Posted on November 22 at 9:28 a.m.

Well folks I've sat back and listened and read for two days on this whole debacle. This is one issue I cannot let fall by the wayside without at least letting my feelings be known. This morning I have faxed two letters - - one to Governor Mark Sanford and one to Attorney General Henry McMaster. My letters ask for their intervention to prevent the $1.14M from being paid and it also asks that the five council membrs who staged this cirucs on Tuesday be reprimanded and/or charged. It is probably a waste of time but it is not right for a man who has done nothing but cause discension in this county, who has cost the taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees, who has thumped his nose repeatedly at the council and the taxpayers, etc. etc. etc to walk away with $1.14Million of our taxpayer dollars. He should be fired plain and simple and walk away with nothing. If anyone else wants to write letters and fax them, Mark Sanford's fax # is 803-734-5167; Henry McMaster's fax # is 803-734-6679.

On Incoming Anderson County council members work to stop Preston buyout

Posted on November 20 at 1:16 p.m.

I assert the manner in which Mr. Preston has acted and his lack of performance in his job in the past few years is reason enough to fire him. I have reams of data I have gathered which basically reflects:
- Our bond rating is good but not as good as Greenville's and other counties in the state.
- Mr. Preston's lack of concern for spending has resulted in some of the largest increases in expenditures in the state.
The list goes on and on of what Mr. Preston has not done.
There is plenty of cause to fire Joey Preston with or without an audit.

On Anderson community members react to Preston buyout

Posted on November 20 at 12:07 p.m.

Does anyone know how to file a formal complaint with the SC Attorney General? The citizens of Anderson County need to plummet his office with calls. Mr. Preston should be fired and thus should receive nada, zip, zero. By Mr. Wilson taking the action he did at the meeting, he is thus absolving Mr. Preston of any responsibility for the misappropriation of county funds which may be found in the audit. This is a disgrace to every citizen in this county and we should not take it sitting down. Also, how many signatures does it take to have Ron Wilson removed from the council. A petition is in order.

On Anderson community members react to Preston buyout

Posted on October 16 at 10:44 a.m.

Oh no, McCain, "He's the Man"

 If you want a man who favors large business to the middle class, he’s your man
 If you want a man who supports business (and thus jobs) being sent overseas to the detriment of American workers, he’s the man
 If you want a man who is erratic in his behavior in the face of economic crisis, he’s your man
 If you want a man who graduated 894 out of 895 total graduates at the Naval Academy, he’s your man
 If you want a man who will tell you anything just to be elected, he’s your man
 If you want a man who thinks that middle class is someone who makes 5 million dollars, he’s your man
 If you want a man whose total net worth is in excess of $39million dollars and owns 7 houses and 13 cars and thus can relate to the "common man" he’s your man
 If you want a man whose been in Washington for 27 years and now tells you he’s going to really change Washington, he’s your man
 If you want a man whose total campaign is being managed and run by lobbyists, he’s your man
 If you want a man who will continue to support $10+ billion dollars per month to fight a useless war in Iraq and the loss of more lives of our precious soldiers, he’s your man
 If you want a man who has supported George Bush’s actions 90% of the time but now says he’s no George Bush, he’s your man

Yep, go vote for John McCain and let’s see how fast recession changes to depression.

On Upstate political leaders weigh in on final presidential debate

Posted on October 8 at 1:38 p.m.

Amen Papa Jim. You've said it well. It is time for a change and I like you have been a Republican. My daddy, a Democrat all his life, always told me the Republicans were the party of big business. God bless his soul, it took me 61 years to realize he was right. Under the eight years of Republican domination, we are now 11+ trillion dollars in debt and we are bailing out the wealthy to the detriment of the middle class.

On Anderson-area observers comment on presidential debate

Posted on June 29 at 6:39 a.m.

When I see a County Council that is fiscally responsible and who holds the County Administrator's feet to the fire to reduce spending, then I will consider the 1% sales tax increase. With the current Administration it is just giving more money to be pilfered away. This referendum this year is another waste of taxpayer dollars. Replace this referendum with one which will allow voters to decide if they want to change our form of government where we the taxpayers select the Administrator - i.e. Supervisor.

On Capital sales tax would bring economic development to Anderson County, supporters say

Posted on June 8 at 8:05 a.m.

I agree with Red Rider. Vote them all out. Unfortunately, Bob Waldrep is the one who is losing here. He tried to do the right thing by asking pertinent questions - the thing all of our council members should be doing. The five council members who vote as a block against everthing Cindy or Bob try to do are voting on personalities rather than issues. They have shown they do not care about their constituents and do not care about Anderson County. The council as a whole is a joke and until they are all voted out you can kiss Economic Development goodbye. No company in their right mind would locate here with this joke of a council. I'm votig against my representative in District 5 and I hope others follow suit. Let's put rudeness and pettiness out the door and get representaives who act professional and in the best interest of Anderson County.

On Anderson County Council member Cindy Wilson faces state ethics allegation

Posted on May 25 at 11:50 a.m.

If Mr. Preston has done such a fabulous job, then:
• Why has the budget for the years 2000-2009, increased by $125% - From $66.2 M in 2000 to $149 M in 2009? One of the excuses is more funding is needed to handle the population growth. Our population in Anderson County has only increased for the years 2000-2007 by 8.6%. If you take the annual growth rate of 1.2% and apply that for years 2008 and 2009, our population would increase by 10.2% for 2000-2009. There is a lot of difference in 10.2% and 125%.
• Why is there a rubber stamp approval year after year to increase the number of county employees? Since 2005 the number of county employees has increased by 37% - from 694 in 2005 to a projection of 949 in 2009.
• Why with all of the focus on supposed “economic development”, has the number of jobs in Anderson County decreased by 1200 jobs for the years 2000-2007? According to the bureau of labor statistics at the end of 2007 there were 1200 less jobs available than in 2000. With the labor pool increasing and less jobs, our unemployment has risen from 3% in 2000 to 6.0% at the end of 2007.

With a basic rubber stamp approval by the majority of this council for the $149M budget, with the majority of council saying what a fabulous job Mr. Preston is doing, with this council’s support for Mr. Preston to incur thousands of dollars annually in legal fees to prevent the public being fully informed, with support for Mr. Preston and his staff to spend our tax dollars any way they see fit at the most expensive restaurants, with support for boondoggles that aren’t producing results, with the majority of the council sitting back and taking everything Mr. Preston says as gospel, with this council deciding to hold special meetings to decrease public sentiment and discord, I know how I am voting. I don’t care who is running they have to be better than what we have. Anderson County is never going to be able to recruit the kinds of companies we need to provide jobs for the workers with this abomination of a council and administrator. There needs to be a complete turnover in the council and the Administrator needs to be sent packing.

Am I a CAVE person? No, I am a CAGGA person - - Citizens Against Government Gone Awry.
These are my thoughts and not the thoughts of any radio personality or another person. This is based on my own research and no one else’s. I am for growth and bringing in higher paying jobs to Anderson. I am for an honest and open government. I am for improvement in our infrastructure. I am for fiscal responsibility. I just hope the voters of Anderson County will do their own research and see that facts and facts alone indicate this council and the Administrator are failing miserably on the behalf of their constituents.

On Preston puts on masterful budgetary performance in Anderson County

Posted on May 7 at 6:36 a.m.

I too will vote no for the sales tax unless we see a complete turnover of the County Council. Yes we need better infrastructure but not one person on the Council has shown me that giving them more money will fix the problems. Why would we give more money to a council and administrator who have demonstrated they don’t have a clue about financial management? Why would we give more money to the council when they have clearly demonstrated they cannot and will not appropriately manage this Administrator and thus the finances of the county? I want more business in Anderson to provide higher paying jobs to the workers. I want a Council and Administrator that act professionally and in the best interest of taxpayers. I want a Council who is not afraid to ask questions and does not take everything at face value. This administration knows only about spending and arguing. Neither of which is in the best interest of their constituents. The current Council and Administrator are a disgrace and an embarassment and giving them more money won't change the situation.

On Capital projects sales tax passes second reading

Posted on May 2 at 3:37 p.m.

To Pallbearer: These facts came from U. S. Government websites. They are what they are. So much of what has been said has been subjective. You can’t argue with facts. JRP does everything in the vein of economic development. What these facts substantiate is that all of his entertaining has been for nil. While other counties in South Carolina are adding jobs despite the economy we are losing jobs in Anderson County. Are you the person that put together the 500+ pages of budget reports on the website? If so, be glad my friend you are not working for me.

When you consider the vitriol he has caused on the council, his arrogant disregard for the taxpayers of Anderson County, his unwillingness to look at spending, his total inability to manage the affairs of this county including putting in proper good business practices used in any successful business, it is time for a change.

On Anderson County Council members respond to public records requests