The Wheels On The Bus Go Round And Round

Whew! Is there anybody who is not glad to see this election season come to an end? Between our local and state elections, not to mention the Presidential election, I am exhausted. One more time seeing Wolfe Blitzer talk about voter fraud and I may go postal. There has been so much mud slung that our candidates look like they just got off of a dredging detail rather than an election. But, now that it is all said and done, what does it mean?

Will those who were elected follow up on their campaign promises or will it be business as usual; whatever that means? Time will tell. One good thing for us is that most politicians really jumped on the law and order bandwagon as to their platforms. Some were pro-development, some were for slow growth, some were for tax cuts, and some were for tax increases. But, almost across the board all of the candidates, winners and losers, talked about the importance of a strong law enforcement presence. Let's hope that this was not just stump fodder, but was something that the candidates and now elected officials will stand behind.

Let's look at the facts. Our area has some, if not the best, recreational facilities in the state. Our area is proud of the beautiful homes as well as the new business that are springing up all over the place. We do not really have a skyline, and do we really want one, but some of the structures that are going up are beautiful. However, if the environment that all of this beauty lies in is not a safe environment we are wasting our time. People and new businesses come to this area because of opportunity but they also come expecting to be safe. They expect a safe community to raise their families and a safe place to do business. Nothing should and cannot come before this foundational guarantee. If our area is not safe, our wonderful parks will only be used by those who commit crimes. Our model communities will deteriorate into areas not recognizable as to when they once prospered. Other areas in our country that have ignored this basic fact of human nature have failed miserably.

So, no matter who you voted for, this is an excellent opportunity for us to solidify our safety. Let's hold their feet to the fire concerning their promises. Money has to be delegated to police officers, equipment, firefighters and fire stations, and everything else from a public safety perspective before anything else. SPLOST is a wonderful thing and has taken our county to a new level. Let's just not get so excited about libraries, parks, and nature trail's that we ignore underpaid police officers, antiquated equipment, and a crime rate that is at the boiling point in certain parts of our county. If we take care of these needs, everything else will fall into place and we will all be a happy lot.

I have every reason to believe that the candidates who were elected will stick to their campaign promises. It is in all of our interest for a safe and prosperous community. But, we have been fooled before. Let's be sure that it does not happen again.

As the old song goes, "the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round." As long as the bus that we have known as prosperity and growth continues to function, all is well. But, let that law enforcement tire go flat and we will see how quickly the buss hits the guardrail.

For further information, visit www.voice4victims.com

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If you are interested in having Mr. Hall speak at your next club or group meeting, please email contact information to: [email protected]

Stan Hall is the Director of the Victim Witness Program for the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office. He is also the host of the Gwinnett County Communication Network's television show "Behind the Badge."