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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011
Opinions
“Private opinion is weak, but public opinion is almost omnipotent. ”
- Henry Ward Beecher -
Chris Bridges, editor • Email: cbridges@barrowjoumal.com
our views
Tax hike is confusing; no GOP presidential candidate yet
T HE prospect of a large tax rate
hike in Barrow County looms,
but exactly how that will affect
individuals is impossible to tell at this
point.
While the county government is looking at a
5-mill hike, some 48 percent, you have to look
a little deeper to really figure out how that might
hit property owners.
Property values in Barrow County have col
lapsed from the recession. So even as the tax
rate goes up, the values have, overall, gone
down. Thus, if the rate goes up 48 percent
but the value has dropped 20 percent, the net
tax increase will be much less than the 48
percent.
The problem is, most of the property values
decline have been in housing. Business values
have not fallen as much. Thus, any tax hike will
hit business more than residential property.
This has nothing to do with school prop
erty taxes — people comment on our website
about this and blame the school system, but
the school system has nothing to do with the
county government — those are two different
independent governing agencies. Each one
sets its own tax rate. (The school system could
also raise taxes this year, but that’s a totally dif
ferent discussion.)
Also, many people seem confused about how
the county can continue to do capital projects
while at the same time it’s cutting people and
raising taxes. While that might seem strange,
the county’s general fund is separate from its
capital projects funds. Most county capital proj
ects are funded by bonds and SPLOST money;
that money cannot be redirected into the
general fund since those capital projects were
approved by voters. Those dollars can only be
used for the specific projects voters approved,
nothing else.
So in effect, the county’s general operating
fund can be struggling (it is) while the capital
projects continue.
Related to that,
some people have
been very critical
over the county’s
recent SPLOST vote,
a vote that preceded
the passage of new
legislation that would
have allowed unused
SPLOST money to be
redirected.
But in all fairness,
county leaders had
no way of knowing
that such legislation
was pending before
they called for the recent vote. In fact, the legis
lation was changed in the process. When they
called the SPLOST vote last fall, county officials
had no way of knowing about this legislation.
Perhaps county leaders deserve blame for
some things, but this isn’t one of them.
The Republican Party has a problem. Despite
the fact that it faces what could be a weakened
Democratic President in next year’s elections,
the GOP has no top candidate in the running.
The underlying problem here is that the
Republican Party is being torn apart by an inter
nal battle between fiscal conservatives — Tea
Party advocates — and the religious-conserva
tive wing that focuses mainly on social issues.
Although those two sides aren’t ideologically
opposites, their approach to the issues is very
different. Tea Party fiscal conservatives want to
deal with spending problems and put all other
issues on the backburner for now. Religious
conservatives still want to talk about abortion,
gay marriage and other non-fiscal issues.
One would think that the GOP could put its
internal division behind and focus on beating
President Obama. Obama has, after all, created
a firestorm of controversy over his liberal lead
ing of America, especially health care reform
that will, in effect, create a system of socialized
medicine.
Instead, Republicans appear to be headed
for a brutal, divisive battle for the nomination,
a battle that could weaken the eventual GOP
winner so much that Obama wins a second
term in office.
Just take a look at the possible GOP field:
Newt Gingrich has already imploded, Mitt
Romney is too liberal for the party, Ron Paul
is too Libertarian, and Sarah Palin has already
seen her star power fade. Other possible can
didates appear to have weak name recogni
tion: Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Tim
Pawlenty, Rick Santorum and Mitch Daniels
are all unknowns nationwide. And there are
other even lesser-known candidates vying for
the GOP seat.
The one potential GOP candidate who might
have the combination of intelligence, com
munication skills and personality isn’t running:
Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey.
Christie has the “right stuff” to be president, but
has said repeatedly he would not run. Many
observers speculate that he’s waiting for 2016 to
make a move.
This decade will be a turning point for the U.S.
Strong leadership on fiscal issues will be need
ed to prevent an economic collapse caused by
too much federal spending. President Obama
is not the leader to do that.
But so far, the GOP has not found anyone
else to really challenge him.
Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow
Journal. He can be reached at mike@main-
streetnews.com.
mike
buffington
Of graduations, past and present...
“Today was good. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one. ” - Dr.
Seuss
I HAD the pleasure and challenge
of covering both local high school
graduations for the paper last week.
Normally this would be no sweat,
indeed an honor, but this year the
two celebrations were back to back
- Apalachee High School at 6 p.m.,
Winder-Barrow at 8 p.m. with a fran
tic bookin’ it through post (AHS) and
pre (WBHS) traffic in between. It was
a pleasant, but not so very cool eve
ning, and by the time this reporter
got home, she was hot, grumpy, tired
and uninspired.
If you want to hear some quotes
and wallow in some cliches, go to
a couple of high school gradua
tions. I mean no disrespect to this
or any year’s graduates, but those
speeches, aspirations and quotes
have been the same since I gradu
ated from high school (in 1975) and
I remember helping my kids write
some of those same quotes, class
descriptors and sentiments into their
graduation speeches in 2000 and
2001...’’This is our moment”...’’The
world is waiting”...”We are unique”...
’’’’Believe in yourself’’...’’Reach for
the stars”...’’Dream!”...etc. etc.
Hum bug, I thought. Can’t some
body come up with something fresh
to say?
Then I started processing the pic
tures I took and my mean spirit melt
ed away. Such fresh faces, so shiny
with happiness, pride and hope.
Such bright eyes, clear skin, healthy
hair and pretty teeth. So much excite
ment bubbling out of them...New
shoes, pressed slacks, new ties,
starched shirts...Some fancy hair
dos and a few
fashion state
ments being
made. For the
Class of 2011,
this really was
the first day of
the rest of their
lives and they
were making
the most of it.
I like the yell
ing and cheer
ing that fami
lies do during
the graduation ceremony and I like
the balloons, flowers and signs. I like
the pride you see in the teachers’
and coaches’ faces, and the relaxed
warmth in the principals’ eyes. It’s
like everyone can exhale; the job’s
done; we did it together and it was a
success. There aren’t a lot of nights
when a stadium full of nearly 2,000
people can feel that way.
My high school graduation was a
blur. It was a huge school and even
though I was the valedictorian, there
were no speeches. I don’t even recall
if we got to walk across a stage and
get a diploma. It might’ve been like
the big college graduations where
you just sit there while they call all
the names.
My kids’ graduations (from
W-BHS), on the other hand, were
wonderful, big school, but small
community, events. The excitement
leading up to the actual night went on
for weeks: planning the senior prank,
pulling off the senior prank, planning
the senior trip, booking the senior
trip, writing the speeches, getting the
outfits, sprucing up the house for the
out-of-state relatives, the dinners, the
banquets, the parties and then the
actual night — a whirlwind of pure
hometown high school fun.
Both of my kids got to make
speeches at their graduations and
they and their group of friends had
worked hard enough to earn a lot
of colorful cords and tassles and
special decorations for their gradu
ation robes. I took a lot of pictures
that night, shed quite a few tears
and felt a lot of pride. Some of those
pictures are still sitting around the
house and looking at them makes
me smile — my soon-to-be-30-year-
old kids and their friends, frozen in
happy, hopeful, one-hour-post high
school time. Special, that and a lot of
good memories there.
So, to the Class of 2011,1 apologize
for my grumpiness. Graduation night
is YOUR night and you have earned
the right to shine. And, while those
quotes and descriptors may have
been used over and over already,
they are not cliche because they do,
indeed, apply to you at this time in
your life.
I remember, at the time, wonder
ing how it could get any better than
being able to take part in my kids’
high school graduation festivities. I
remember wondering would come
next and I remember hoping and
praying that whatever it was, it would
be good, safe, kind and true.
And, then they went to college,
and graduated from college, and
got good jobs, and got engaged, and
got married, and it’s all been just as
much fun to be a part of as those
W-BHS graduation nights.
Graduates, you are right. Today
is the first day of the rest of your
life...My wish for you is that tomor
row, and the next day, and the next
milestone, and each challenge you
face and meet o down the road, will
be just as much fun and hold just as
much promise as I photographed on
your faces the other night.
Lorin Sinn-Clark is features edi
tor of the Barrow Journal. She can
be reached at lorin@barrowiournal.
com.
The Barrow Journal
Winder, Barrow County, Ga.
www.BarrowJoumal.com
Mike Buffington Co-Publisher
Scott Buffington Co-Publisher
Chris Bridges Editor
Susan Norman Government News Editor
Lorin Sinn-Clark Features Editor
Susan Treadwell Advertising Manager
Susan Mobley Office Manager
Jeremy Ginn Marketing Manager
Jessica Brown Photographer
Katie Cofer Reporter
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Coming to grips
with a milestone
“We don't understand life any bet
ter at 40 than at 20, but we know it
and admit it. ”
BIRTHDAYS have never been that
big of a deal for me.
Oh, I’m sure I probably enjoyed
them until the time 1 was 10 or so,
but, to me, a birthday is just another
day on the cal
endar. “You
are the age you
are,” has always
been a favorite
saying of mine.
There’s a
harsh reality to
face this time
around. I’m
reaching 40 in a
couple of days
and it’s some
thing that’s been
on my mind in
recent months.
Over the hill. The downward slide. It’s
all over from here, they say.
In truth, 40 is simply another birth
day. No bigger a deal than turning 30
or 20. Yet, so much is associated with
it that it’s hard not to think about it.
Without a doubt, you are no longer
young at 40. Carefree days of youth,
while in reality long since departed,
are officially in the rear view mirror
now.
Perhaps that’s the reason I’m strug
gling with it so. In so many ways, my
mind still thinks I’m a teenager, still in
school, still hanging with my friends
and still worrying about things that
don’t really matter.
When I remind myself that so many
of those childhood friends now have
teenagers themselves, it makes me
wonder how in the world I’ve reached
this point. It doesn’t seem possible.
Wasn’t it us a couple of years ago
roaming the halls at our school, play
ing sports, hanging out on the week
end, enjoying every minute of life?
How has all of that been replaced by
jobs, paying bills, an overload of stress
and the realization that those care free
times have indeed long since slipped
away.
It helps to think about the things I
am blessed with as I turn this historic
page. A job when jobs are scarce.
Family support when that is not
always guaranteed. Friends 1 would
do anything for and, in return, I feel
they would do the same for me.
So what is it about being 40 that
gives me a punch in the stomach at
times? Realizing that life is probably
half over could be it. Or it could be
the knowing that you truly look old to
those who are young. Or perhaps real
izing this year’s senior class was not
born when you finished high school.
Ouch.
Birthday parties, by the time you
reach this age, are long gone. For me,
it’s usually a quiet night at home with a
favorite movie that I’ve seen at least 50
times. It’s about trying to relax, if only
for one day.
The sun will come up the day after
this milestone. People turn 40 all the
time, every day and without notice.
Do 1 feel I’m wiser at this age? In some
respects 1 do. However, there’s plenty
I still don’t know and plenty I will
never know, even if I make it another
four decades.
Birthdays aren’t a big deal unless
you make them into one. I do take
pride when the birthday falls on a day
of the week not called Monday. I have
that at least this time around.
No doubt being 40 is light years from
being 18. Yet, I’m not so old that I still
can’t remember being young. While
nothing about me is “young” any
more, the ability to go back to a time
when I was, is still working just fine.
So here’s to another trip around
the sun and enjoying the beauty that
comes with every new day. It’s true
you appreciate the little things more
when you reach this age like a nap
and the beauty of the summer sky in
Georgia.
Perhaps being 40 won’t be such a
big deal. I’ve convinced myself that
with the right attitude, it’s no differ
ent than turning 21. As someone told
me at the high school graduation I
attended last week, “Being 40 is noth
ing. Try being 50.”
Chris Bridges is editor of the
Barrow Journal. You can reach him at
cbridges@barrowjournal. com.
Forty. The big 4-0.