Readers write
We need GOP leaders willing to stand up to Trump
I thank the “Officers who defended Capitol during riot protest payout fund,” May 21. Trump intends to incentivize his loyalists to keep “fight(ing) like hell” to “save America” and perpetuate the lie that the 2020 election was stolen and to continue to threaten his political enemies. Such loyalty scares a lot of us. We need leaders that protect Americans, not threaten them. Such MAGA-manical distortions need to be stopped.
Fortunately, some Republican members of Congress recessed for a week after learning about Trump’s plans for more immigration and ICE funding, a $1 billion White House/ballroom security proposal and discovering they could not defeat an Iran War Powers Resolution that would compel the president to withdraw from the Iran conflict. That’s hope.
I have to confess, as Trump’s approval rating lowers so does my blood pressure and my hope rises that representative democracy is salvable. It takes real Republican patriots to bravely stand up to Trump’s poor leadership.
BOB JAMES, ATLANTA
Claims that 2020 election were stolen based on lies
The 2020 election was not stolen. All claims to the contrary are nonsense. People who insist it was stolen must ignore a vast body of evidence to reach that conclusion.
Further, when they say they want to assure no future elections are stolen they have only one objective in mind: steal the next election themselves. The Big Lie is spoken to facilitate the Big Steal.
DEAN POIRIER, LILBURN
HOME Act could help long-term residents stay in homes
Gentrification in Atlanta and across Georgia has meant that long-term homeowners are routinely “taxed out” of communities they helped build.
When property values surge, skyrocketing tax assessments force vulnerable residents to sell and move.
The passage of Republican Senate Bill 33 (the HOME Act) provides a powerful, permanent shield against this displacement. By converting the floating homestead exemption into a mandatory statewide requirement, the law eliminates local “opt-out” loopholes that Atlanta and some other cities used to continue taxing residents out of their homes.
The mechanism is simple but vital: While a home’s market value may spike during a neighborhood boom, its taxable value cannot increase faster than the rate of inflation. The exemption “floats” upward to absorb the market spike, keeping tax bills stable and predictable for resident homeowners.
By introducing the Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) and requiring voter approval for aggressive budget hikes, SB 33 protects school and city funding without penalizing existing homeowners. This legislation ensures that community progress no longer requires community displacement. Long-term residents can finally afford to stay in the neighborhoods they call home.
JOHN AQUINO, ATLANTA
More Stories
The Latest
