It is a story about a young man who married a widow who had a daughter, which his own father then married. The song goes on in a tangle of relationships and finally Ray decides that he is his own grandpa.

Now that is exactly what I feel like as a property tax payer. Here I am paying money to Dawson County. One part of the county is suing the other part. The sheriff, who I fund, is suing the board of commissioners, who I fund, because the sheriff claims he does not have enough funds.  Oh yes, and the judge and the superior court system have to be paid and I am funding those too.

All I know for certain is that citizens of this county are paying for all this. Not only that, we are paying more per citizen for law enforcement than any county which touches our borders. We are all already paying for the high price spread which I don’t mind so much but even more seems like a step too far.

All this reminds me of a story about the southern general, Braxton Bragg. When he was a young officer he occupied two positions. He was a company commander who needed some sort of supplies from the fort quartermaster. And he was also the fort quarter master who controlled the supplies. So he wrote a letter to himself asking for supplies and then wrote himself a letter back denying those supplies. That is about what we are doing to ourselves.

I laughed out loud the first time I read the story of Braxton Bragg in a history book. Ray Stevens makes me laugh out loud with his claim that he is his own grandpa. 

I am not much laughing about the lawsuit. 

Gary Pichon

Marble Hill