A growing number of local residents have simply had enough of fireworks, and are making their displeasure known to local officials. As of July 1, local governments are allowed to supersede state law with their own noise ordinances addressing fireworks.

Simply put, the City’s diligence in keeping property taxes low is more than offset by its heavy reliance on SPLOST and bond issues. While laudable, the City’s relative fiscal prudence with property taxes is a fig leaf of sorts, to cover what many see as an addiction to SPLOST funds.

The Fire Fee has become so radioactive that attempts to fix it only seem to make it even more unpalatable, and call more attention to why it was such a bad idea to begin with.

It would be disturbing enough for an average citizen to have this privileged attitude toward people much less fortunate. But for an elected official to claim, as Petrea does, that a proper use of his power is to force the evacuation of people who live on the commuter route to his district because they’re an “eyesore” is beyond the pale.

One would be forgiven for arguing that the system is intended to drive down voter participation as much as possible. But as usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

School Board President is where the rubber meets the road in the area everyone says is the most important area of all: the future of our children.

One recent headline is about the City of Savannah’s estimated $10 million surplus. Ordinarily, that announcement might be a great headline for a City leader to see in the morning over coffee. But in Savannah’s current political climate the surplus was seen by most people, fairly or unfairly, as further proof of the City’s financial mismanagement.