Pride of ownership: I fully

understand and represent a person who thinks highly of my home town and

home county, but never let it interfere in my more important obligation

as a state representative, looking after taxpayer money while seeing to

it that service to the people does not suffer.

I personally qualify for one

who is proud of Fayette County. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather

were born and raised in Fayette. In fact my great-grandfather originated

the famous Yates Apple on his farm in the area near the Primitive Baptist

Church on Ga. Highway 92 where he is buried.

If Fayette is split off from

the Griffin Judicial Circuit as a separate district, state taxpayers would

have to pay additional taxes of hundred of thousands of dollars, and the

taxes of each of the counties of Fayette, Pike, Spalding and Upson would

be increased greatly.

Now, if this proposed action

would increase services greatly to the citizens, I would be strongly in

favor.

On services to the people,

let's take a look at the present situation. Our four-county area

has been allotted four judge positions who are spread over the circuit

geographically in a manner which serves the population well.

Also the recent addition of

full-time state court judges in Fayette and Spalding has eliminated much

of the backlog.

We in the legislature working

with Judicial Council of Georgia, county commissioners and others, keep

close tab on the workload of judges and district attorneys and adding

districts. I would be pleased to discuss this with you at 770-412-7166.

John Yates

State Representative

Post 1, District 85

Griffin, Ga.