It was sickening recently when I traveled through Alabama to middle western Florida for a few days vacation. I left a home where the lawn and shrubs were dying from lack of water. The red banks of Lake Lanier were showing as sticky mud. No boats were going up and down the lake.

But such is not the case in our two neighboring states. As I crossed over into Alabama, there was the river, full and flowing beautifully. A little later, I crossed a couple more lakes that were full; no muddy banks were in sight.

Even worse, I started to notice sprinkler systems going alongside of the state highways and interstates. Then I began to notice nice green lawns with sprinklers going, also.

All the lakes I saw in Florida and Alabama were full, and even during the week I was in Florida, sprinkler systems were showering the beautiful, nice-looking lawns.

Something is terribly wrong here. Where are our leaders? Why is something not being done?

I'm all for support where it is needed. These two states obviously have plenty of water. Why do they need ours while our lakes and homes are suffering? The other states are surrounded by water.

Bobby Slaton
Oakwood

State must clean up DOT's budget mess
We have a DOT that's $4 billion in debt. In our area, we have long-time legislators whom we elected to have oversight over the state's business. Now we are being asked to think about a tax increase to bail it out.

This problem didn't just happen. It's been going on a long time. Where were these elected officials? Why wasn't this department held accountable?

We're being asked to put pressure on our representatives to get them to vote for Mike Evans. Well, Mr. Evans is currently on the highway board. My thinking is that makes him part of the problem.

We're also being asked to think about Stacey Reece. He has been our state representative and let us down; we don't need him again. Our representatives need to come up with someone who has a lot more stay and less show.

To come up with a fix, hire about three good Georgia Bulldog accountants and let them find the waste in this department. We know how great they are.

We should not consider another tax increase, period. It would only be wasted.

Bobby Hulsey
Gainesville