Justifications flimsy for tax commissioners’ fees
Reading the rehash of old news regarding the ability of Fulton and DeKalb tax commissioners to legally skim taxpayer money from their counties’ coffers (“Tax collectors fees questioned,” News, May 30) reminds me again of the tales from Sheriff of Nottingham days. The royal tax collector would show up, accept the king’s due, pocket some portion and then demand food and entertainment as his fee. What club would you join that allowed its treasurer to keep a double-digit portion of your dues? I also noted the inane justifications some have put forth — that they are handling “a boatload of money” and taking “a huge responsibility … and a liability that someone should be compensated for.” By that reasoning, the Secretary of the Treasury should feel free to dip into the U.S. tax revenue pool and stuff his pockets full. The Secretary of Defense is responsible for far greater sums than any county tax commissioner; why should he not be “compensated” for that “responsibility” far beyond his government salary?
KURT OHBERG, ATLANTA
Why are we friends with Saudi Arabia?
The president has had a relatively successful first overseas visit in the past week. The bottom line, is apparently, we are very tight with Saudi Arabia and Israel and are critical of Europe’s lack of financial investment in NATO. He also established that Iran and its supporter, Syria, are the real enemy of this country and, by implication, the leaders of global terrorism. I believe the 9/11 terrorists mainly came from Saudi Arabia, a Sunni nation, and informed sources state that terrorism is funded from Saudi Arabia and the gulf states, also Sunni. In addition, ISIS is a also a Sunni-based terrorist organization, largely created by a misguided U.S. policy in Iraq after the second Gulf war, now funded by Saudi Arabia and gulf state sources. So why are we so tight with Saudi Arabia?
IAN SHAW, CUMMING
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