Newspaper Page Text
Page 4A
The Braselton News
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Opinion
Commerce murder raises questions about DA’s office
The murder of Calvin Var-
num at Hardees in downtown
Commerce shocked
the entire commu
nity. Vamum was
gunned down while
standing outside the
restaurant early on
a Sunday morning
as his assailant un
loaded a piston into
him, splattering the
side of Hardees with
a barrage of bullets.
Inside, patrons, in
cluding several kids,
dove for cover as bullets came
through the glass.
In the weeks since that mur
der, an uproar has ensued:
Why was Xavier Clark, the
man accused of gunning down
Vamum, even on the streets of
Commerce? Clark had a crim
inal history that included vio
lence — so why was he not in
jail?
Much of the blame for Clark
being out of jail is being direct
ed at the district attorney’s of
fice; many are raising questions
about how that office is being
run. The incident also raises the
larger question of how the state
is handling, or not handling, its
violent mentally ill population.
•••
In recent years, Piedmont
Judicial Circuit’s District Attor
ney Brad Smith has come under
criticism in both Jackson and
Banks counties. In Banks Coun
ty, local officials have attempted
to jump out of the Piedmont
Circuit due to what they believe
is a lack of service from the
DA’s office. In Jackson County,
public officials have not sought
to move circuits, but behind the
scenes have been critical of the
DA’s office.
Whether fair or not, the Pied
mont DA’s office has
gained a reputation
for agreeing to light
weight plea deals
and for attempting to
avoid holding crimi
nal trials by pursuing
such pleas.
One can’t totally
blame a DA’s office
for seeking to avoid
trials, which are ex
pensive and put de
mands on staff time.
Without plea deals, the entire
judicial system would break
down, its gears grinding to a
halt.
Still, some cases need to be
tried and some deals need to be
tougher. That’s the essential ar
gument surrounding Clark and
the Vamum murder.
•••
Clark has not yet had his day
in court and so is presumed in
nocent until proven guilty. Still,
the evidence against Clark in
the Vamum murder is substan
tial and it’s legitimate to look at
his background to see if his pre
vious record sheds any light on
what happened.
In November 2020, Clark as
saulted a Commerce business
man, hitting him in the head
with a brick on a downtown
street.
While he was being held on
those charges, he attacked a
jailer and faced further charges.
Mason Anthony was the jailer
he attacked. Anthony posted
several comments about that
attack on social media after Var-
num’s murder:
“He should have been sent
to prison,” Anthony wrote. “He
clearly has an assaultive history
and behavior. Now, an innocent
man is dead.”
In 2021, Clark pled to lesser
charges, got 20 years probation
with time served and was grant
ed a first offender status.
In 2022, Clark was charged
in a domestic attack, but instead
of having his probation revoked
and going to jail, he was given
12 months probation to mn con
current with his existing 20-year
probation.
So really, the probation was
meaningless; it was violated
and nothing was done. And
who has ever heard of a 20-year
probation? If someone needs
that many years on probation,
shouldn’t they really be in a jail
cell?
While I can’t say this deal is
typical of how the DA’s office
is handling violent offenders,
there are some in law enforce
ment who say it’s just the tip
of an iceberg; that the DA’s of
fice routinely hands out similar
deals to other offenders.
If that’s the case, then why are
local judges agreeing to these
deals? If the plea bargain sys
tem is broken, as some believe,
then it’s up to the men in robes
to make it more accountable.
The Vamum murder has put a
harsh spotlight on the local judi
cial system; the public deserves
some answers.
• ••
This situation is also made
more complex by questions
about Clark’s mental health and
if that might have contributed to
the murder.
Following the 2020 violent
assault, Clark was referred to
mental health officials, some
thing that is mentioned several
times in his earlier court records.
The specifics of that, however,
are sealed so we don’t know ex
actly what mental health issues
he faced or if that had any con
nection to his alleged shooting
of Vamum.
What we do know, how
ever, is that the state is poorly
equipped to deal with people
suffering from mental health
issues, especially those with vi
olent records.
To a large extent, jails have
become the modem equivalent
of the old mental hospitals.
While not set up to deal with
mentally ill people, jails are of
ten the only recourse society has
to house those suffering from a
mental illness when they are a
danger to themselves or others.
Our society should do better
than that. Mentally ill people
need help, but those with violent
records shouldn’t be allowed to
just roam at-large if they are a
danger to others.
• ••
Whatever Clark’s specific
situation, he was clearly a dan
ger to others and shouldn’t have
been out in society where he
could hurt someone. His record
of violence is clear and when
he violated his probation, he
should have gone to jail and not
just given a slap on the wrist.
The case against Clark will
soon begin making its way
through the local judicial sys
tem. Hopefully, that process
will answer some of the ques
tions the Vamum murder has
raised.
People will be watching.
Mike Buffington is co-pub
lisher of Mainstreet Newspa
pers. He can be reached at
mike@mainstreetnews. com.
LETTER: Finding solutions to school taxes for seniors
Dear Editor:
Could Jackson County
School taxes be lowered for se
niors! Pray tell.
Most, if not all, seniors are
in an uproar of the direction
of their current real estate tax
bill. Looking at an actual bill,
there has been no increase in
the appraised value in the years
2021 and 2022. Jackson Coun
ty assesses the tax base at 40%
of this value times the school’s
Maintenance and Operation
millage rate of 16.576 mills .
The millage rate has also not in
creased in 2021 & 22. Seniors
over 65 get another $50,000 de
duction if earned income (wag
es) is less than $25,000.
So take an age 65 home-
owner in a home valued at
$300,000 x .40 =$120,000 mi
nus the $50,000, tax is based on
$70,000. That times the millage
rate of 16.576 per thousand
equals $1,160 in just the school
tax. Repayment of a School
Bond gets another piece at 2.70
mills, but without the extra
$50,000 deduction or $320. So
this person in 2022 would have
paid $1,480 in school taxes.
But what happened? Along
came the state property apprais
ers. Based on some actual pe
rused assessments, the lair mar
ket values of homes increased
19%. This is based on the en
tire state of Geotgia with the
appraisers applying their take
on the current market value of
homes and then using averages,
algorithms, and other mathe
matical calculations to arrive at
this increase in property values.
Everyone, not just seniors,
is screaming “not right” “too
much” “not comparable prop
erty values imputed” and some
other rather “angry” language.
But at one of the first meet
ings in Braselton to discuss
these issues, all the shouting
was about “their” assessment.
In this personalization the mod
erators could not respond. The
real questions about what are
the possible solutions? What
are chances of school board
moderations? What about the
county possible reductions?
The questions were not forth
coming to give moderators any
chance of input.
So, using our example above
the $300,000 home now has a
fair market value of $357,000.
Our age 65 senior, doing the
math, has school tax of $1,538
(based on last year’s millage
rate) and bond of $385.66 for a
total of $1,923.56, a $443.56 in
crease. We haven’t added in the
county tax to this bill yet. En
couraging is the county millage
rate has been slowly decreasing
from 9.416 in 2018 to 7.80 in
2022.
Here is the real hurt. Susie,
the homeowner, bought her
home in 1987 on an acre lot
for $30,000. She was 29. A
Google search shows Geotgia
real estate taxes in 1987 were
3.3 percent of personal in
come. Husband made $22,500
that year. Assume no adjust
ments tax was $744. Due to
its location next to an upscale
neighborhood and commercial
property the home is now ap
praised at $650,000. Susie is
widowed, living on $18,000 of
social security and a pension of
$350 a month (subject to tax)
for $22,200 of annual income,
out of the poverty levels for any
additional benefits. In 2023 the
poverty level for an individual
is $13,590 of income. Above
that income are very limited
benefits if any.
So Suzies’ tax is 40% of
$650,000= $260,000-$50000
exemption =$210,000 x school
millage 16.576 =$3,481. Plus
School bond 260K x .027 =
$720 = $4,201 in school board
tax. Now the county (no per
son exemption) so $260000 x
.09138 =$2,376.
Susie’s’ Real Estate tax is
$6,577. If she lives in West
Jackson a Fire tax adds another
$944 for $7,521 on a gross in
come of $22,200. She cannot
afford to pay this.
Dr Philip Brown, Jackson
County School Superintendent,
said in a recent meeting, that he
“needs and desires to have con
versations about solutions for
seniors and tax solutions. This
might mean tax shifts.”
Just what does that entail
without looking at what is hap
pening in Jackson County. The
City of Commerce stands alone
and has its own tax base for its
schools. The big S&K battery
operation along 1-85 belongs
to Commerce. Jackson County
gets none of its taxes. The same
is for the City of Jefferson that
also stands alone. Thus, the
rest of Jackson County School
Board gets none of the property
taxes out of the cities of Com
merce and Jefferson.
Dr. Brown provided some
numbers on requirements for
Jackson Schools. Brown stated
that his number one goal is to
pay off school debt first. State
Grant funding does provide an
other $7,677,340 in income that
is expected to continue. There
are two School Bonds in force.
First taiget is one to be paid
off in 2025. The second is for
the new Jackson County High
School and Elementary School
that is covered by the SPLOST
but is $5 million short of 2032
due date. Dr. Brown is eyeing
a new school in West Jackson
due to growth. “We proba
bly will need a new bond,” he
states. West Jackson elementa
ry school services 3,187 homes.
The board’s cost is $1,896
per employee for health insur
ance times 1,384 employees
per the JCSB home page. Do
the math.
The School Board is ex
pecting 3,000 more students
in 2023. They will need more
employees and teachers. Dr.
Brown indicates they budget
$100,000 to get a teacher, and
$50,000 for another employee.
Salaries of all is added into
these totals with Dr. Brown
stating 88% ofbudget is toward
personnel.
To look at costs, Dr. Brown is
employing technology to help.
He is adding GPS monitors to
the school buses to learn where
they are, and miles traveled.
The current fleet of 162 buses,
averages a total of 8,900 miles
per day. Consolidation of routes
is a possibility. The unknown is
what will be maintenance costs,
gas prices, and the purchase of
additional buses. Will that be
going to electric? “All options
are open”
“We won’t get the tax digest
until late July, at which time the
millage rate is set, which may
be lower,” states Dr. Brown.
“We are budgeting now based
only on estimates of what it will
be and on the growth potential
of revenue.”
Solutions to being able to re
duce the school Board taxes to
possibly enter into an elimina
tion and/or reduction for those
over 65 are being discussed.
Looking for additional sources
of income, is the “might mean
Tax shifts” that Dr. Brown
mentioned previously.
The growth, and potential
tax resources, is along the 1-85
corridor from Braselton to
Commerce. Warehouse growth
is booming. The Braselton
area and West Jackson already
have sewer systems in place to
accommodate and encourage
that growth. These warehous
es do pay property taxes. But
investors/developers of these
warehouses are looking for the
billions in revenues these occu
pied warehouses will provide in
the future. An idea floated by an
attendee of a recent school meet
suggested an idea of a school
board education tax on a ware
house based on square feet. Say
an occupied 1 million sq. ft.
warehouse would have a .002
monthly levee. Thus a $2,000
a month school board tax. An
investor with millions of dollars
a month in revenue wouldn’t
look twice at that. That is proba
bly less than what it would cost
to buy, operate, and do mainte
nance on a forklift monthly.
This is just one idea. For the
seniors to get serious about
“all” not just theirs, of the tax
bills, solutions for replacement
revenue needs explored. Yes,
the growth of Value of homes
and thus more revenue is on
the table. From a blog on the
site “Next Door Neighbors”
MB reported “that seniors over
65 make up 14.4% of the to
tal 83,936 total population for
Jackson County according to
the 2021 census. This would
mean 12,047 seniors over 65.
MB writes if the county would
give a $1,000 tax break off their
current bill would only amount
to a very small “deficit” from
the county’s tax revenue. MB
concludes “The county is
growing fast with new subdivi
sions all over the place. Mean
ing most will be ‘younger’ gen
eration moving in the county
that would quickly make up for
lost senior revenue.”
Attend any county council
and school board meetings so
you can learn what is going on.
Listen.
Sincerely,
Larry J. Schmidt
Braselton
LETTER: Seniors live
on fixed income
Dear Editor:
For the most part, I agree
with the logic and infor
mation presented in Mike
Buffington’s column about
senior tax exemptions.
However, I strongly dis
agree with his statement
that seniors don’t live on
a fixed income (OK, some
don’t), and especially that
nobody lives on a fixed in
come.
My income is SS and
2 pensions. The pension
amount never goes up and
after 12 years, it looks like
chump change. My only
increase in income is when
Social Security increases
and most of that is eaten
up by a parallel increase in
Medicare.
I can’t get overtime, get
a promotion, move to a
better paying job, or get a
second job. My income is
fixed. When I have to cope
with inflation and thus
higher prices for all goods
and services, my ability to
pay for basic living costs
dwindles. Then if a huge
tax increase lands on top of
that, I find myself getting
poorer and poorer.
I don’t think I should
not pay school taxes, but
I think my property value
should not increase at this
rapid rate. People coming
to Jefferson and paying
$425,000 for a house that
cost $300,000 just a few
years ago had to have had
the income to support the
taxes on that $425,000 val
ue. I can’t because I live on
a fixed income.
Sincerely,
Tina Jowdry
Jefferson
Sealed doesn’t mean safe
Canning
and pickling
are wonderful
ways to pre
serve the boun
ty of the sum
mer season,
but improperly
canned goods
are a risk for
foodborne ill
ness. Clostrid
ium botuli-
num are bacteria present
throughout our environ
ment, especially in soil.
These bacteria thrive in
anaerobic environments
(those without oxygen).
A sealed jar of food is a
perfect place for C. bot-
ulinum to grow. When
they reproduce, they cre
ate spores that produce a
deadly toxin. This toxin
causes the illness known
as botulism. There is no
way to see, smell, or taste
the toxins that cause bot
ulism, and the side affects
include muscle paralysis
and possible death.
Luckily, you can be
assured that your canned
goods are safe to eat by
following research-based
methods and validated
recipes. Boiling water
canning and pressure
canning are the two most
common research-based
methods. Boiling water
canning is appropriate for
high-acid foods such as
most fruits, tomatoes that
have been acidified, and
pickled products. Pres
sure canning is the only
safe method for low-ac
id foods which include
most vegetables and
meats. Older methods
of canning (such as the
open kettle and inversion
methods) are not recom
mended. Although these
methods may produce a
seal on your jar, the con
tents have not
been treated
properly to kill
the spores of C.
botulinum. Just
because it’s
sealed doesn’t
mean it’s safe.
The Nation
al Center for
Home Food
Preservation is
hosted by the UGA Col
lege of Family and Con
sumer Sciences and is a
trusted source for infor
mation on canning safe
ly. Their website (nchfp.
uga.edu) and their pub
lication So Easy to Pre
serve are two excellent
resources for instructions
and validated recipes.
You can also trust infor
mation from other states’
Cooperative Extension
services and from the
USDA.
If you’re a hands-on
learner, Banks County
Extension will be host
ing canning classes this
summer. Attendees will
learn about the principles
of canning safely at home
and prepare two recipes,
one using boiling water
canning and one using
pressure canning. You
can find more informa
tion at tinyurl.com/can-
class23. If you have ques
tions about the classes,
canning, or other meth
ods of food preservation,
you can also reach out to
me directly. My email is
susie.burton@uga.edu
and our office phone is
706-677-6230.
Susie Burton Medina is
a UGA Family and Con
sumer Sciences Agent.
susie
burton medina
The Braselton News
Mike Buffington Co-Publisher
Scott Buffington Co-Publisher & Advertising Manager
Ben Munro Editor
Taylor Hearn Sports Editor
Wesleigh Sagon Photographer/Features
MEMBER
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• National Newspaper Association
• International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors
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