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D

ear Editor,

In 2016 a political unknown stepped on the stage and asked one simple question. “What do you have to lose by giving me a chance?” That political unknown was Donald Trump. With that question, one of the greatest turn arounds in U.S. history began;

That same question is a great one to ask yourself in 2020 as we approach the upcoming school board elections.

Just as the choice was very clear in 2016, it is just as stark today. You can choose the same establishment that has brought you.

4A “C” at best rated school system.

4Smoke and mirrors financial reporting to include$1.8 million dollar deficits while at the same time violated state codes by exceeding the allowable amounts held in reserve.

4Not 1 but 2 gyms that cost $15,000,000 each and had 50 percent cost overruns.

4Discipline (or the lack there of) that is the number one cause for teacher turnover in the TCSS other than transfers.

4Tax levels that drive home buyers to look at surrounding Counties while at the same time driving seniors from their homes.

4Pending litigation due to improper bidding procedures that if proven could cost you and I, the taxpayers of Troup County, in the millions.

4Lowest teacher morale in years.

4Unbelievable lack of financial accountability. As an example – while running a 1.8 million deficit in the same meeting voting to spend $600,000 to repair a athletic field while the same school has leaks and health and safety issues.

4A reading program that was designed to target 2000 students at the mere cost of $8,000 per kid that was never fully implemented.

4Lack of accountability in personnel decisions that lead to employees that should be terminated being placed into positions that should be at much lower pay grades, but they are allowed to keep their full current salaries.

Need I say more…?

President Trump has turned thing around by being an outsider, a disrupter of the norm, looking at problems from a business standpoint and holding people and countries accountable for their actions.

He asked  “What do you have to lose by giving me a chance”? I now ask that same question. What do you have to lose by giving our four TRACER candidates a chance to turn the TCSS around?

Please consider voting for: 

Frank Barnes – District 2, Nick Simpson – District 3, Tommy Callaway – District 5 and Tripp Foster – District 6

What do you have to lose?

– Randy Atkins

LaGrange