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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Slow down, realize: We’re in too big a hurry Just as I tore past them, hurrying - always hur rying - into the small general store, I heard the old man speak to the younger one sitting beside him. Both were relaxing in folding alumi num lawn chairs. “You might be older than Ronda Rich Dixie Divas I thinks you is,” the older one ventured, uttering his words lazily and letting them hang for a moment in the Mississippi afternoon. “I’m 43,” replied the younger one, a big brawny The GREAT plan; u I \on’t let the ■ smooth taste you” was the advertising slogan of Colt 45 malt liquor once upon a ! . , time. B this up for || ' ill J two rea -*■ * i I’m rather /fv ' Jjff ! and 2. I ! *S**\i. i ! think the Len Robbins folks that Columnist came up airpub@planttel.net with this GREAT tax plan didn’t heed that alluring warning when they concocted this scheme. The GREAT plan calls for the elimination of ad valorum taxes such as land, build ing, and vehicle taxes. In its stead, a four-percent sales tax will be introduced on items currently exempt from taxation - such as grocer ies and services like haircuts, landscaping, exterminating, and, egads, newspaper adver tising! The resolution proposing this massive change in state taxation (House Resolution 900) is set to go before the Foot problems can be serious Neuropathy is a condition that makes it hard for individuals to feel injuries or sore spots. Diabetes can damage nerves in your feet and also cause neuropathy. Diabetes chang es the blood flow making the process of foot healing a slow one. Due to the slow healing process, minor problems of infection can quickly* turn into major problems of infection leading to the hospital. Listed are the signs that foot problems can include: CITY OF CENTERVILLE OFFICIAL ABSENTEE/PROVISIONAL/CHALLENGED BALLOT OFFICIAL MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA NOVEMBER 6, 2007 CENTERVILLE To vote, blacken the Oval (•) new id die candidate of your choice. To vote fa a person not on the ballot, manually WRITE IN his a her name in Hie space provided then blacken the cotrespoodntj Oval (<•). If you desae to vote YES a NO fa a PROPOSED QUESTION, blacken Ihe cotrespondaig Oval MB). Use only pen or pencil. If you spoß your ballot, do not erase, but ask to a rtew bafiot ‘l undentxul rear the alter or acceptance ot money or any otter obfect of vabie lo vote tar any partrarttr tondidate. totctcanrtittites, issue orfcr of astmrndJdeilrnUtlselßamconstkMes an act at voter tread and he Mony under Georgia term’ fOCGA 21 -7.285(h) and? I -2 333/9)1 For City Council Post! (Vote for One) O JOHUIR. HARLEY O EDWARD R. TUCKER o Write* For City Council Post 4 (Vote for One) O ROBERT (BOB) SMTTH fnountei^ i i o Write* man who smothered the chair with his girth. “Well, well, you shore ‘nuff is older. Shore ‘nuff.” I heard no more as I flew into the store, intent on finding a hair clip to replace the one I had just broken. But I smiled as I paid for the clip and thought about the two men, sitting outside with no place to hurry off to. They were simply visiting. Remember when people used to do that? I was storming through Mississippi, as fast as the law allows, on my way to Memphis but I took a moment to stop when I came out of the store. “Y’all brought a smile to my face,” I said to the two, who looked a bit surprised state legislature during its next session. If approved by the legislature and governor, state voters would have to approve it via referendum before it is enacted. So, you wouldn’t have to pay property tax anymore. Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is. All these new sales taxes would go directly into state coffers in Atlanta and then the state legislature would decide how much money goes back to your community to operate your schools, your law enforcement, your fire department, your hospital, and your county road depart ment, and so on. The touters of this plan - specifically House Speaker Glenn Richardson - contend that Georgians will be taxed less with the GREAT plan, and that local governments “simply want to keep their power to raise your taxes regardless of whether you can pay them.” While Richardson and his underlings are selling this GREAT plan across the state, they admit the details haven’t been ironed out yet, and the legislature will “fine Dr. Jokhai Columnist TfeMitor | Red streaks or changes in skin color REFERENDUM QUESTION 1 SUNDAY ALCOHOL SALES (Vote for One) Shall the governing authority of Centerville, Georgia be authorized to permit and regulate Sunday sales of distilled spirits or alcoholic beverages for beverage purposes by the drink? OVES O»0 REFERENDUM QUESTION 2 AMENDMENT OF AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION FOR PERSONS AGED SEVENTY OR OVER (Vote for One) Should the homestead exemption from city ad valorem taxes * within the City of Centerville be amended so that the amount of the homestead exemption from city ad valorem taxes within the City of Centerville is limited to $25,000.00 of she assassed value of the homestead (as defined in O C.G.A §49-5-40) of each resident of the city, aged 70 years or older? 0«s O*o I 1 tK>3sn>»oiNaajt by the confession. “Do you just sit around and visit like this often?” “Well now, I tries to but I works too much,” the old man said, shaking his head. “Seems like the older I gets, the more I works. I works a lot over in McGee.” He laughed heartily, revealing a set of brilliantly white, straight teeth that flashed against his ebony skin. I joined his laughter. “Now, that’s not the way it’s sup posed to be.” Then, against my natural instinct of rush ing from hither to yon, I took another lawn chair and plopped down between them. Just like I had nothing else in the whole world to do. “There you go!” chuckled the younger one. “Just pull 'Don't let the smooth taste fool you' tune” it during the upcoming session. Urgh. Here are just some of the problems I have with this GREAT plan. The first clue that not much research went into the plan is found in the acro nym itself. Taking the first letter of every word, Get Rid Of Every Ad Valorum Tax spells GROEAVT, not GREAT. Somebody should have caught that. Secondly, the notion that folks in Atlanta realize our financial needs better than our local elected represen tatives is simply ridiculous. These same folks in Atlanta are the ones that are sending $1.4 million less to our small, rural school system than they were five years ago. Have our educational needs decreased by $1.4 million during that period? Heck no! The state has merely passed the buck to local governments to pro vide a larger share of essen tial services, which would happen even more if we left them in charge of ALL tax money. Additionally, who are we going to complain to? It’s much easier, and more effec tive, to register a gripe with | Red spots, blisters, corns, or Calluses Drainage on your sock H Dry, cracked, or scaly skin | Thick, yellow, or ingrown toenails | Slow-healing sores A tingling, cold, or burning sensation | Numbness OPINION up a chair and join us.” So there for the next little bit, we visited, sharing our stories of who we are and from where we come. The old man said he had recent ly returned from a visit to Chicago and found the folks up there to be a lot differ ent than us in the South. He shook his head. “I likes it better here. Where you headed?” He asked, shifting in his chair. “Memphis.” “Well, you got a ways to “Your old man ain’t with ya?” asked the younger one. I laughed and shook my head. “I ain’t got an old man. Ain’t got a young man, ain’t got a no man.” I held my hands out, palms up and a city council member, or a county commissioner, or a school board member, when they live in our neighbor hood, than with an elected official in Atlanta. The larger government gets, the less responsive it is to its constituents. Of course, this proposal holds a lot of appeal with folks who will benefit from it. The losers will be those who don’t. A quart of milk will cost more, but not a yacht. That said, expect some deep pockets to get involved in the ensuing debate. To quote George Bernard Shaw, “A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the sup- I 9 9g||||||^H mk Jfi&F \ * 3m l y Jwt * jhbs^. BE iJI gg r REWARD Claim your SIOO cash reward from Security Bajik! 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She smiled wearily. “How’s the peanut busi ness today?” I asked. “Ain’t none too good today.” She shrugged and joined in the conversation. Even good things like lei surely conversations with good people can’t last, so soon, too soon, I pulled myself out of the chair and said, “I sure hate it but I’ve got to leave port of Paul.” Here’s hoping Peter DISCOUNT PRICES) Total Quality Since 1962 Home • Workshop • Garage • Vinyl Complete Exteriors Brick, Wood or Vinyl With Wood or Concrete Floors 478-953-3200 » 1455 Aultman Rd. • Fort Valley, GA DAVID OVERTON JEWELERS We Buy Gold Scrap!! Bring It In And Let Us Weigh It. 905 Downtown Carroll St. • Perry 478-987-1392 Security Bank www.securitybank.net Member FDIC y’all. Memphis calls.” “Wanna buy some peanuts ‘fore you go?” she asked. I paid her but when she reached for the bag, I stopped her. “Give it to someone else who needs their day bright ened.” “You a nice lady,” com mented her old man, smiling with approval. I shook my head. “Y’all made me smile today. I just want to pass along.” So, still smiling, I saun tered to the car and, at a more leisurely pace, headed on to Memphis. Ronda Rich is the best selling author of What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should) and The Town That Came A-Courtin’. doesn’t let the smooth taste fool him. APOLLO QUALITY BUILDINGS, INC. Any Size, Color or Style •Jewelry Repair & Cleaning •Watch Repair •Engraving •Appraisals •Estate Jewelry •Class Rings 5A DISCOUNT PRICES 53723 Hours: Mon. -Fri. 9:3oam-s:3opm Sat. 9:3oam-2pm 154049 !55088