Newspaper Page Text
♦ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2008
4A
EDITORIAL
Daniel F. Evans
President
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
GUEST COLUMN
Water, transportation, education
and health should dominate session
By SEN. ROSS TOLLESON
There was no down time last week, no time to get
reacquainted, as the 2008 Session of the Georgia
General Assembly got underway. Gov. Sonny
Perdue gave his annual State of the
State Address on Wednesday and
outlined his vision for the state and
made his budget recommendations.
He is focusing on those kitchen
table issues that affect all of us
- water, transportation, education
and health.
During his speech, Perdue pro
posed a constitutional amendment
to eliminate the state portion of
property taxes that residents pay on
homes and automobiles. This will provide approxi
mately $94 million in tax relief to Georgia property
owners, beginning in fiscal year 2010. He also reaf
firmed his commitment to the Senior Income Tax
Credit to spur economic development by attracting
new retirees to the state.
In his budget, the governor is recommending that
public schools benefit from some of the flexibility
that charter schools enjoy through new contracts
between the state and the local school systems.
These contracts will require clear and measurable
accountability standards and will link the flexibility
with student achievement. Additionally, he is propos
ing $65 million in his amended FY 2008 budget pro
posal to fund two priority needs for schools - trans
portation and technology.
As part of his education package, Perdue is pro
posing sl4 million in the FY 2009 budget to create
the Very Important Parent Recruiter program for at
risk elementary, middle and high schools, another
$14.4 million to continue funding the graduation
coach program and $6.4 million in lottery money for
additional pre-kindergarten slots. For the third year
in a row, teachers will receive SIOO gift cards to pur
chase classroom and library supplies.
In addition to the regular seniority raises, the gov
ernor is proposing a 2.5 percent pay raise for teach
ers, so they are expected to remain the top paid
educators in the Southeast. State employees will
receive a 2.5 pay increase, and he is recommend
ing supplemental salary adjustments for employees
paid less than 85 percent of market in critical job
classifications.
When it comes to transportation, the governor is
recommending a Transportation Infrastructure Bank
to provide low interest loans to complete transpor
tation projects for local governments, public transit
agencies and community improvement districts. This
will be a SSO million revolving loan fund to be paid
back and made available for new roads, bridges and
transit. He also has proposed $230 million in motor
fuel funded bonds for the Governor’s Fast Forward
program to promote short and long-term conges
tion relief, spurring economic development, adding
capacity to Georgia’s highways and improving the
efficiency of the existing highway network.
We took up two rather significant pieces of legisla
tion last week - the Business Security and Employee
Privacy Act and the Statewide Water Management
Plan. I supported the Business Security and
Employee Privacy Act, which will allow gun owners
with concealed weapon permits to leave their guns
in their vehicles while they are at work and will allow
those with a permit to carry concealed weapons in
state parks and recreational areas. The Senate
worked hard to please those on both sides of the
issue of this controversial bill, but I think most people
were pleased with the final result.
The Senate and House also passed the Statewide
Water Management Plan last week. As chairman
of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, I was
very involved in its development, and I believe you
will find that the proposal identifies a set of statewide
water management policies that will guide sustain
able use of Georgia’s water resources. While it is
not a plan to address the drought conditions we cur
rently are experiencing, the implementation of the
State Water Plan will ensure that future water needs
will be met while protecting natural systems and
See TOLLESON, page 8A
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Foy S. Evans
Editor Emeritus
Nicole Crofutt
General Manager
Don Moncrief
Managing Editor
■fs*'- :> Iflß
hhL
Ross Tolleson
Senator
On holding ponds, other issues
While we are getting 2008 off
to a good start, there are a
few things we are adding
to The Houston Home Journal. For
some time we have been without a true
social columnist.
Starting this past weekend, Julie
is writing a new column covering the
social side of town. I hope you will
enjoy this addition and will use it to
share your social news.
Also, you have probably noticed
Porky’s column on page four. Porky’s
column will be another great addition,
giving a view of the political side of
things with a little different flair.
■■■
I sit dumbfounded watching the news
as they talk about Mexico not extradit
ing the Marine that killed his girlfriend
because he might be facing the death
penalty. I say let them keep him!
■■■
It concerns me to see all the valu
able land in Houston County getting
used up as holding ponds. I understand
somewhat the need for storm water
control, but there has to be a better
way.
I think the governments should be
the one to set up area or regional
/ Wow! These hearings \
f clearly outline a solution \
Nv to all the state's problems... )
— n /^^ah..just^hrowT^
feS ( mone * at them! y
Avoiding the money pit
Financial habits can make nr braak a marriage
What is the number
■ lone cause of conflict in a mar
riage?
Answer: Money.
Any spouse who has had an argu
ment over a bank account balance
will tell you that household finances
can cause serious marital discord. Yes,
most married couples list money as
the biggest source of conflict in their
relationship and one of the primary
reasons they break up.
Why does money generate such a
visceral response? One reason is that
we usually hold our view of appropri
ate financial management very deeply
- often as a result of the way we were
raised. Our parents provided the exam
ple of appropriate money management
from our earliest years, for good or
bad. We grew up thinking mom and
dad were the norm with the way they
managed their finances. And though
we may know better now, our view of
money is ingrained in us.
Some grew up with the idea that
long-term financial security is the very
reason for working hard now. They
hate the thought of being in debt. They
shop for bargains ... to an extreme.
They clip coupons.
Others watched their parents use
money and possessions to prove their
significance and status. They earn
money so they can spend it. Their
motto - “You can’t take it with you.”
Unconcerned about accruing debt,
they view bargain hunting as a waste
of time. They are more likely to spend
their bonus on a new boat or an exotic
vacation than to put it into savings.
So, what happens when “spenders”
and “savers” marry? It happens a lot,
because, after all, opposites do attract.
Or, what if two spenders unite in
holy matrimony? Are they destined for
bankruptcy court? And will two savers
get married and live penny-pinching
Editor and Publisher J
deuans@evarsnewspaiiers.com WV
"It concerns me to see
all the valuable land in
Houston County getting
used up as holding ponds.
I understand somewhat
the need for storm water
control, but there has to
be a better way”
ponds, not the landowners. We pay
taxes for that!
It just takes too much land and
money to build a small building with
a pond to be feasible. What you once
could build on one acre, now takes
Columnist H ■'s&s
Georgia Family Council
lives trying to out-save each other?
Let’s look at the kinds of real-life
conflicts that can occur in marriage
around the issue of money.
The first and biggest problem mar
ried couples face comes from a failure
to communicate.
Some couples will talk about sex
more readily than they will reveal
their attitudes and mistakes regarding
money. Without knowing how the other
views money and prioritizes expen
ditures, they can neither understand
nor respect each other’s method of
handling money. Their lack of commu
nication breeds distrust of the other’s
financial astuteness.
I heard about a couple once who pro
vide the perfect example of how this
approach can breed serious trouble in
a relationship. A friend of mine and his
wife served as mentors to an engaged
couple, Joe and Sara (names have been
changed to protect the guilty).
Joe and Sara were attending pre
marital counseling when their mentors
took each aside to talk privately about
money. Joe admitted to my friend that
he had $30,000 of debt in student loans
that he had not mentioned to his fian
ce. Simultaneously, Sara revealed to my
friend’s wife that she had $70,000 of
student loans and had likewise planned
to wait until after their marriage to
tell her fiance. Imagine - SIOO,OOO in
undisclosed debt this couple would
have to work through together. It was a
stunning blow to this relationship.
"One voice can make a difference"
three.
Sure some big companies can absorb
this, but not small businesses. I see
hundreds of feet of pipe put under
ground to hold back run off. I would
think the best thing would be for it to
get in the storm sewer and get down
the road as soon as possible.
We have had dry seasons for the past
few years. If we have some wet years
like we have had in been in the past,
our mosquitoes will have plenty of
breading ground!
■■■
After listening to the presidential
debates, it seems all they want to talk
about is the difference in parties. I’m
tired of the party talk! I want to see
something done.
In my opinion party bickering is kill
ing this country. I think it time for an
Independent to take office.
Maybe Nunn, Bloomburg or some
body will jump into the ring.
■■■
Is Brady going to miss the Super
Bowl? I would like to see Manning
against Brady. I would like to see Eli
have his day! I know it’s tough to
walk in your father’s shoes, but your
brother’s, too?
To keep money from tearing at your
relationship, discuss financial issues
regularly. Set aside a time to talk and
figure out how you view money as a
couple. Some couples find it effective to
make an appointment to have coffee or
breakfast out on a Saturday morning
just so they make sure to cover all the
important details without the children
overhearing. (The cost of a babysitter
is well worth it, believe me.)
Determine how you can improve
upon your parents’ financial practices..
Decide how much you will save per
year. Discuss your material priorities.
Once you know how your spouse
regards money and why, you can take
several steps to prevent actions that
lead to conflict and distrust. Set a
household budget and develop a sav
ings plan. Never buy expensive items
without your spouse’s knowledge
and agreement, and decide with your
spouse how much an item must cost to
be “expensive.”
If you and your spouse cannot agree
on how to spend luxury money, con
sider creating a “luxury budget” and
splitting it into equal accounts for each
of you.
Talk with your spouse about how
and when you spend money on your
children.
It takes compromise and purposeful
planning to resolve conflicting meth
ods of handling money. But if you com
municate with each other, you can dis
cover your strengths and weaknesses
as a couple, combining the strengths to
build a stronger financial - and marital
- relationship.
Georgia Family Council is a non-prof
it organization that works to strength
en and defend the family in Georgia by
equipping marriage advocates, shaping
laws, preparing the next generation and
influencing culture. For more informa
tion, go to www.georgiafamily.org, 770-
242-0001, stephen@gafam.org.
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL