In years past, I’ve chosen to forego attending President Obama’s annual State of the Union speech, and instead focused on interacting with my constituents through live, virtual town halls while I watched the speech in my office. This wasn’t out of disrespect, but because I wanted to see real-time responses from Georgians and to get their ideas for what might jumpstart our economy.

Since when is it anyone’s business how much money someone else makes?

This question comes after several days of presidential candidates sparring over the release of their income tax returns. The target, mostly, is bajillionaire Mitt Romney, because the other Republican candidates are such anti-capitalists.

Wait; that isn’t exactly right. They just oppose any capitalist who isn’t supporting them with his or her money. Such money given to them, of course, is clean and pure; it’s all the other money in politics that’s dirty.

This is the kind of cooperation we’d like to hear happen much more often.

Columbia County’s school system is building a new school on Gibbs Road to replace Evans Elementary. Site prep has already started, and part of the construction will include adding turn lanes along Gibbs Road.

It’s still far too early to know which candidates will appear on the ballots for Columbia County elections this year. But thanks to Columbia County commissioners, we can be pretty sure voters will have an opportunity to sound off on a couple of important issues.

First, voters will be able to decide July 31, during the party primaries, whether to allow Sunday package sales of alcohol in Columbia County.