Dear Editor, In a recent Eatonton Messenger editorial (Nov. 14, A4), Ian Tocher did a wonderful compromise overview of the 2024 election by highlighting many of the promises made by President-elect Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign. Let’s hope he fulfills these promises better than he did with building the wall and having Mexico pay for it.
First, I eagerly anticipate Trump delivering on his pledge to end the Ukraine war before January 20 and shortly thereafter resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Just the possibility of a Trump victory has already influenced gas prices, bringing them below three dollars per gallon. Inflation is now at the same level it was at the end of Trump’s first term, and interest rates have dropped by half a percentage point, with another reduction predicted before his inauguration.
One of the most significant promises for American citizens is a 50% reduction in insurance rates – a personal favorite of mine. I’m tired of paying exorbitant premiums for lousy service and cheap repairs.
I’m sure many Americans are also eagerly awaiting Trump’s proposed timeline for reducing grocery prices, lowering home sale prices, and decreasing rental rates. I’ve even put up a chalkboard in my office listing all these promises, so I can check them off as they (hopefully) materialize – even before his inauguration.
On the local level, the 2024 election brought notable changes. Richard Garrett was elected as District 2 commissioner, succeeding (Daniel) Brown. Garrett has pledged to enhance transparency and increase citizen participation in county affairs – a refreshing change from Brown’s approach.
The election of a new District 1 Commissioner (Tom McElhenney) also offers hope for improved governance, emphasizing open decision-making rather than rubberstamping agendas driven by Chair (Bill) Sharp, County Manager (Paul) Van Haute, and County Attorney (Adam) Nelson. These developments highlight the importance of accountability and community engagement in our local government.
As expected, the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 10 proposal did not pass. Many attribute this failure to the lack of meaningful community engagement, driven by the same leaders – Sharp, Van Haute, and Nelson – who repeatedly restricted opportunities for Commissioner Hersey and citizens to ask questions and provide input. Hopefully, Sharp, Van Haute, Nelson, and Wooten will take this as a wake-up call and start encouraging citizen participation instead of dismissing and demeaning the public’s right to open governance. A new day is dawning – let’s not remain in the darkness.
Don Sadler Putnam County