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Your Views: School expenses are more vital than sidewalks or sewer
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In a hurting economy, apparently Hall County feels that we just can't live without sidewalks at Spout Springs/Thompson Mill, a condo's enhanced sewer system and new municipal buildings, among other items.

Yet, Hall County schools are laying off 100-plus teachers, school nurses and possibly school resource officers. Which would you rather have: a strong education with smaller class sizes? The peace in knowing officers are on hand to protect your child from school violence? Assurance that health professionals are present to tend to playground falls, asthma attacks, life-threatening allergies, insulin shots, drug overdoses and emergency first aide? Or would you rather have sidewalks connecting a couple of subdivisions to shopping?

Everyone has to cut back in this difficult economy. The government needs to prioritize its spending. Somehow I believe most of the proposed SPLOST expenditures could wait until merrier times.

Lacey Cochran
Flowery Branch

Congress is hypocritical to blast others' misuse of money
It is truly a sad affair when our members of Congress are the ones grilling AIG concerning the recent bonus situation.

These are the same members of Congress who have mismanaged our country almost into bankruptcy while giving themselves pay raises and lucrative retirement plans; have been unable to secure our borders; raided our Social Security funds; and passed spending and stimulus bills which are mainly involved with income redistribution, rewarding their political allies and creating even more wasteful government programs.

The list of their incompetent misdeeds could go on forever. We need to wake up as a people and realize that the government creates more problems than it solves.

Jim Cherrybone
Gainesville