Politics

Fayette residents stump for their candidates at SATP forum

Local residents advocating for the presidential candidates they support included (from left) Monk Robinson, Dawn Skinner, Linda Sandwich, Benjamin Harbin, event moderator Bonnie Willis, Chip Flanegan, John Potts, Samuel Wofford, Taylor Griffin and Miles Ramos. Photo/Ben Nelms.

It was a time for local supporters of the range of presidential candidates to have their say on why they preferred one candidate over the other. That was the scene in a unique type of forum held Feb. 18 at the Fayette Family Church. A total of 11 local residents sounded off on their presidential preferences at the event sponsored by the South Atlanta Tea Party (SATP). Noteworthy at the event were the several younger speakers including Bennett’s Mill Middle School sixth-grader Miles Ramos. Read More»

Fayette Elections Board member defends support for Newt

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, flanked by his family, spoke at a campaign rally Friday at Falcon Field in Peachtree City. A crowd of about 300 supporters welcomed Gingrich to Fayette County, which he represented when he was a congressman from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. A side drama: Fayette County Board of Elections official Marilyn Watts draws fire for her support of Gingrich. Photo/John Munford.

Fayette County Elections Board Member Marilyn Watts says her support of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is perfectly legal, despite assertions to the contrary by Fayette County Commissioner Steve Brown.

Brown is upset that Watts has participated in the Newt Gingrich presidential campaign, but she points out that Georgia law allows her to do so on her personal time.

“You just don’t bring it to the office or the polling place,” Watts said Tuesday. Read More»

Rep. Ramsey: Cut state red tape hampering small businesses

State Rep. Matt Ramsey, R-Peachtree City, is seeking input from small businesses in Fayette County for a special initiative currently underway by the Georgia House of Representatives to review and evaluate Georgia’s current regulatory environment.

The Red Tape Watch program will be carried out by the Special Committee on Small Business Development and Job Creation throughout the 2012 legislative session.
Read More»

Rep. Westmoreland rips Obama’s budget proposal as ‘dangerous’

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland in a file photo from an appearance at the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce in August 2011.

The release last week of a $3.8 trillion budget proposal from President Barack Obama for the 2013 fiscal year that begins in October is one with which Dist. 3 Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said he cannot abide.

From his perspective, Westmoreland said the proposal is dangerous and a fiscal reflection of less-than-adequate leadership during the past three years. Read More»

Citizen challenges mayor's treatment of Imker

Peachtree City resident Steve Thaxton had hoped to provoke a response from Mayor Don Haddix at Thursday night’s council meeting.

Thaxton approached the microphone during the public comment portion of the meeting, challenging Haddix to halt his attacks on Councilman Eric Imker.

Thaxton said that Haddix had recently used his state of the city address and letters to the editor to criticize Imker.

“I’m not going to comment on public comment,” Haddix said.

“So there’s no response?” Thaxton replied.

“I’m not allowed to comment on public comment,” Haddix answered. Read More»

Tea Party favors tax? In Senoia, they do

Senoia Tea Party Patriots support Coweta SPLOST

One of the issues Coweta County voters will decide on at the March 6 Presidential Preference Primary is whether to continue the local 1-cent sales tax (SPLOST). Coming out in support of the initiative is the Senoia Tea Party Patriots (STPP). STPP coordinator Joe Cannin in recent statements provided the organization’s position on supporting the continuation. Read More»

Crane supports vote on charter schools

State Sen. Mike Crane on Feb. 9 spoke at the Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia to affirm his support for the charter school movement. Photo/Ben Nelms.

It’s all about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at restoring the state’s right to approve charter schools.

And that was the message brought by District 28 Sen. Mike Crane on Feb. 9 to a group of parents and employees at the Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia.

Crane was clearly in support of House Resolution 1162 that would restore the state’s ability to approve charter schools. The Georgia Senate followed suit earlier this week with Senate Resolution 853 that would accomplish the goal specified in HR 1162. Read More»

PTC’s Rep. Ramsey joins in opposing T-SPLOST

Rep. Matt Ramsey of Peachtree City.

Opponents of the proposed $6 billion 10-year regional transportation sales tax in metro Atlanta now have at least a glimmer of hope to stop the measure before it makes it to the ballot box July 31.

A bill unveiled at the Georgia legislature last week would halt the sales tax vote, replacing it with a constitutional amendment to see if state voters are even willing to allow such regional sales tax initiatives. Read More»

Haddix decries August censure in Rotary address

The mayor’s annual State of the City address is a political tradition in Peachtree City, routinely chocked with the city’s various accomplishments over the previous years and a look at the upcoming year. Read More»

Ramsey-backed bill would halt regional T-SPLOST

It could be the beginning of the end for a 1 percent regional transportation sales tax proposed for Coweta County and the other nine counties in the Three Rivers Region.

A bill was introduced this past week to sack the sales tax entirely, replacing it with a system in which counties would be able to enter transportation sales tax agreements with neighboring counties for regional transportation projects. Read More»

Recent Comments