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Tribune & Georgian
Opinion
Friday, August 16,2013
Vote yes in
November on
E-SPLOST
A s a society, one of the most important
things we can do is educate our young
JL JLpeople and prepare them to be pro
ductive, engaged members of the community.
It doesn’t matter if you have children of your
own. We all benefit when children are given
the tools to succeed. Those who have those
tools are more likely to contribute to the com
mon good and less likely to be a burden on
America’s taxpayers.
Camden County has done an admirable job
building a school system that has a good rep
utation on the local, state and national levels.
We have done so despite federal and state
funding cuts and despite an economy that
generates lower tax revenues than just a few
years ago.
The Education Special Purpose Local Op
tion Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) has been instru
mental in bridging the funding gaps that
might have further constrained our school
system. Voters have authorized this tax each
and every time it has appeared on local bal
lots.
In November, the Camden County Board
of Education will ask voters to renew the 1-
percent sales tax, which could generate up to
$43.6 million in revenues for our local
schools. We encourage local voters to con
tinue this important funding stream.
By law, the funds cannot be used on salaries,
but SPLOST revenues free up other funds
that can be used for salaries and other neces
sities.
The quality of instruction, programs and fa
cilities is not only beneficial to the students
who are enrolled in Camden County Schools,
but it also makes the county a more attractive
place for prospective residents and businesses.
A good school system is a major consideration
among companies looking to expand or relo
cate.
No one knows what financial obstacles our
education system may face in the next five
years. The continuation of E-SPLOST pro
vides an extra layer of insurance that the sys
tem will be able to meet its obligations well
into the future.
I ain’t never not used bad English
A s the regular reader of
this column can at
test, I’m not the
greatest champion for
proper English.
I know that sounds like
blasphemy coming from the
editor of a newspaper, but I
write my columns like I
speak, which means some
times I produce a run-on
sentence like the one you are
currently reading.
Proper usages of grammar,
past, present and future
tenses aren’t really my strong
suit either. A former teacher
made me keenly aware of
this many years ago when
she sent back one of my
columns with corrections in
red ink all over it.
Thus, even when I hear or
read misuses of my mother
tongue, I rarely correct.
That would be hypocritical.
But then again, in keeping
with the consistent hypocrisy
I’ve shown in writing this
column, I’ll make this one
exception.
I’m making this exception
not on the basis that this cer
tain violation of our lan-
Len Robbins
Opinion
guage particularly bothers
me, nor do I find it offensive.
I just believe that as a matter
of public service, it is my
duty to educate people if a
word they are using doesn’t
exist.
The word I speak of is one
I hear constantly, coming
from the mouths of babes,
mouths of non-babes, and
mouths full of mashed pota
toes alike. At first, I thought
it was an isolated incident,
like that first time I saw a
flash mob. But then, I no
ticed that it had engulfed
local language like a plaque
of chronic halitosis, or a flash
mob, whichever you find
least desirable.
The word I speak of is
“onliest.” It is used as in:
“This is my onliest right
arm.”
Apparently, people are
using “onliest” when trying
to convey the idea that an
item or person or whatever is
their one item or person or
whatever.
But what these people
need to realize — and mind
you, I’m not being critical —
is that the word “only” does
n’t need a more extreme
tense. “Only” is good
enough. It means that it is
the one right arm that you
have, the only one. Unless
you have two. In that case,
you may want to stop read
ing this column immediately
and consult a physician, or a
carnival.
For instance, you don’t say
“That is the worstest column
I have ever read.” You say
“That is the worst column I
have ever read,” unless it’s
this column, and then you
are allowed to use
“worstest.”
The biggest advantage,
though, for using “only” in
stead of “onliest” is that
“only” is shorter. That in it
self leans me toward “only”
I’m too lazy for that extra
syllable.
Again, I remind you that I
bring this message not to
mock anyone, but rather for
informational purposes. As
stated, I’m a strangler of the
English language myself and
don’t make it a habit of cor
recting people on their
strangulations, unless it is me
they are strangling. Or they
are on the Internet and insult
someone about their “gram-
mer.” In both those scenar
ios, I let them have it.
So, to conclude, I quote
the late, great Jerry Reed,
who in “Smokey in the Ban
dit” — an homage to im
proper usages — said “We
ain’t never not made it be
fore.” I couldn’t agree more.
I think.
Len Robbins is a regular Friday
columnist in the Tribune & Geor
gian.
Letters to the Editor
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Tribune & Qeorgian
P. O. Box 6960 — 206 Osborne Street
St. Marys, Georgia 31558
(912) 882-4927 - Fax (912) 882-6519
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Morrissey to run
for mayor’s seat
Dear Editor,
I am announcing my in
tention to run as a candidate
for the position of mayor of
the City of St. Marys in
Camden County.
My background and qual
ifications include that I am
currently serving a four-year
term as a St. Marys council
man, the last two years as
mayor pro tem.
I am an active member of
the downtown development
authority, the intracoastal
gateway committee and I am
one of two St. Marys repre
sentatives on the Camden
County Joint Development
Authority.
I have served on the ethics
committee for the City of St.
Marys and I am a current ad
visory board member for
The Salvation Army.
My professional career
was spent with a Fortune 500
corporation focusing on
strategic and international
procurement programs.
I retired and moved to St.
Marys to be closer to my
family and to enjoy the ben
efits of a smaller community
with great weather and nat
ural beauty.
I have several motivations
for running.
• St. Marys’ potential is
tremendous. I will use my
knowledge and experience
serving on council to work
with our city and county
economic development of
fices and regional and state
organizations to bring busi
ness and industry to the city,
realizing the potential we all
know exists for our city.
• I will continue to im
prove our quality of life. My
business background and un
derstanding of city business
provides me with the ability
to tightly manage city ex
penses while guaranteeing
the city provides a full range
of services, quality public
safety and responsiveness to
citizens’ needs.
• I will maximize our rev
enues. Having experienced
the recent recession as a
councilman, I understand
the need to control taxes and
to grow our tax base — espe
cially by adding more homes
to the tax base. I will con
tinue to make the city eco
nomically competitive and
attractive to homeowners,
utilizing strong marketing
efforts.
I am excited to be part of
the next three years of
growth for St. Marys and to
actively make change and
growth happen for our city. I
look forward to your vote in
November.
Your input is valued.
Contact me at Morris-
sey4Mayor@tds.net.
John F. Morrissey
St. Marys
Case stalls in
legal system
Dear Editor,
Several months ago, my
41-year-old challenged son
was sexually fondled in our
home by a male home health
aide employed by a local
home health agency. After an
investigation, he was ar
rested by the Kingsland Po
lice Department and
charged with a felony since
there was a history of a sim
ilar incident in another state.
As of now, we have not
been to court and I have
been told by the Camden
County district attorney’s
staff that our case is not high
priority, the reason we have
not gone to trial yet.
My son’s behavior as a re
sult of this incident and as
his mother, I want justice for
my son.
Further, after he was ar
rested, the man bonded out
of jail and could be any
where. I pray no one else is
going through what my son
was subjected to.
Viola Lewis
Kingsland
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