We in the Atlanta

area are fond of congratulating ourselves on the fact that our economy

is among the best in the nation.

Bill

threatens local taxation decisions

One

Citizen's Perspective

One of this year's

important pieces of legislation, House Bill 656, is expected to hit

the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives this week. HB 656

extends the 2000 session Education Reform Act by restoring funding for

paraprofessionals in kindergarten, phasing in an end to social promotion,

and adding additional funding for new schools to meet the mandate of

smaller teacher to student ratios in last year's bill. But there something

hiding in HB 656 that may have a significant impact on Fayette county

if passed "as is" without amendment.

Who

is smarter, men or women?

MURPHY

Laugh Lines

There are large

questions in life, like, in the movies, if someone is carrying a bag

of groceries, why will there always be a loaf of french bread sticking

out? But, I am thinking a larger, more important a question here: Which

is the smarter gender? Are women smarter? Are men smarter?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Lenox:

City taxpayers still being wronged

I appreciate the

letter you published last week from Commissioners Wells, Frady and VanLandingham.

It was factual, well-written and represents the only meaningful dialogue

in recent months from the commission. However, several key facts were

omitted.

School

bus riding: Set your alarm earlier, Kerry

Kerry FitzPatrick,

the Starr's Mill teen who would educate the rest of the world as to

whom should ride the school bus, is a classic model of a slow learner.

There are two glaring examples.

Kerry,

you have to pay the price of your choices

I am not surprised

that the letters from Kerry FitzPatrick have generated so many responses.

I suspect some readers have reacted as much to her sarcastic tone as

to her complaint itself.

Death

tax repeal not aimed at U.S. billionaires

The fight to keep

the death tax was strengthened last month by support from 120 of some

of the nation's wealthiest people. Warren E. Buffett, George Soros,

David Rockefeller, Jr., and the father of Bill Gates, among others,

began a petition to keep the death tax, citing that the tax prevents

an American "aristocracy of wealth."

Pet

killed with no notification from animal control

I would like the

pet owners that live in Weatherly subdivision to be aware the incident

that happened on Jan. 2. A neighbor (or should I even use the word "neighbor"?)

filed a complaint with the Fayette County animal control about a cat

(or animal) that was leaving dead animals in their yard, so animal control

set a "trap."

Complainers

shouldn't overturn voice-control leash law

A March 2001 "UPDATE

Peachtree City" article stated, "The City has received 'several

complaints' recently from path user who have encountered unleashed dogs,

'accompanied by the owner,' on the paths."

Dorsey

House razing upsets students at Fayette Middle School

I am writing to

inform you of my class's disappointment about what has happened to the

Dorsey House on Long Avenue.

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