Congressman Lynn Westmoreland: Health bills deadly for Georgia small businesses

As federal reports out today show Georgia and the rest of the nation continuing to add to the unemployment rolls, congressional Democrats are forging ahead with health care proposals that will put small businesses on life support and hemorrhage more jobs.

“I hear each week from small business owners in Georgia’s 3rd District who are cutting back, trying to make ends meet, struggling to make payroll,” Westmoreland said. “They tell me in no uncertain terms: Adding on new health care taxes and mandates will leave us with no choice but to slash the number of employees we have. That scenario should scare congressmen even if our economy is at full employment, but it should serve as a huge flashing red light at a time when unemployment is at a 26-year high.”

The bills under consideration would impose a $208 billion tax on small businesses that cannot afford to provide health plans for their workers. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office asserts this mandate “could reduce the hiring of low-wage workers.”

Westmoreland calls the mandate “a tax on jobs.”

In addition, the primary House bill, HR 3200, would impose more than $500 billion in other taxes, including a surtax that will fall disproportionately on small business owners.

“There are many Georgians who are rightly leery of a government takeover of our health care system – 17 percent of the biggest economy in the world – and I’m one of those Georgians who has a problem with the idea,” Westmoreland said. “Regardless, I acknowledge that Americans can have legitimate differences of opinion on whether the so-called ‘public option’ is the right way for us to go. But we should all agree that our national focus right now should be on reviving our economy and creating jobs. As we’ve experienced in this painful recession, good-paying jobs are no longer a given. We have to create the right climate for small businesses to expand – or at this place and time just get back on their feet. Taxing small businesses for providing jobs takes us in the wrong direction.”

Westmoreland points out that Georgia has lost 131,900 jobs since the stimulus bill passed in February and its unemployment rate now tops 10 percent.
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Georgia Republican Delegation Calls on Obama to Allow Offshore Drilling, Development of Oil Shale Fields

The nine Republican members of Georgia’s congressional delegation today called on President Obama to scrap plans to halt exploration of our domestic energy resources. News reports say Obama plans to re-impose a ban on offshore drilling and to rescind a plan to develop oil shale fields in the western United States.

The letter to Obama was signed by Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss as well as by U.S. Representatives Jack Kingston, Tom Price, Lynn Westmoreland, Phil Gingrey, Paul Broun, Nathan Deal and John Linder. The text of the letter is below:

January 22, 2009

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write in regards to recent news reports that your Administration is considering ordering a hold on an executive order issued by President Bush to allow offshore drilling in previously banned areas. These same news reports indicate that the Department of Interior will rescind a plan to develop oil shale fields in the western United States. We respectfully write to ask that you not reinstate an executive moratorium on offshore energy exploration and production and that you not rescind the Department of Interior plan for oil shale exploration and recovery.

Environmentally responsible offshore oil and natural gas exploration and recovery, as well as oil shale exploration and recovery, are essential components of a comprehensive energy policy that will enable the United States to become energy independent. Exploration and recovery of these resources is critical to our national security and economic wellbeing. We believe allowing for exploration in these areas is also consistent with your priorities of economic growth and environmental protection.

More on Down Syndrome, Sarah Palin and Politics

Photo: Niah with her Mom, April during a visit earlier this year.



I am taking advantage of the fact that Sarah Palin has brought Down Syndrome to the forefront of politics to write again about the subject! I know I'm stretching it here, but I'm proud of my little granddaughter and I don't usually have a way to share anything in this blog about her!

I found an article on another blog that I thought was interesting on the subject of Sarah Palin and Down Syndrome:

Sarah Palin, Down syndrome and special needs

My younger son, Elijah, has Down syndrome, so naturally I was very interested to
hear about Sarah Palin's candidacy. Her experience of getting a prenatal
diagnosis of Down syndrome halfway through the pregnancy parallels our own
experience. Our doctor told us, "Based on this diagnosis, you can choose to
terminate the pregnancy." (We later learned that about 90% of babies prenatally
diagnosed with Down syndrome are terminated.) Like the Palins, we chose to have
our baby, and now we can't imagine life without Elijah. (My column for the
forthcoming October issue of Christianity Today is going to be about Down
syndrome and disability, because October happens to be Down syndrome awareness
month. I had already written and sent in my column a month ago, long before
Palin's candidacy had been announced. Kind of wild.)... (click the title to read all)

I also received an email this evening with a transcript of a discussion a caller had with Rush Limbaugh recently. I'd share it but it has so many of those little >>> marks that it'd take all night to get rid of them! The gist of the conversation was that a family with a Down Syndrome child was noticed by John and Cindy McCain and Sarah and Todd Palin as their bus drove in for a visit. They had the Secret Service go over and get them and the family hung out with the group for a while. They sent photos and gave a glowing talk about how down to earth and caring the McCains and Palins were. There's a real cute photo of the little Down Syndrome girl being held by Sarah Palin, giving her a big hug.



There are a lot of people making the Palin's choice to have Trig political. I continue to be dismayed at how nasty some people can be when writing about the subject.

Here's another real interesting blog post on Moonbattery:

September 1, 2008
Sarah Palin Blamed for Hurricane, Child's Down Syndrome
It appears that Bush, Cheney, and Rove are no longer responsible for all the ills of the world. Sarah Palin has to shoulder her share of blame too.
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/09/sarah_palin_bla.html

Here's another article of interest:

Joe Biden Slams Sarah Palin on Down Syndrome Son, Stem Cell Research
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 9, 2008
Joe Biden, Barack Obama's pro-abortion running mate, is coming under fire for comments he made today attacking vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. After attacking her on abortion, Biden then slammed Palin on the birth of her son, who has Down syndrome.
http://www.lifenews.com/bio2567.html

OK, have I done enough writing about the political aspect to justify doing the grandma thing and sharing some photos of Niah? If not, sorry, you're getting 'em anyway!

2nd Photo: April (Niah's mom), cousin Skylar and Niah at my parents.
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Better than the transcript; Sarah Palin's Speech YouTube

OK, this is much better than the transcript. Here's some YouTube video's of the speech:



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4

Sarah Palin's Superb Speech! Wow.

(I know I'm gonna get some comments on this... hope it's something new and not the same talking points that are getting their play in the media ;-) I thought the speech was perfect, hit just the right tones, the right note and that she hit a true home run. I've been hearing from friends of all backgrounds and they are pumped, some are moving from one side of the divide to vote for McCain-Palin! Some are now watching carefully and thinking about it when they were firm before Sarah Palin joined the ticket. Not just women either! I think by going after Sarah Palin the media and main-stream Democrats have awakened a giant groundswell of support for the McCain-Palin ticket. In today's news McCain is even-steven in the polls.

Which reminds me... I caught a bit of a Rasmussen poll today. Showed that somewhere around 59% thought the media was biased against Palin, attacking her (24% of the Democrats agreed). I'll have to pull the polls if I can find them because they were talking about media bias, attacks on Palin, whether they were more likely to vote for McCain-Palin... all of it was very encouraging, whatever the exact numbers were.

Here's the transcript of the speech, I'm through sharing for the night ;-)

Mr. Chairman, delegates, and fellow citizens: I am honored to be considered for the nomination for vice president of the United States.

I accept the call to help our nominee for president to serve and defend America.

I accept the challenge of a tough fight in this election against confident opponents at a crucial hour for our country.

And I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions ... and met far graver challenges and knows how tough fights are won — the next president of the United States, John S. McCain.

It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington counted out our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to the security of the country he loves.

With their usual certitude, they told us that all was lost — there was no hope for this candidate who said that he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war.

But the pollsters and pundits overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off.

They overlooked the caliber of the man himself — the determination, resolve, and sheer guts of Sen. John McCain. The voters knew better.

And maybe that's because they realize there is a time for politics and a time for leadership ... a time to campaign and a time to put our country first.

Our nominee for president is a true profile in courage, and people like that are hard to come by.
He's a man who wore the uniform of this country for 22 years and refused to break faith with those troops in Iraq who have now brought victory within sight.

And as the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief. I'm just one of many moms who'll say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm's way.

Our son Track is 19.

And one week from tomorrow — Sept. 11 — he'll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the service of his country.

My nephew Kasey also enlisted and serves on a carrier in the Persian Gulf.

My family is proud of both of them and of all the fine men and women serving the country in uniform. Track is the eldest of our five children.

In our family, it's two boys and three girls in between — my strong and kind-hearted daughters, Bristol, Willow and Piper.

And in April, my husband, Todd, and I welcomed our littlest one into the world, a perfectly beautiful baby boy named Trig. From the inside, no family ever seems typical.

That's how it is with us.

Our family has the same ups and downs as any other — the same challenges and the same joys.
Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.

And children with special needs inspire a special love.

To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.

I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House. Todd is a story all by himself.

He's a lifelong commercial fisherman ... a production operator in the oil fields of Alaska's North Slope ... a proud member of the United Steel Workers Union ... and world champion snow machine racer.

Throw in his Yup'ik Eskimo ancestry, and it all makes for quite a package.

We met in high school, and two decades and five children later he's still my guy. My mom and dad both worked at the elementary school in our small town.

And among the many things I owe them is one simple lesson: that this is America, and every woman can walk through every door of opportunity.

My parents are here tonight, and I am so proud to be the daughter of Chuck and Sally Heath. Long ago, a young farmer and haberdasher from Missouri followed an unlikely path to the vice presidency.

A writer observed: "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity." I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman.
I grew up with those people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America who grow our food, run our factories and fight our wars.

They love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town.

I was just your average hockey mom and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids' public education better.

When I ran for City Council, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too.

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.
And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening.
We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.

As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man. I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.

Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests.

The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.

No one expects us to agree on everything.

But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart.

I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States. This was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office, when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau ... when I stood up to the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the good-ol' boys network.

Sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve.

But with the support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up.

And in short order we put the government of our state back on the side of the people.

I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay.

I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef — although I've got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her. I came to office promising to control spending — by request if possible and by veto if necessary.

Sen. McCain also promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest — and as a chief executive, I can assure you it works.

Our state budget is under control.

We have a surplus.

And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes.

I suspended the state fuel tax and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.

I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere.

If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves. When oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged — directly to the people of Alaska.

And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists, who kind of liked things the way they were, we broke their monopoly on power and resources.

As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people.

I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history.

And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly 40 billion-dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.

That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.

The stakes for our nation could not be higher.

When a hurricane strikes in the Gulf of Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we are forced to draw from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

And families cannot throw away more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil.
With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies ... or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia ... or that Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries ... we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas.
And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska: We've got lots of both.

Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems — as if we all didn't know that already.

But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.
Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines ... build more nuclear plants ... create jobs with clean coal ... and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.

We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers. I've noticed a pattern with our opponent.

Maybe you have, too.

We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.

And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.

But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state Senate.

This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed ... when the roar of the crowd fades away ... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot — what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger ... take more of your money ... give you more orders from Washington ... and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy ... our opponent is against producing it.

Victory in Iraq is finally in sight ... he wants to forfeit.

Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay ... he wants to meet them without preconditions.

Al-Qaida terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights? Government is too big ... he wants to grow it.

Congress spends too much ... he promises more.

Taxes are too high ... he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be specific.

The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes ... raise payroll taxes ... raise investment income taxes ... raise the death tax ... raise business taxes ... and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service station that's now opened for business — like millions of others who run small businesses.

How are they going to be any better off if taxes go up? Or maybe you're trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or Ohio ... or create jobs with clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia ... or keep a small farm in the family right here in Minnesota.

How are you going to be better off if our opponent adds a massive tax burden to the American economy? Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election.

In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers.

And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change.

They're the ones whose names appear on laws and landmark reforms, not just on buttons and banners, or on self-designed presidential seals.

Among politicians, there is the idealism of high-flown speechmaking, in which crowds are stirringly summoned to support great things.

And then there is the idealism of those leaders, like John McCain, who actually do great things. They're the ones who are good for more than talk ... the ones we have always been able to count on to serve and defend America. Sen. McCain's record of actual achievement and reform helps explain why so many special interests, lobbyists and comfortable committee chairmen in Congress have fought the prospect of a McCain presidency — from the primary election of 2000 to this very day.

Our nominee doesn't run with the Washington herd.

He's a man who's there to serve his country, and not just his party.

A leader who's not looking for a fight, but is not afraid of one either. Harry Reid, the majority leader of the current do-nothing Senate, not long ago summed up his feelings about our nominee.
He said, quote, "I can't stand John McCain." Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps no accolade we hear this week is better proof that we've chosen the right man. Clearly what the majority leader was driving at is that he can't stand up to John McCain. That is only one more reason to take the maverick of the Senate and put him in the White House. My fellow citizens, the American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of "personal discovery." This world of threats and dangers is not just a community, and it doesn't just need an organizer.

And though both Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden have been going on lately about how they are always, quote, "fighting for you," let us face the matter squarely.

There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you ... in places where winning means survival and defeat means death ... and that man is John McCain. In our day, politicians have readily shared much lesser tales of adversity than the nightmare world in which this man, and others equally brave, served and suffered for their country.

It's a long way from the fear and pain and squalor of a 6-by-4 cell in Hanoi to the Oval Office.
But if Sen. McCain is elected president, that is the journey he will have made.

It's the journey of an upright and honorable man — the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small towns across this country, only he was among those who came home.
To the most powerful office on Earth, he would bring the compassion that comes from having once been powerless ... the wisdom that comes even to the captives, by the grace of God ... the special confidence of those who have seen evil, and seen how evil is overcome. A fellow prisoner of war, a man named Tom Moe of Lancaster, Ohio, recalls looking through a pinhole in his cell door as Lt. Cmdr. John McCain was led down the hallway, by the guards, day after day.

As the story is told, "When McCain shuffled back from torturous interrogations, he would turn toward Moe's door and flash a grin and thumbs up" — as if to say, "We're going to pull through this." My fellow Americans, that is the kind of man America needs to see us through these next four years.

For a season, a gifted speaker can inspire with his words.

For a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds.

If character is the measure in this election ... and hope the theme ... and change the goal we share, then I ask you to join our cause. Join our cause and help America elect a great man as the next president of the United States.

Thank you all, and may God bless America."

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Fowler Says God is on Democrat's side because of Hurricane

I'm going to share two videos with you. The first is Former DNC Chairman Don Fowler on a plane talking with someone about Gustav hitting New Orleans during the Republican Convention. The second is cleaned up audio only (there's a lot of airplane noise in the first one, but the first shows him talking, the second is just straight audio). After you watch these, I've commented at the bottom, but I'm sure you don't need my comments to make your own assessment of this:




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First, if this was a Republican doing the talking you can bet it would be splashed across every newspaper, be on every news station and the blogs would be on fire.

Second, to have someone making light of something that has already taken lives and is currently causing great damage as I type is not funny. It's horrible.

Third, to think God would kill people just to cause problems at a Republican Convention is ludicrous to say the least.

I don't know what Don Fowler is doing these days, but whatever it is, he needs to face some serious consequences.

On a side note, have you noticed how well all those Republican Governor's are doing with Gustav? These guys are handling things perfectly. Yes, I know we all learned a lot during the last hurricane so all the credit can't go to these guys. But geez the Mayor and former Governor sure didn't show much leadership and judgement when Katrina came through. What a different story it would have been if those two had made just a few different decisions.
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Heard enough about Palin?

Ah well, too bad. Quit reading now if you're already tired of it all! I'm not...

I posted a story from the McCain campaign on our Republican Candidate blog (and State & National News, and Republican News Sweep) earlier. Someone commented that McCain had just put an inexperienced woman a heartbeat from the Presidency, and then said some wonderful things about McCain's mental abilities that weren't very nice so I couldn't post it. I'm getting ready to post the following on that blog, thought I'd share with you, too. I know I usually stick to local politics on this blog but we are in the midst of a monumental shift in our country. We're making some serious decisions here, much bigger than electing the first multi-racial president or female vice-president (although those are biggies aren't they?).

One more side note: My sister called and said she was listening when a commentator asked Palin how she was going to handle things given she had five children. Her response was something along the lines of "You wouldn't be asking that question if I were a man." You go girl. I would imagine she's going to do whatever it is she's been doing for the past years as she's worked.

I love it that McCain has picked Superwoman as his running mate.

U.S. Representative Heather Wilson On The Selection Of Gov. Sarah Palin

"You know, Governor Palin has more executive experience than Senator Obama, Senator Biden, and Senator Schumer combined because those guys have never run anything." -- Rep. Heather Wilson

U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM)
MSNBC
August 29, 2008

MSNBC's Peter Alexander: "There were several women spoken about as possible vice presidential candidates, Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas, Meg Whitman from eBay, Carly Fiorina, why Governor Palin?"

Rep. Heather Wilson: "She's a chief executive of a state. She's a governor, former mayor of a city in Alaska. She's been a businesswoman. She helped her husband run the family fishing business. She's a mom of five and she's a reformer. She's not a Washington insider. She's been a reformist governor and very strongly supported in Alaska."

"You know, Governor Palin has more executive experience than Senator Obama, Senator Biden, and Senator Schumer combined because those guys have never run anything. So I find that quite amusing."

"I was very disappointed with Senator Obama's choice of a running-mate. He chose somebody else who's a Washington insider from the East Coast who knows nothing about the west and Senator McCain surely does. I'm also very pleased that he's chosen as his vice president, the chief executive of the oil producing state in America, strong energy credentials and the energy issue is very important to Americans."

Watch Rep. Heather Wilson
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More on Sarah Palin

I know I posted something earlier, but now I've been listening to some of the talk and hype... It is an electric pick! My favorite quote from a commentator (not exact) was "she knows how to eat a mooseburger and shoot a gun." Now, as someone who doesn't eat meat or hunt, that's not really something that's going to endear her to me, but it does help paint a picture of an independent, strong woman. Couple that with being a sports announcer, a beauty contestant, a mother of five (with one being Down Syndrome), a Governor, a Mayor, and someone who enacted a tough ethics ordinance as one of her first moves and we have dynamite! Sharp, sharp lady and I love it that McCain tossed out the rule-book picking someone who is NOT Washington as usual. Talk about countering Obama... Obama picked old-school which mirrors what he tosses at McCain. McCain picks a woman who just about any man or woman can identify with... Super move on his part.

Here's the official release:

U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.

Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us -- Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

As the head of Alaska's National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.

Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.

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Fayette County Take Note: Secretary of State Handel Unveils Transparency in Government Initiative

Another breath of fresh air in government! This is something you don't see very often --- government opening their books without a FOIA (Freedom of Information) request. Half the time when you do a FOIA request you get a run-around and boy, if you are not extremely specific you may not get what you need.

When I worked for the Office of Thrift Supervision and Federal Home Loan Bank (we were responsible for watching over the Savings and Loan banks for Uncle Sam) I was in charge of handling FOIA requests at one point. Pretty much I picked up the phone and called Washington to get the same run-around most of you would have gotten if you'd called. No one really knew what could or could not be handed over unless it was the routine stuff. We gave out a lot of stuff with big black boxes over lines, too.

I digress...

Here at the County level things are getting more difficult to find. The meeting minutes have gone the 'we don't think you need to know how we're voting or thinking so you will believe whatever we tell you when we're up for election" route. If you go into the County to get an audio copy of the minutes you'll find that you can't play it unless you have the right equipment from what I've been told. I film the meetings so have never had the joy of having to take time to go ask for a copy.

The County has moved their Wednesday meeting into the tiniest room possible and all the staff comes to fill up the spots. Not many people come to the meeting, but when they do there's a scramble for chairs. I imagine if enough people started coming they'd move to the larger meeting room. (So why don't all of you come? ;-)

Until the press started sticking around this Commission would bring things up to vote on that weren't on the agenda. There are some issues they are required to give the public notice on such as rezonings, but technically they don't have to put things on the agenda. That means unless you happen to be at a meeting you might miss some important decisions that affect you.

Remember in Fayetteville when they got all bent out of shape when a reporter pulled out a tape recorder? Why should it matter if anyone records a meeting? It is clearly stated in the law that anyone can film or record meetings. I'd like to start filming all the meetings in the County but just don't have the staff or the time. I've settled in on filming School Board and County with an occasional meeting in the other jurisdictions.

By the way, along those lines, we've offered all elected officials a free blog and / or un-censored space on the Fayette Front Page (and we'll do the same on the Georgia Front Page). So far the only ones who've taken us up on the offer are Don Haddix, Peachtree City and Peter Pfeifer, Fayette County Commission. All through my years of working with politicians and being involved in government I've heard them all complain about the papers. They say they never print their side of the story, they don't print the good stuff, they don't print their letters, etc., etc., etc. Truth be told, I think most of them don't want the real story out there. Even if they don't want to utilize the Fayette Front Page, all the local governments have a website and the ability to write things, put out press releases and get their information out. Instead the trend is in the other direction.

I could ramble on about all the ways things have changed in regards to openness, some that have nothing to do with the actions of the Commission. The newspapers used to take time to go digging when an issue came up. These days budgets are tight, reporters have a different mind-set and there's not as much digging.

Contrast the direction the County seems to be going on at the state level, at least in Karen Handel's domain:

Secretary of State Handel Unveils Transparency in Government
Initiative

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today announced the launch of the
Transparency in Government Initiative, a new website designed to enhance
government transparency, ethics and responsible stewardship of taxpayer
dollars.

The Transparency in Government website contains the Secretary of State’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget; monthly spending reports; the Secretary of State’s Ethics Policy; and Secretary Handel’s personal and campaign financial disclosures. The Transparency in Government Initiative can be viewed at: http://www.sos.georgia.gov/TIG/.

“Responsible fiscal management begins with a commitment to transparency and accountability,” Secretary Handel said. “Georgia taxpayers deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and I am pleased to provide them with that information.”

The Transparency in Government Initiative website will be updated monthly with detailed information on how the agency spends taxpayer dollars.

Karen Handel was sworn in as Georgia Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State’s office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.

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Democratic Convention / McCain Ads

Watched the Democratic Convention last night off and on, listened to it when I wasn't watching. We switched around from Fox to CNN and even tried PBS as someone who commented on my last post suggested.

We mostly watched C-Span.

The reason we liked C-Span? I want to watch my politics unfiltered and make my own mind up about what I see. I don't like having someone talking over the speakers or giving me a running commentary. Unlike all the others, C-Span just films without commentary.

Another reason? None of the commentators, news anchors, talking heads, are objective. In many cases, it's not facts that get doled out, it's opinions with a few facts tossed in to make a dish we'll swallow. We're also being selectively spoon fed what they choose to feed us. Even if you think you're not being influenced by those talking on PBS or Fox or CNN, it does filter in and can subtly or overtly change your opinion.

Even though I am jaundice in my opinions about the anchors and commentators, I do like to listen to them after I've watched. Sometimes they point out things I didn't notice or give background information that can influence my ultimate impression. I know I'm still getting spoon fed info and what they choose to share may is still slanted. They're also entertaining, which is why they're there!

CNN had a blurb on the bottom of their screen saying they would bring the speeches without interruption, complete. They talked all during Pelosi's speech and a few others. When they chose a speech to share with us (rather than sit and gab) maybe they did it uninterrupted and complete. By then I was over on C-Span listening to complete uninterrupted speeches!

Fox News did basically the same thing, they just didn't promise we'd get to listen to the speeches like CNN. I'd never watched PBS before, gave it a shot, flipped it off when they started doing the same thing as the other major stations.

My opinion on last night? A lot of fluff, no substance, carefully scripted to entice the masses. These guys are good.

One really cute moment was when the Obama's daughters kept interrupting to ask Daddy questions. It showed a caring family, kids who are comfortable with their parents and I'm sure it's going to be played repeatedly over the next few days. It also helped Barack as he said he was in the wrong place when first asked... when his daughter asked he was able to correct the error. In this day of parsing every little nuance, that would have ended up as a commercial...

Speaking of commercials, love this new one by McCain! I don't care which side of the fence you're sitting on these guys are both doing some catchy commercials. I think McCain's have a touch of humor and get the points across.

Here's "3 a.m." :


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Keep up with the conventions on YouTube

It's a different way of looking at things... (unless you're a YouTube junkie, then this is old news ;-)

You can watch the Dem & Rep conventions on YouTube. I'm listening to a video as I type this, focuses on setting up the convention... This will be my first time with YouTube convention watching, so not sure what to tell you about it at this point.

Being a political junkie, I'll be watching it on the tube, too. I rather like the idea of YouTube better though as I can work while I listen. On the flip side, I don't work while I watch on TV and I have the added bonus of sharing the experience with my fantastic husband.

I'm gonna go the overload route and do both... will let you know what I think (don't I always) about the YouTube coverage.

http://www.youtube.com/2008conventions

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Whoaaa Nellie! Talk about a contrast...

I would imagine that my mouth dropped open Monday night at the School Board meeting when Bob Todd, School Board, brought up expanding the meeting minutes to include MORE information! Talk about a contrast!

Sometime in the past year the Fayette County Board of Commissioners decided behind the cloak of silence to stop including most info in their meeting minutes. All of a sudden we went from being able to pull minutes up on the web and see why someone voted for an issue and the debate between Commissioners to a cut and dried "here's the vote" with some occasional tidbits.

No public discussion at all, they just made the change. Commissioner Peter Pfeifer started bringing attention to the matter publicly and it became a campaign issue. Unfortunately, most people have a tendency to discount things when they're brought up during an election as "campaign rhetoric" and thus I don't feel this one got the attention it deserved.

Commissioner Jack Smith talked about the fact the County had audio for anyone who wanted to listen, but who's going to listen to two or three hours of discussion to try and find the issue that interests them? How many are going to make the trek to the Commission office to get a copy of the audio?

It used to be that the transcript, almost verbatim, was available on-line. In his justification for keeping the public in the dark, Smith said people weren't coming into the office to get the minutes. Well, duh. Why go into the office to get them when you can click a button and get them on-line? How does he know how many people copy them and distribute them to friends? Is the County keeping up with how many people click on a certain page of minutes?

Back to the School Board...

It's an interesting discussion and well worth watching the video (posted below). The School Board doesn't go quite as far as I'd like or reach the conclusion I'd really like (full transcript), but they made huge strides in the right direction. I learned some things also when Janet Smola talked about the direction the Board had received from the state. Interesting.

Two problems immediately come to mind with audio or video records only:

1. If you're deaf, you're out of luck. Sooner or later someone is going to sue.
2. You have to sift through sometimes hours of info to find a particular issue.

The Fayette County Commission fell back on the "gee we're complying with the law" rationale for keeping information from the public. It was refreshing to hear the School Board discussing the possibility of giving more access and information. Kudos for heading in the right direction!

Just a side tidbit of info: I've had a number of discussions with the School Board regarding their meetings over the past few months. It's clear to me that they want more involvement, more to attend their meetings. I've been to a handful of meetings this year, and aside from those involving redistricting, attendance mirrors that of the County Commission --- sparse to say the least. At some meetings the only ones there other than staff were the reporters. Sad.

If the video below doesn't work, click here to see on Google: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3869251096701361655&hl=en



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Three new local groups of interest

I've recently been made aware of three groups of citizens that are organizing or have organized in the county. All seem to be what I would term as "watch dog" groups.

You may want to bookmark their sites and keep an eye on them to see what happens with the groups. You might be interested in getting involved in one or more, although one is by invitation only so you'll just have to get involved and hope they tap you on the shoulder .

One is the new political action committee, Fayette Citizens for Open Government. The website is www.faycog-pac.org.

The second is Fayette Firewall. It is a group of bloggers and writers who have started three blogs and a website thus far. It's a closed group, by invitation only. The main website is www.fayettefirewall.com and there are links to the blogs on the website.

The third is one I heard a short presentation on and will have to get back to you with the exact title. The group is an offshoot from Governor Huckabee's local Presidential campaign committee. They are tasking themselves with endorsing and supporting true conservative candidates. I'm not sure if they will have involvement in reporting on what current elected officials are doing so much as trying to get good candidates to run, endorsing conservatives and supporting their campaigns. It's a group that is not necessarily just focused on Fayette County, although they are forming in this county. They are trying to get similar groups formed across the state (and possibly beyond) in counties to focus on a local politics. I understand they are well networked and I think this group will be one to watch as they already have the groundwork in place.
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Tough Times

The Fayette County Commission has frozen somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 to 25 jobs this year. I just received a notice from Gwinnett that they've initiated a hiring freeze and expect to save roughly $45 million in a 12 month period. We know Atlanta is having problems, seemingly much of it due to their defined benefit program compounded by the current economic difficulties. The state is in trouble for the first time in quite some time. Not too long ago they had a surplus they were arguing about. Now they're in the hole.

Listening to the Georgia Gang on Sunday morning I heard that Georgia is considering revoking some sort of housing tax or valuation. I was half listening while I made breakfast so didn't get specifics, but the end result will be higher taxes if enacted. Some counties have already sent out their property tax notices so they'd have to send out a second bill. Big IF involved in this one I would imagine as there would be some politicians in trouble with their constituents if they voted yes. Hopefully it is something that needs a vote rather than the stroke of a pen change from a Governor who's a short-timer! (Although generally incumbents do try to make sure their Party is able to win when they leave office).

One thing I heard mentioned was a cut back in school funds to the counties. Again. If I didn't get my numbers mixed up (they were talking about cuts in a number of areas), two-percent was the figure tossed out.

If the state holds back 2 percent, guess who has to make up the difference? You and I. Go watch the videos I took of the School Board discussing the need for a SPLOST and the cuts they've already received in state funding.

I have a number of thoughts on all of the above (of course ;-)

First, how can you cut positions without cutting services? For instance, Fayette has 700 or so employees. Quite a few of those are in law enforcement, fire and emergency. I don't know which positions were frozen but certainly we either have a decrease in services or we really didn't need the positions in the first place.

Sure, there are other possibilities. Lots of people are putting in extra hours, so there's an increase in overtime pay. Not exactly a good trade-off. Can't think of any others off the top of my head that don't equate to "we didn't need the jobs in the first place" or decreases in service.

Another thought I had is that the government doesn't usually give back what it takes away. I'm not talking about the jobs here, I'm sure those will all come back once times are better (whether they should or shouldn't). I'm talking about increases in taxes, decreases in monies distributed to counties.

Here's the deal on the money the state gives to counties ---- it's our money to begin with. They take our tax money then they dole it out to the various counties. One of the reasons all these cities are breaking away from the counties (Dunwoody, etc.) is they feel their taxes are subsidising the rest of their county.

Can you imagine what would happen if Fayette County decided to break away from the state? That was just a wild thought that popped into my head, not something I'm advocating. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the current trend of cities breaking away from counties. I can see both sides of that issue.

Back to the local situation, which is usually my focus. The county cut all those jobs, not sure what the total dollar savings will be or has been. But at the same time they handed out raises to all the employees. Now the raises that were handed out this year are just part one of a three year group of raises. Next year there will be more employees getting raises and more the following year. They said this year the lower paid employees got a raise. Who gets it next year? They said it was the majority who were lower paid this year, what about the other percent? What about next year?

I don't want to get started on the defined benefits and what that's going to cost us...

How can they justify cutting jobs while increasing pay? If we weren't handing out the raises would some of those jobs be safe? Seems to me that giving someone a job sure helps the economy (unless it's a job that isn't needed in the first place, not advocating jobs as charity).

If you listen to forums, debates, political commercials and read their releases, you know politicians can justify anything if they're good at double-speak. They can twist things to make it sound like they are giving raises to take care of you . I know that somewhere in the neighborhood of 60% of the county employees don't live in Fayette County. Don't know that it has any bearing on the discussion, it's just another one of those things that popped into my head as I was typing.

Hard to keep up with my nimble mind sometimes, isn't it?

Logical jumps inside my mind don't necessarily translate to logical jumps in writings or discussions... I've caused more than one person to say "huh?" in my lifetime .

So back to tough times. I know everyone is scrambling, trying to make up for short falls in revenues. What I'm not seeing is a cut back in spending. It seems that laying off people like they did and will do again in Atlanta stresses those who have to take up the slack, causes a higher unemployment rate and contributes to the overall problems in the long run.

I'm not great on REAL solutions. Every time I look at something as a potential way to tackle what's going on in the country right now I see the the negative ramifications of the 'solution'. It's easy to say "cut back on spending" until you start to realize the consequences of doing so. Cut funding to a project and those people are out of a job, too. The people who supply the goods for the project lose an account. They lay off people.

We could cut back on spending in recreation, but what do the kids do? We have an increasing rate of juvenile delinquency already. Cut back on the arts? Here in Fayette County we don't spend much if anything on the arts other than in the school systems. We need the arts (I'll save the rationale for another blog, this one is waaaaayyyy toooo long already).

The federal government takes care of one part of the housing problem causing another. We get a check from the government, which came from OUR taxes, but the money has to be put back one way or another.

Easy for me to sit here and say the government should do this or that. Much harder in reality. I don't envy anyone trying to tackle the issues on the federal, state or local levels. I'm glad my job is just to sit out here and blog, although I sure would love a tax cut, more money in my pocket, more advertisers on the Fayette Front Page and Georgia Front Page, to sell more of my pottery, to win the lottery...

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Voter Apathy 3

Well, I was ready to move on after tussling with voter apathy and all the implications. However, we received a letter to the Editor at the Fayette Front Page, and since I'm the Editor, I decided to post it on my blog, too. Excellent letter, very thought provoking. My reason for harping for long and so often over the past years regarding voter apathy is a wild hope that more people will get involved. It seems I've found a kindred spirit in that regard! -- Janet

Dear Editor,

Regarding Voter Apathy

Peachtree City and the rest of Fayette County are facing death by a thousand cuts. Little by little the city and county are lurching toward an urban wasteland. Due to a lack of broad citizen involvement in government and community the city and county will be controlled by narrow special interests.

Let's look into a hypothetical community future shall we?

What happens next is that the Publics shopping center east of the city is annexed. The city government faced with wilting property values and tax revenues gladly welcome this newfound source of revenue into the city coffers. All they have to do is give certain exceptions to the sign ordinance, not knowing that this will open a whole set of new problems surrounding the city's established ordinances. Learning from this "happy" experience, Counsel continues annexing properties to the north, east, south, and west. Including the 35-acre tract on 74 north that is currently under consideration by the council. More land east of the city will need to be annexed as growth continues down the 54 corridor and other properties are considered satisfactory. The old sign ordinances will be deemed "out of date and passé" or worse challenged by the courts. Cart paths are required to connect new subdivisions and retailing centers further east of the city. Fire, police, and city services are needed to support these newly annexed areas. Of course, more revenue is needed for the infrastructure that was never considered or somehow overlooked by council research, creating yet another fiscal crisis that needs to be addressed through new city tax increases. Traffic increases as properties proliferate just outside the city limits; only to be later annexed into the city and the cycle begins again. To the west across Line Creek, developers are at work ready to siphon business and tax revenues out of the city center. Planned tax revenues fall, but of course government needs to increase its size because the city is getting bigger and a new city hall is built using bonds paid for by, you guessed it, you. No one is watching anyway, so of course no one objects. More people leave the city and county.

Then the new county employee defined benefits plan and pay increases passed and implemented just before the election kick in. The city's defined benefits plan as well as the county plan runs a significant deficit. Coupled with a dismal economic outlook these programs engender new creative tax remedies all of them will be unfriendly financial solutions to our governments' fiscal dilemmas. Due to a lack of fiscal accountability by citizens, they allow government spending to balloon and greater tax revenues are required to fund it. Tax revenues decrease as people leave the county for greener pastures that are less expensive.

Commissioners continue to be reelected by relative small special interest groups, people that have been incentivized to vote for them, using our tax money. Government workers are happy and content until they find out that their retirement plans are bankrupt. Taxpayers are asked to fund the unfunded liability, they refuse the massive tax increases required to do this. Then and only then county employees realize there are no guaranteed retirement plans, just as Delta employees found out years earlier. County and city employees leave as they realize that they can't afford to live here with the small amount given to them by the now defunct retirement plans.

Due to the recent results of the countywide primary election, knowing that they were "safe" from the electorate the Board of Commissioners decided a week after these elections to suddenly cave in on the billboard lawsuit. No doubt advised by the new county attorney the commission was easily persuaded. Knowing full well they have at least two years for everyone to forget their latest bad decision and comforting themselves by knowing that no one ever shows up at the commission meetings anyway. Let's just imagine for a moment our new future. Look at the billboards in Fulton County that stop at the Fayette county line on Hwy 74, now imagine them continuing down the road toward your homes erected in what is now scenic green pasture land. Go look over the county line at Clayton County, notice anything along State 85 north and south? Well get use to it. You will see them between Fayetteville and Peachtree City; between 138 and Fayetteville, along S54 west to Clayton County, and S85 south to the Spalding County line, it's just a matter of time. This won't happen slowly, it will cascade throughout the county as landowners see they can make some easy money doing nothing but renting land space at our visual expense. Creating the same cluttered environment currently seen beyond our county lines. The county Commissioners won't be able or willing to stop this process. They have already given up the good fight started by past Commissioners that wanted to preserve what we had. Nothing like determined public servants working on the behalf of our citizens, right? We wouldn't want to take it all the way to the courthouse wall would we? Too messy and expensive, besides look at the tax revenue potential generated by these billboards! More people leave the county and city.

The proposed industrial park is built next to the bypass road currently being built around Fayetteville, increasing commercial and employee traffic next to some serene unsuspecting neighborhoods and schools. Land use plans are ignored or changed to "enhance" the tax base. Citizens in these neighborhoods protest but decisions have already been made and passed by the Commission before they are aware of what has happened to them. Property values in these neighborhoods plummet and surrounding schools deteriorate. Citizens wonder what happened and why they didn't know. Much of it due to the fact that complete published Board of Commission meeting minutes were not timely or accurately reported on the county website. And of course citizens never bothered to attend Board meetings to see what they were doing and why. Citizens were all too busy. The families in the affected neighborhoods move elsewhere.

Then enrollment in the schools decline as people move out and test scores continue to degenerate. In school learning conditions worsen and the good teachers and administrators leave the system as student violence increases. The School Board desperate for more money because of a misguided belief that assets and employees are the answer to the declining performance, ask for and get a SPLOSTS passed. Then quality education declines anyway because those things the Board wanted won't help improve anything. More good teachers leave, but more non-teaching staff employees safety officers and metal detectors are required to stem gang activity in the schools. Already overburdened property owners are hit again by ever-increasing tax bills as their property values fall due to failing schools. More citizens leave the county and city.

Economic activity declines. Empty storefronts appear everywhere as petty theft and shoplifting drive current owners out of business. No one will rent these properties as entrepreneurs choose better and safer locations to open their businesses. Large businesses question if this is the right place to locate their employees and choose some other community to set up their new facilities. The new industrial park fails to gain the needed tenants to pay for the bonds, but the bonds will still have to be paid. Government responds by increasing taxes needing more money to make up shortfalls in planned tax revenues caused by a diminishing commercial tax base and a failed attempt at attracting it. Never considering for a moment that they could actually reduce the size and scope of government as a possible solution. More citizens leave the county and city.

There will be nothing unique or special in Fayette County it will look like all other surrounding counties, billboards, empty stores, declining schools, and crime. Then significantly more citizens catch on to what is happening and move out of the county and city for a promised better life and family environment that is promoted elsewhere.

Drug use becomes rampant and cart paths become "crime paths", litter is everywhere, including needles and syringes left by the drug users. Drug houses sprout up throughout the county. Women and children are no longer able to walk their paths or streets and play in their parks without fear. Good citizens fight back by erecting fences around their property, destroying the openness of the city and surrounding county. Murders and robberies become commonplace and a siege mentality develop among the citizenry. Security services signs blossom in every yard. The valiant city police and county sheriff departments rightly demand more resources in order to fight the ever-increasing crime rates, thus increasing taxes again. Property values continue to fall and the community continues its downward spiral. The floodgates open and there is a mass exodus of citizens, and rental properties are all the rage.

Federal and State grants and subsidies are requested to solve our problems all with strings attached, losing more local control of property, politics, and schools, the final remnants of the original citizenry will die off or finally move way. Leaving behind a wasteland resembling current surrounding environs, with broken schools, and crime-ridden streets.

Think it can't happen here? Think again.

It can happen, it has happened to many communities. It's not just voter apathy; it's an unwillingness to become involved in the community and our political system by the good citizens empowered by representative government to change it. Refusing to improve knowledge of what is going on and acting on it. Refusing to demand fiscal restraint and political accountability. Refusing to register to vote. If registered then not voting in an informed way. Leaving it to someone else to fight for your homes and schools. Shutting your eyes to what is happening around you and hoping that it will all go away. But of course you may be one of those brave and noble citizens that simply move, right? It is easier to give up than fight or spend energy on local politics or community, right? Well friends, it will happen again no matter where you move, because you are the cause of all of these potential problems. You shape our future and our future will be your shame.

Rome was not built in a day and the city and county will not be destroyed in a day either, both will die from the thousand cuts of your neglect. Paraphrasing Shakespeare "The fault citizens, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

Get involved; get your neighbors and friends involved don't just sit there, engage yourself in local issues, improve your knowledge of your government, register to vote and cast an informed vote!! Let's all begin to demand open accountable government, it is essential to our very freedom and clearly in our self-interest. It's your community; let's all fight for it. Wake up before our future catches up to us, and remember we can shape it.

If you agree with me and want to help with improving your local government email me at savefayette@gmail.com. Let's get organized let's shape our future and not just let it happen.

James Wingo
Peachtree City

More on Voter Apathy...

Having a nice dialog of sorts via blog with a reader regarding voter apathy, why people didn't come out to vote. You'll need to go read the comments posted on previous blogs to get the comments, I'll try to explain enough so you don't have to if you don't want to!

I had noted in a previous blog that I had friends out doing informal polls as to why people didn't vote.

We have also talked to quite a few who had no idea who to vote for so they just voted for the incumbent. Chances are there were some who automatically voted against the incumbent, too, However, given the fact that across the state the incumbents did well, I would think people are either content with their elected officials or they didn't bother to find out anything and just voted incumbent.

Hard to know. Sometimes people go to vote for their next-door-neighbor who's running for office and when they get to the screen they realize they haven't got a clue about any of the other races. Rather than just skip all the other races they vote.

There are a lot of races where the candidates don't particularly excite me. If our Coroner had an opponent how many would get enthused about that race? There's a race for Probate Judge right now, a run-off. I'd venture to say a good number of people haven't got a clue what a probate judge does... and I doubt it's going to generate much excitement.

I think voting is something we should do regardless of whether we find the candidates exciting or whether they walk along the same path we might. Sometimes, some would argue maybe even oftentimes, people just have to go with the lesser of two evils.

However, if people got involved, if we were all working and fighting on some level to take care of our small local world, we might have more people willing to run for office and have more choices. If we came out to vote then I think our politicians might take us a bit more seriously also!

I saw a huge difference between the candidates. Probably because I'm super involved. I looked at this past race as a fight for the future of the county. Special interest voting vs. taking care of the tax payers, etc., etc., etc. But then again, I go to the County Commission meetings, regularly attend other political events, talk fairly often with our elected officials at all levels. I read all the press releases that come out from all the various official's offices and I know a lot of people who like and don't like our elected politicians and candidates. I get it from all sides.

I understand that I'm a bit outside the normal voter mode.

However, I find it frustrating that people seem to be getting less and less involved. Maybe it is an overall sense of "what good can little old me do-itis". When we start looking at the problems of the world today it can become overwhelming. It's much easier just to put on blinders, take care of our families rather than trying to affect any kind of change in the surrounding area.

Maybe some don't see that who we elect makes a bit of difference. At the local level who we elect makes a huge difference.

I don't believe in giving up. I believe we should always try. We owe it to future generations and to our immediate family to try and make the world just a little bit better if we can.

I don't think it's the caliber of the candidates that kept the majority of voters away from the polls, although I'm sure some did feel that way.

I also think my commenter over-simplifies the Smith vs. Bost thing. I actually believe the Sheriff was the power behind the races. I think he has a lot of support, has been in the county for umpteen years and is well liked. The candidates he supported won, pure and simple. Not to say all the candidates weren't out working hard, just that he has a true machine.

Nuff for the day, been gone for a few days and have tons to catch up on!

Oops, one more note to my fast-becoming-favorite-anonymous-commenter re: Democratic Party. Yep, am aware the Democratic Party is working hard. I did think that Judith Moore was heading up the Party now, and that Peter was the Past Chair or Prez? I'm sure he's still involved, noted he spoke at one of the Commission meetings earlier this year. Not being involved in the Democratic Party I'm not up on the latest.

Kudos to Peachtree City for Saying it Straight

Peachtree City is raising taxes. If you live in Peachtree City that can’t make you a happy camper (or more accurately, a happy home owner). You tax bill is going to be higher.

The School Board is also raising taxes. The County Commission raised taxes last year and said earlier they were going to raise them this year.

Whoa, you say, I haven’t heard that. In fact according to some of the campaign literature I received the Commissioners said they haven’t raised taxes in two years. Janet, you have to be mistaken.

Nope. It’s just like former President Clinton’s statement regarding the definition of “is”. There are taxes and then there are taxes.

When Peachtree City says they’re raising taxes, they are doing exactly the same thing the County did last year and the School Board did both years. However, rather than candy-coating it with misunderstood terminology, “millage rate”, they said it straight out with great honesty.

Here’s a real simplified explanation of how millage rates work (don’t hold my feet to the fire if it’s not 100% technically complete, I’ll link you to an article that uses all the correct terms at the end of my editorial):

When your property values increase, which they usually do each year, the governing authority has the ability to off-set that increased value by decreasing or rolling back the millage rate. If they roll it back, those taxes don’t go up. If they leave it without changing anything your taxes go UP due to the increased value of your property. If they RAISE the millage rate, the taxes go up even higher.

Not rolling back the millage rate is called a “back-door tax increase”. Because it’s such a sneaky way to get more tax dollars from you, the state finally started requiring cities and counties to hold three public hearings anytime they weren’t going to roll back the millage rate.

Fayetteville isn’t rolling their back and neither is the School Board. Now Peachtree City is doing the same.

Those living inside the cities will get a double whammy. Their city and the school board didn’t offset the mill rate.

Unfortunately, even though the state requires the three hearings, most people only see something about their governing body having a public meeting regarding the millage rate. I’d venture to guess that 80% of the population doesn’t equate millage rate with tax hike.

In fact, I sat through a County budget meeting last year and Fayette County Commissioner Eric Maxwell said something to the effect that they weren’t going to raise taxes, no way, no sir. However, he said, they wouldn’t be able to roll back the millage rate for the first time in five or six years. I was filming that day, maybe I’ll go back and see if I can dig it up for you.

A tax hike by any name is a tax increase. Whether you say your not rolling back the millage rate or say you’re increasing taxes.

Although I’d prefer that Peachtree City not increase taxes, at least they say it like it is.