"This newspaper is published under the First Amendment of the Constitution and protected by the citizens and the Second Amendent"

 By R. W. Moore, Publisher  

Last month this publication began publishing the salaries of the Stephen's County employees. Since then we have been threatened with a law suit, threatened that someone should beat the "s..t out of us," to having our dealers told if they were going to "sell the TRUTH NEWSPAPER they would not ever trade with them."  Others have told us "we  do not want to handle anything that would upset any one." 

 We have one question for these people who insist on spreading threats and rumors. Why aren’t they man or woman enough to come talk to us in person? We will disregard, as you should, these immature and childish antics. After all, we are only presenting facts about what these people are doing with YOUR money.

 One person even came to my home and asked to have his name removed. This person was told that could not be done. If we had agreed to remove his name we would have had to remove all names. After all, this is your tax money being spent and it is a matter of public record.

 The complaints seem to be because the employees are being paid too much for the work they do; or, they do not want the other employees to know; or they are not being paid enough for the years that they have worked for the county. But if there is this much discontent with the salaries being paid with your tax dollars, should you as a taxpayer know about it?

Some months ago after the county cut out the dental benefits of the employees and the county admitted to being $2.5 million in the hole, I suggested to Lamar Smith (County Administrator) that every one that makes over $30,000.00 a year be cut to that amount until the county gets out of the hole.  Mr. Smith said, "I am not going to work for that amount," Here are  some facts: Charles Whitworth worked for $36,000.00 a year; Cliff Wilkerson worked for $42,000.00.  How did we as tax payers get to paying the county administrator $59,300.00?  Plus a helper at almost $34,000.00.   Is this bad management? You be the judge!

 We must be doing something  right, if we were not,  no one would ever complain.  In the military when the officers in charge do not have complaints they are worried.

 Next month we will start publishing the salaries of the employees of the city of Toccoa and from time to time we will publish the cost of governments of the counties around Stephens. Under the open records act of Georgia, the citizens have the right to know what governments are costing the tax payers.  In other states you will have laws that will allow citizens to know the cost of governments. Go check it out in your city and county.

 These articles in THE TRUTH NEWSPAPER, Inc.,  are published under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and protected by the citizens and the Second  Amendment.