One of the main reasons we have gone quickly from a surplus into a deficit of taxable revenue in Newton County is because over the years we have failed to attract enough viable industry to counter the fallback in the current housing and retail markets.

We would like to see County Chair Kathy Morgan organize a blue-ribbon type committee with teeth, composed of community leaders, chamber representatives, school officials and local elected officials and then turn them loose on the job of recruiting clean, lucrative business to our county.

We have it all here - water, land, colleges and a people who are willing to work to continue to make our county a great place to live, work and play.