After attending one of the meetings regarding the tax increase with the county board of commissioners, and reading articles on the subject, I had to wonder what it means to be an elected official.

I believed it meant the elected persons were there because we as taxpayers trusted them to speak for us. The county board of commissioners are not holding up their end of the bargain.

Then came the issue of Tom Patton and again, the commissioners made their decision according to a close-knit society of their own, not representing and reporting to those of us taxpayers and voters. They are not speaking for me when they hire a lawyer at $200 an hour to give them a report and not report to us, in the same.

They owe taxpayers reports and explanations. If they are of the opinion that this is not necessary, maybe we have made a mistake.

There is one option that we have and that is write in at voting time. No popularity contest. Now, that is not a bad idea.

As far as personality is concerned, I like the board but as far as respecting those that voted them to the board, I have a problem.

Linda Musgrove

Bainbridge, Ga.