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♦ THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2007
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OPINION
Daniel F. Evans
President
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans Foy S. Evans
Vice President Editor Emeritus
Group Marketing
Don Moncrief
Managing Editor
Letters to the Editor
County has more options
Mr. Foy Evans’ thought that the only way to
secure more money needed for infrastructure to sup
port the county’s growth is either to approve yet
another SPLOST or “roll up the welcome rug and
become a second rate county” is absolutely ridiculous.
Here are a few other options. The County Commission
can approve yet another property tax rate increase as
they have approved two in the past two years. (Don’t
forget the additional revenue that already comes in as
a result of development as it expands the tax base).
The county could instill a moratorium on new growth
until we have infrastructure needed to support our
current needs. There is one more thing to consider.
The County could approve Impact Fees to pay for
the infrastructure needs required to support contin
ued development. There is no reason to not implement
those fees. Instead the County continues to use the
most regressive tax available, a SPLOST, to inflict the
greatest pain upon lower and middle-income families
while granting the wealthiest citizens another tax hedge.
Those opposed to Impact Fees argue that they would
only raise the price of new homes to consumers. That
is true. It is also true that those are the people who
should pay for the infrastructure needs caused by their
desire to re-locate here. If they did not locate here
we wouldn’t need more ribbons of noxious asphalt.
By the way, the increase in the cost of new housing
would only make existing housing even more attrac
tive as Impact Fees are charged only to new construc
tion. In essence, Impact Fees would have the collateral
effect of increasing the value of existing construction.
Those opposed to Impact Fees also argue that they
would slow or perhaps end growth. That is also not
true. One only needs to look to counties surround
ing Atlanta that have implemented Impact Fees to
see that they are still experiencing rapid growth.
Two nights ago, I met a lady, who along with her husband
is building their second fast food restaurant in Laurens
County. Laurens County uses Impact Fees to provide
recreational facilities for its citizens. (By the way, where
are the recreational facilities for our youths? How many
more times must we read of children milling about in
shopping center parking lots because there is nothing
to do and no place for them to gather?). In any case, her
evaluation of the Laurens County recreation program
is that it is outstanding. How much is the Impact Fee
she will pay to open her restaurant? $35,000. That’s
right, $35,000. Now according to opponents of Impact
Fees that would be sufficient deterrent to keep busi
ness for locating in the county. That is not true. She is
about to open her second restaurant in Laurens County.
The real reason we don’t consider Impact Fees
must be because of those considered to bene
fit most by not implementing the Fees. Those peo
ple certainly have friends on the County Commission.
As we know one local community is forging ahead in its
studies to implement Impact Fees. The City of Perry is
wisely choosing to generate a revenue source that will
provide needed additional recreational facilities and fire
stations while not encumbering their current residents
with additional tax burden to provide those facilities. I’ve
said it before and I will say it again, Perry is the most
progressive and compassionate community in the county.
As to Mr. Evans’ contention that we might be in danger
of becoming a “second rate county”, I contend that with
the county’s current policies of permitting uncontrolled
growth causing deforestation of much of the county,
a declining quality of life for residents and increas
ingly burdensome taxation upon the poorest residents
we are well on our way to fulfilling his prediction.
County residents must awaken from the slumber and
force policy change upon the County or suffer the conse
quences of their sweet dreams.
David E. Wittenberg, Kathleen
Saving Lucky
After reading Angela Lineberger’s recent column it
seems as though the entire family needs to be evaluated.
First the parents for allowing Lucky, “the family pet”, to
die lying on the rug on the kitchen floor without trying
to contact one of the excellent veterinarians we have in
Perry - Dr. Burnham, Dr. Westmoreland and Drs. Felix
and Ben Smith and others. Most of the vets have some
one on call that would have shown more compassion
than they did. Then the parents allowed the boys to poke
the “family pet” after he had died and then dig it back
up later after it had been buried. We just wonder how
the two new kittens will be treated in life after the way
Lucky was treated in death.
If the Lineberger boys come to our house they will have
to dig through four inches of concrete slab to get our
deceased “family pets”. The whole thing is disgusting.
Wendy/Tom/Alex Thornton, Kathleen
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Coach 'lays' proper foundation
Ido not know Mickey Lay. I hope
to meet him. In my opinion, he is
someone very special.
Twelve boys are Little League World
Champions. They deserve the glory
being heaped on them. I believe every
one of them would say in unison that
they would not wear that crown if it
were not for the remarkable coaching
job done by Mickey Lay.
His rapport with his players was
evident throughout the run for the
championship. He let them be frivolous
boys, yet he had their respect enough
to get them to buckle down to business
when the time came. He demonstrated
a remarkable talent to get the best out
of them.
I watched him in admiration as he
calmly, yet firmly guided his team from
victory to victory while they were being
called underdogs.
His demeanor inspired the young
players to achieve a goal they will
remember all their lives. He .switched
his players around with consummate
skill. He got the most out of each of
them.
The players were great as they
became world champions. And so was
their coach, who has modestly stayed
in the background so his players can
bask in the glory of their achievement.
CsSSfi] /COAREIOW^
Colorful urine is worth a week off
There used to be a guy who would
come to my office once a week,
asking me for money.
I don’t usually tolerate such solic
itations, but this guy’s consistently
appealing pitch was impressive.
“Listen, I gotta sit-e-ation, Mr. Len,”
he would begin. It’s a good idea to
address someone as “Mr.” when beg
ging for money, unless it’s a woman
(a mistake I made with my banker).
“I need $4.75. Our dog chewed up my
sister’s shoes. Her favorite shoes she
was wanting to wear to the ballgame
tomorrow night. My mama gave me
S2O to buy the same kind of shoes, but
they cost $24.75 down at the dollar
store. I wouldn’t ask you normally, but
her cousin is playing a solo in the band
and she really wants to see it. She’s
seven years old, and if she can’t go the
ballgame because she don’t have no
shoes, she’s gonna cry herself to sleep
for a week.”
Perhaps he was telling the truth.
If so, my philanthropy was certainly
needed to stop a 7-year-old girl from
crying for a week. Of course, he may
also have been lying. If so, his lie was
OPINION
The picture of Mickey Lay consoling
the Japanese pitcher, who threw the
game-winning home run, will stick
in my memory for a long, long time.
What compassion and sensitivity and
sportsmanship.
How can we forget the way the
Warner Robins players responded to
victory? They did not strut around
giving high fives to each other and
taunting their victims. They saw the
Japanese players crying and they went
to them and put their arms around
them and consoled them. What a scene.
How proud their parents must have
been of them at that moment.
These young men have been in a pres
sure cooker since they won the world
championship. They have conducted
themselves like real major leaguers
(not the overpaid, pompous kind that
we see today).
They have responded to adulation
so creative, it deserved $4.75.
And every week, he would come up
with an equally compelling, inventive
reason why he needed a pittance from
me. He needed $6.50 to make the last
payment on a gold tooth or his girl
friend was going to break up with him
and join the Army. He wouldn’t ask
normally, but he needed $5.20 to buy
baby formula and food for his cousin’s
baby, who he was babysitting while
his cousin was at “driver education
school.” Each week, his stories became
more and more engrossing and absurd.
Then, he just stopped coming around.
I’ve never witnessed any co-workers
or employees use such inspired device
to get out of working, but I’ve heard
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Foy
Evans
Columnist
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Len
Robbins
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Columnist
airpub@planttel.net
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
and praise with a maturity far beyond
their years.
They have memories to last a life
time. Their conduct on and off the
Field set a standard that will be hard to
match in future World Series.
They didn’t just happen to be that
way. Their conduct reflects parents
who must be special, too.
The parents brought their sons
up right. They turned them over to
Mickey Lay to coach them and demand
the best of them in a loving way. The
payoff speaks for itself.
These players won the hearts of all
of America. They did it through their
baseball skills and also for the way
they conducted themselves throughout
the tournament and, especially, during
those emotional moments after Dalton
Carriker hit the home run seen and
heard around the world.
Mickey Lay, his assistant coaches
and the World Series champions came
home to adulation and attention like
they never have seen before. Will it
spoil them? Not this group of Little
Leaguers. They have their heads on
straight.
All of us will have a chance to show
how much we appreciate them when
they are given a parade down Watson
Boulevard Saturday morning.
some whoppers.
One comes from my brother-in-law,
who runs a small manufacturing oper
ation in middle Georgia.
A female worker came into his office
recently, sat down and said, “Mr. Gary,
I’m gonna need a week off,” obviously
privy to the unwritten rule about the
use of “Mr.” in such negotiations.
“What for?”
“I’ve got a serious medical problem,”
she said.
Concerned, my brother-in-law asked,
“What kind of medical problem?”
“Well, something’s wrong with my
kidneys,” she said.
“What exactly?”
“Well, it’s real bad,” she said. “I’m
urinating blue.”
Gary was perplexed for a moment,
then remembered that he had recently
put those blue tablets in the company
toilets.
“Why do you think you need a week
off?” He said, hiding a smirk.
“Well, Mr. Gary, I’ve had something
like this before, and I know it’s gonna
take at least a week to clear it up,” she
responded.