SUPPORT LIBERTY'S LAW!

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Editor:

Is it just me, or have Roger Santi, Neil O'Brien and Rick Mohrig gone underground?

Now that residents are getting a clear picture of where their support is coming from (and my thanks to Access Milton for providing a forum that the developer-dependant local media seems to find difficult), I am surprised that I have not seen a word of self-defense in charges that they are supported heavily be developers and, sewer companies.

Anybody who gets a call from their supporters in the run up to the election should ask Mr. Santi why his Campaign Disclosure Report lists major high-density developers and a sewer company as contributors. Why would they give money to someone who professes to be anti-sewer?

For Mr. O'Brien, the question is: why does your Campaign Disclosure Report list a developer with ties to the advancement of sewers, a sewer management company and assorted other developers?

Just an aside: those of us in Six Hills have taken special note that one of Mr. O’Brien’s contributors is Ted Officer, who tried to threaten and legally strong arm our subdivision into creating a road between two of our neighbor’s properties so he could develop 15 additional homes that our community was dead-set against. He has been turned down on appeals four times by both Fulton County and Milton . Yet, he persists despite reportedly having liens against other properties. He chain sawed all the trees in the easement he owns, tore down the fence in front of it, and has allowed weeds to cover the area he has destroyed. When we suggested that we put the fence back up at our expense, he said we can do anything we want to, but he's just going to tear it down again. Why would Mr. O’Brien, who professes to be for smart growth, take a dime from such an individual?

For Mr. Mohrig, whose contributions are minimal, the question is: why are his signs always with Mr. Santi’s and Mr. O’Brien’s? Is it a free ride in return for the right vote?

Until these three candidates answer questions about their support openly and honestly, then the only conclusion is that their strategy is to spread misinformation and create diversion. Create enough confusion and it might be possible create the appearance that Council id disfunctional -- even though that Council has virtully created a working municipality with fire, police and courts in a little more than a year. That strategy appears to track nicely with events to date.

Such a strategy can only be based on the hope that residents of Milton won’t notice that the Three Amigos are on the political payroll of those who would tear up our roads for years and ruin the very quality of life that most of us moved here to enjoy – just so they can chop our city into the smallest – and most profitable – pieces possible.

Sincerely,


William Ruffin

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

My friend, you have described the THREE AMIGOS to a tee.

Let's hope this can be conveyed to all the voters..if not all, at least the majority.

Anonymous said...

Apparently you and Santi missed the same math classes AND City Council meetings. The foursome hasn't changed even though they're trying to hide their tracks now.

Anonymous said...

What's your cut of the behind-the-scenes private school deal?

Anonymous said...

Well said.

In a developer-vs community fight, there is only one way for developers to win -- and that is to get their own people in positions to make decisions.

They are never going to do that with a pro-density/pro-sewer platform. So they have manufacture smokescreens in hopes that the community is diverted from the real issues.

It is exacty what the Bush administration has been doing for eight years: when you don't have the facts to win the argument, change the argument. It is why why 40 percent of Americans still think Saddam attacked the World Trade Center.

If this community doesn't see through the transparent -- and cynical -- tactics of Santi, O'Brien and Mohrig (the Three Amigos, as you so aptly put it), then we deserve exactly what we get.

I hope and believe we're smarter than that.

Thanks for a great post.

Anonymous said...

Your point raises another one. I might be wrong on this, but I don't believe the AJC, Milton Herald or any other local media has done anything on where Santi's and O'Brien's support is coming from. Mohrig being the mystery -- a candidate with money for signs and teloemarketing, but no visible means of support.

Santi's wobbly defense in a recent Milton Herald article that he has more non-develpers at his fund raisers than developers avoids the question: why are develpers and sewer companies supporting him at all?

Why hasn't media forced an answer to that question?

Were it not for the blog-power of Access Milton and Zahner Bailey's paid ad detailing Santi-O'Brien and Mohrig's funding sources, we would never know.

Why haven't the AJC or Milton Herald ever done a single story on that?

In any political campaign, the whole point of polling and 90 percent of the coverage is about a candidate's support. Why not here?

When you look at the amount of developer/real estate advetising in these papers, that question might answer itself.

Anonymous said...

Your comments are all good....with just one day to go until we vote, please go and wave signs, make your voice heard, talk to your friends and neighbors. So many are unaware of what is at stake here. I promise if you take an active role to support Tart, Hewitt and Bailey IT WILL make a difference. The energy is going our way but each of you can make it a slam dunk!

See you at Cogburn and Windward 7:00am Nov. 6th! Wear gloves!!!!
signed,
Cold hands both worth it

Anonymous said...

Speaking of developers vs. the community, look who's supporting Santi and this isn't the whole list: Chatham Road LLC, Eastbrook Properties, NorthPointe Hospitality, Ebenezer Pond LLC, Liberty Grove LLC, LSI Birmingham LLC, LSI Broadwell LLC, Eric Chaffin Homes, LSI The Summit, Bill Fantozzi, Providence of Atlanta National, Mc Carr Homes, Innovative Water Solutions (a private sewer company)

Don't forget his voting record on ARC's ELUC; He voted FOR 12,000 homes in an area designated Wildlife Management Area despite the study findings of the regional impact team that the development was too intense for the area and NOT in the best interest of the region. It also was not compliant with the regional or local land-use plans. This was a massive development in Cherokee County which would've cost taxpayers $300M. This is what Milton can expect from Roger Santi.

Anonymous said...

"THE GORDON" is in cahoots with the "AMIGOS" and is very upset that his name has not been mentioned enough.

Reckon "THE GORDON" has been flying at high altitudes like RJ Gumshoe?

Anonymous said...

You all have no idea what you are talking about.
If you had any idea what it was like to be on city council, maybe you'd understand what really goes on "behind the scenes". I don't really understand how naive people, like you all seem to be, can speak so freely about things that you have no idea about. Though it is almost a year after the election, I hope you are proud of who you have put in office: someone who has never given a damn about the community until he was paid/asked to do so, a wife abuser, and a very conniving and evil woman who I have personally met with and is incredibly cold-hearted.

I dare you to see if anything gets done in the next couple years. I dare you.