Have you ever wondered what kinds of people are running your neighborhood Home Owner’s Association? Is it me, or do they take way to much pleasure in “enforcing the rules and regulations” of the neighborhood as if it was a matter of life and death, yet the tennis courts and playgrounds look like a bomb went off inside them?

Why is it so important that everyone have the same mailbox, but kids are allowed in the swimming pool with what is obviously a full diaper? Time and time again I hear stories of people not being able to do this, not being able to do that, because they have to pay a fine for not having their trash can inside their garage. Really? Where does that money even go? Maybe it goes to paper used to write ridiculous letters for stupid so called “violations.” The victim finally strikes back! Now all of those geeks that got beat up in high school have found a way to get even with the captain of the football team and the prom queen. That’s right! It’s on! Those nerds that were not smart enough to work in the “Geek Squad” at Best Buy can now take pride in the fact that they are saving their neighborhood one blade of crab grass at a time! Is it me? This sounds a lot like our federal government.

Have Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi EVER had to run a business? Yet they are telling us how they are going to help with taxes, ways to increase productivity, and how to grow and prosper. These high school dorks, are now somehow in charge of the way we run our day to day life. So sad. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to have to look at three weeks of trash on my neighbor’s porch. I don’t want to look at a car that is up on blocks used for storage at the entrance of my subdivision. What I’m saying is; dial it back a little. The Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association (ALTA) is a really big deal. Is it to much to ask that my $544 a year go to PROPER resurfacing of the tennis courts? Maybe in addition to the list of fines that are put out in our neighborhood news letter, we could have a list of how much money goes to landscaping, clubhouse maintenance, swimming pool maintenance, clean and working restrooms, and safe playgrounds for the kids. I’m sure somewhere there is a profit and loss statement of the aforementioned expenditures. OMG! They don’t have to answer to anyone. Half of that money goes into a slush fund which collects interest for the Association rather than lowering the dues and allowing the homeowners to earn interest on their OWN money. Sound like the federal government again?

Tax dollar after tax dollar and nothing seems to be getting done. I haven’t even gotten into corruption yet! The mayor of my town used to live a few houses down from me. He painted his house a certain color. A friend of mine wanted to paint his house too. He was told, “The color is too dark” by the HOA, yet the color he chose was not as dark as the color the mayor did. Mayor vs. not da Mayor? You do the math.

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