In Sunday’s paper reporter Gabe Khouli wrote an investigative piece on the spending habits of some of the elected officials in neighboring Social Circle. In the story, which can be read at covnews.com, Khouli addressed the expenditures that councilmen made over and above their budgeted allotment for travel and meetings.

First of all, even after confronted, some of the council members still think that spending tax money to treat their families for vacations on the city’s dime  — ordering  in-hotel movies and dining  at the finest eating establishments — while on city business  was not wrong, rather their due because they were not paid very much to perform their duties.

 If these councilmen worked for a private business and did this, especially in these tight economic times, they more than likely would have been fired.

All the guilty parties have apparently agreed not to do this — to financially abuse the tax payers of Social Circle — again. Sadly we don’t think they are doing this out of any remorse but only because reports of this abuse reached the public.

Our respect and appreciation go out to newly elected mayor Hal Daily, whose integrity in challenging these expenses brought this issue to light. Our suggestion to the elected officials of Social Circle, who stiffed the good people who put them in office with their added entertainment bills, is that if you really are sorry for this abuse of your trusted privileges, you pay back to the city what you overspent. That would be the right thing to do if you are truly remorseful for violating the trust of the citizens who elected you.