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Letters to the Editor

Woman's right to know worth wait

Perhaps the most contentious and polarizing issue on the political landscape is that of abortion. The deeply-held beliefs on both sides of the issue regarding the legal, social and religious implications of this procedure divide the electorate like no other.

I am unflinching in my belief that all human life, whether born or unborn, is sacred and should be afforded every legal protection possible.

However, I understand that as deeply as I hold this belief, there are many on the other side of the issue's philosophical divide that believe equally fervently that a woman's right to an abortion is a constitutional right to be protected.

I will never stop attempting to change hearts and minds on the issue, but understanding this political reality is critical to finding points of policy agreement in this area of the law.

One point that we should all agree upon, regardless of political viewpoint, is that the decision to have an abortion, like any potentially dangerous medical procedure, should be fully informed.

It is difficult to imagine a woman going in for a dangerous elective surgical procedure and the doctor not informing her of all the potential medical complications attendant to such a surgery, as well as potential non-surgical alternatives.

However, that is exactly what happens in Georgia when a woman goes in for an abortion.

This procedure hospitalizes over 10,000 women nationally each year because of a variety of surgical complications such as infection and hemorrhaging. Women who have had abortions have also been found to be at higher risk in subsequent pregnancies and in danger of debilitating psychological consequences.

In addition, studies now have come out establishing a higher rate of breast cancer among women who have had an abortion. One major study has found that more than 90 percent of women surveyed felt that they did not have enough information to make an informed abortion decision.

In an effort to remedy this situation, the Senate passed A Woman's Right to Know Act (HB 197). The measure has already passed out of the House.

The bill simply requires that at least 24 hours before an abortion, a physician must inform the woman of the medical risks and alternatives to abortion as well as the probable gestational age of the unborn child.

The doctor would also be required to provide information on fetal development, fetal pain and alternatives to abortion, such as: adoption services and maternity care.

Some radical abortion rights advocates have cast this proposal as something that is condescending and distrusting of a woman's ability to choose to have an abortion. I believe this legislation does just the opposite.

The women of this state deserve every relevant piece of information possible before making such a life-changing decision, and this bill mandates that they receive it.

Women should not be denied accurate information regarding this procedure and should make a fully informed choice.

Abortion doctors who earn their living from women deciding to undergo this procedure certainly should not be the gatekeeper in deciding what information is relevant and what is not.

The Woman's Right to Know Act will ensure that Georgia's women will know the medical risks of an abortion before choosing to undergo this life-changing procedure.

In other legislative actions, SR 161, approved on Thursday, creates a 25-member Juvenile Law Commission to study Georgia's juvenile justice and child welfare system. This resolution comes in response to the murder of 9-year-old Amy Yates last year.

Under the current system, anyone under the age of 13 cannot serve more than four years for the offense. This study committee will look at developing a more comprehensive and just juvenile justice sentencing law.

The Senate also approved the Georgia Slam Spam E-mail Act (SB 62) on Thursday. SB 62 defines "spam" and provides for penalties depending upon the extent of the transgression. After a certain volume or revenue level, or if a minor is involved, the penalty increases from a misdemeanor to a felony.

On Thursday the House Ways and Means Committee passed HB 539, the film industry tax incentive. HB 539 will bring the film industry back into Georgia, a great step for economic development. The House is expected to vote on the bill next Friday.

The Senate passed SB 25, a bill that would increase the waiting period for no-fault divorces. The time is extended from the current 30-day period to four months for couples without children and six months for parents of children under the age of 18. Parents are required to attend a workshop that will outline the difficulties faced by children of divorce.

My SB 284, which creates a trust fund to provide post-employment healthcare benefits for retirees, passed the Insurance and Labor Committee on Friday.

Also, SR 298 passed the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee unanimously. This bill creates the Joint House and Senate Emerging Communications Technologies Study Committee. The committee will study whether to prevent regulation of the emerging wireless, Broadband, and voice-over Internet protocol technologies.

On the horizon:

[This] week we will be in session Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday and Friday will have full calendars with many bills being considered since we are quickly approaching "cross-over" day. Saturday will be Repeal Day at the Capitol.

We are meeting on that day to work at actually taking laws OFF the books. Since it is Saturday, we are inviting the public to come watch their legislature at work eliminating outdated and unnecessary laws.

As always, contact me at 404-656-6446 if you have any questions or concerns.

Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Dist. 28)

Sharpsburg, Ga.

If mayor, PTC Council have any real facts on EMS, let's discuss them

I have been writing a series of letters on the issue of a possible separate EMS Tax District for Peachtree City. I have been very critical of the approach to this issue that has been taken by the mayor and council of Peachtree City. I have criticized their failure to look at possibilities that could provide excellent service to their citizens at a lower cost to their taxpayers.

To illustrate their approach to issues like this, I have outlined some other areas where they have failed to perform in the best interests of their citizens and where they have also wasted large amounts of taxpayers' money.

What has been the response, so far? "Pfeifer is a dictator, the SPLOST was illegal and the separate EMS District was listed first in a list of four options while consolidation was listed last."

Let's talk about reality and the truth.

First, I have been involved in organizations in Peachtree City and in Fayette County for about 15 years. Peachtree City Optimist Club, Fayette County Adopt-A-Mile, Fayette County Republican Party, Leadership Fayette; my daughter's activities including YMCA Indian Princesses, Peachtree City Triathlon, Little League, many softball teams, many basketball teams and her school sports. Also, Peachtree City United Methodist Church, Beautiful Fayette, many political campaigns and almost four years as a county commissioner.

I have now been a first-hand witness to the behavior of many in public service in many arenas. And, there are many people who have witnessed my behavior in those same activities.

Let's ask them if they've ever seen me act like a dictator in any activity or arena that I have been involved with. They will tell you that I do not behave that way. If you know me yourself, you already know that.

Anyone who chooses to accuse me of other behavior is going to be known as untruthful by those who do know me.

So, because they illustrate my points, I can welcome these ridiculous accusations. Call me names, Mr. Mayor. It says a lot more about your character than it does about mine.

Those who know me also know that I do not play favorites and I think for myself. They also know that I can get angry and probably have offended friends. I know I have offended foes. I try to be diplomatic but I am not always successful. I ask for your forgiveness for that as I pray for the strength to do better.

Is the SPLOST illegal? Well, the resolution to put it on the ballot was passed by the commission in a legal and correct manner. We gave the voters of our county the opportunity to have their say and they said they were willing to place a limited tax on themselves to finance roads and road improvements. That election was accepted by the state of Georgia. The SPLOST is not illegal.

Then, the comments about the Peachtree City emergency services report having a list of four options to address the EMS problems in Peachtree city and that the separate EMS district was listed first.

What responsible person gets a list, reads the first item and stops? That is what lists are, a series of options. Each of them needs to be examined and only then can a decision be made that has the best chance of being the correct decision.

When I first got involved in political affairs, I learned that politicians and government leaders are really not much different from the people you see every day in other walks of life.

That means that some are honest and will talk to you using real facts and discussions. Some say, "yes, but," or, "it's his/her fault," "I didn't do it," or they answer your question by changing the subject. If you have kids, you know for sure what I'm saying.

One of the differences I have noted in many Fayette County people/parents is that they don't buy those answers. They demand that their kids be honest and straightforward and they usually demand the same from their friends, associates and leadership. It's one of the reasons I really enjoy living here.

If the mayor and council had any real facts to discuss, we could discuss them. If they are simply throwing up smokescreens to distract folks from the fact that they are performing miserably as our leadership, I hope we don't let them.

Peter Pfeifer

Fayette County Commission Post 3

Peachtree City, Ga.

Small-business employees need cancer coverage

I am a breast cancer survivor who is alive today and able to write this letter because my insurance provided me cancer-screening coverage that saved my life.

However, if the legislation proposed by John Lunsford and mentioned in Sunday's editorial ("Mandates increase ranks of uninsured") passes in the Georgia legislature, fewer people will have access to these life-saving cancer screenings.

House Bill 83, which has recently passed out of the House Insurance Committee, will require small businesses to offer an insurance policy that don't include cancer screenings like mammograms, pap smears, colorectal cancer screenings and prostate cancer screenings.

These screenings not only save lives, but they are cost effective. Insurance coverage that encourages people to be screened and have cancers detected and treated early actually save money.

Small businesses are the backbone of our state, and I believe employees of small businesses deserve to have life-saving cancer screenings in all insurance policies offered to them.

I believe our lawmakers care about Georgia families, and I know they have a difficult job. I ask our legislators to work together to make sure that all Georgians have access to insurance that includes cancer screenings.

I urge other state residents to contact their legislators and ask them to reject any effort to reduce or limit insurance coverage and access to cancer-related screenings and care for all Georgians.

I am living proof of how important these screenings are.

Cathy Gailey

Fayetteville, Ga.

West Village annexation would address problems, help out PTC residents

Recently there has been a lot of discussion regarding whether or not people should live or shop in the West Village of Peachtree City. These discussions often reference how Peachtree City has evolved and what principles it stands for.

In regards to the first set of issues, the fact is that people, like myself, do live in the West Village and people from all parts of Peachtree City shop at Home Depot and Wal-Mart. Further the Ga. Highway 54-MacDuff Parkway intersection is the unofficial gateway between Peachtree City and rapidly growing Coweta County.

PTC was developed as a master-planned community centered around good land use, structured common standards, and a deep regard for the environment. PTC has evolved and still remains an example of good central community planning.

However, while PTC has evolved, circumstances around us continue to change also. Our council seems to believe that these principles do not apply to the West Village. They allow the traffic issues to go unabated regardless of its impact on the residents. They seem willing to allow county-approved septic tanks regardless of its potential impact on Line Creek.

They further seem to approve of the county's "wild West" building code on a piece of land that is surrounded by PTC on all sides.

Certain members of our council refuse to accept the facts of the current situation and make a good-faith effort to serve the residents of the West Village in the same manner they serve the other four villages of PTC.

Their approach to the changes that have happened is to look to the past and wish these problems away with default answers and attendance counts. That is unacceptable.

Step one of the annexation process allows for the developer to meet with the planning staff to develop proposals for consideration by the council.

The council then can decide if any of these proposals offer benefits to the city and its residents.

Our council has refused to vote for the development of any ideas that may address real problems of its residents in the West Village.

I am not sure about the extension of MacDuff Parkway; in fact, a previous letter from me questioned the wisdom of the "Big Box Bypass."

However, I am for a good-faith effort from our council to address the facts that exist and find viable solutions for the people they represent. Thinking about solutions benefits the city, debating the past does not.

I request the City Council take leadership on this issue and vote for step one of the annexation process.

One last thought. The Tourism Authority, chaired by Councilman Weed, has decided to put the "PTC welcome center" at the Tennis Center. I am sure the tourists will be impressed as they sit in the traffic.

Neil Sullivan

Peachtree City, Ga.

At-grade rail crossing a bad idea

I'd like to voice my opposition to the proposed MacDuff Parkway extension at South Kedron Drive.

I think an at-grade railroad crossing at that intersection is going to be a disaster.

When MacDuff Parkway becomes a cut-through for people looking to bypass the intersection [at Ga. highways 54 and 74] from the west, there will be a lot of stress and a ton of extra traffic through that intersection.

I don't see how an at-grade crossing benefits anyone. Some of those freight trains are miles long and move very very slowly. I'm sure drivers are going to back up and cycle at that light, get frustrated and make the whole intersection a loud, busy and dangerous mess.

It is also a possibility that these drivers will start to use the Kedron loop as an alternate way onto Hwy. 74 North. Kedron is a nice wide road and cars could move very quickly around the loop.

It just doesn't seem right to move forward with this plan when so many of us living near the crossing are going to be negatively impacted.

Dawn Driggs

Peachtree City, Ga.

Public safety issue is reason for annexing

RE: Why is the PTC council even considering the John Wieland annexation?

Honestly, Mr. Webster, do you think by implying that all the homeowners who live off MacDuff Parkway are stupid will solve this headache?

When looking into purchasing a home in the West Village, my first question centered around MacDuff Parkway and plans to connect it with Ga. Highway 74. Did it occur to you that a promise by developers that a road plan was in the works may have swayed buyers?

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you don't live off of MacDuff, but still not a great leap of faith because you are obviously too smart to make that choice. Let's suspend disbelief for a moment and imagine you lived off of MacDuff Pkwy.

Would you argue there is a traffic problem? Would you argue there is an access to public safety issue? Just because people didn't complain before doesn't mean there wasn't a problem. It has taken growth to bring the issue to light. The West Village residents aren't second-class citizens who deserve second-class service.

I can see the rebuttal now. Even the county thinks it's a bad idea. I also read the recent article The Citizen ran regarding the county's problem with extending the road because it isn't in their plan.

Well, attention, all opponents. Plans change. Running a county is like running a household. Sometimes there are unexpected expenses, things you didn't plan for. Let's not forget, we have the option not to write the check for the road. Why this road wasn't planned for is an entirely different discussion.