Published: 24 January 2012
Dear Editor,
During these difficult economic times, we need our state representatives to improve the quality of life for Georgia residents. We expect them to create jobs, reduce our tax burden for businesses and residents, and eliminate the enormous waste in our government.
Instead, a couple of our state politicians are focused on their personal agendas to keep money in their own pockets.
Last year, Rep. Sean Jerguson asked the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners if they supported changing how they are elected.
Jerguson wants to change our system so that we are only able to vote for one post commissioner and the chairman. While this would be helpful to the commissioners at election time, it would not be beneficial to residents facing an issue in the county.
Jerguson’s legislative efforts align with the self-serving attitudes in Washington, D.C. As an owner of a gun store, he surely enriched his personal status with all of the gun legislation he has passed. While publicly denouncing the Obama stimulus package, he privately became one of the largest recipients of stimulus funds here in Cherokee County. I have to wonder what Jerguson stands to gain by stripping our voting strength.
Sen. Chip Rogers is now supporting Jerguson’s crusade. The question we all need to ask these politicians is: what is your motivation for taking our vote from us?
Currently, we elect our county commissioners by district, which means that every citizen can vote for both post commissioners within their district and for the commission chairman. This allows every person to vote for three of the five commissioners, making a majority of the commissioners accountable to every citizen in the county.
Fortunately for Cherokee County residents, we have three true statesmen on the Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners Jason Nelms, Harry Johnston and Jim Hubbard voted against this change. Shocking as this must seem, these officials actually voted for the best interests of their constituents against their own best interests, a concept that Rep. Jerguson needs to learn and adopt.
Linda Flory, Ball Ground
