations besmirched by Trump’s lies.
The letter writer denies that Trump would seek to imprison his opponents, but that is exactly what he has promised to do. He has said that the focus of the next term would be vengeance on those who have opposed him.
The letter writer suggests a comparison of the treatment of Trump and Hillary Clinton. A comparison shows that multiple Republican-led investigations found no wrongdoing by Clinton. Law enforcement investigations found multiple alleged crimes committed by Trump. Being prosecuted for his alleged crimes hardly makes Trump a martyr.
LARRY AUERBACH, ATLANTA
