Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, May 25,2022
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3B
Gold Dome Update: 2023 budget signed in Blue Ridge
By: Sen. Steve Gooch
(R-Dahlonega)
Last week, in a ceremony held
in Blue Ridge, Gov. Brian Kemp
formally signed House Bill 911
into law, representing the state’s
budget for the upcoming 2023
fiscal year. The FY23 budget is
set by a revenue estimate of just
over $30 billion, representing an
increase of nearly 11 percent
over the original 2022 Fiscal
Year Budget. A few years ago,
many would not have expected
us to be in the position to pass a
budget like this. Throughout the
worst days of the pandemic, the
legislature was forced to make
deep cuts in order to keep essen
tial government services and
operations functioning. We were
met with dire warnings about the
future of our state and our ability
to remain financially stable was
questioned. However, thanks to
the steady hand of Gov. Brian
Kemp and his team, along with
conservative budgeting practices
in the General Assembly, we
passed what may equate to the
best budget this state has ever
approved. In fact, this budget
permanently restores approxi
mately $669 million in cuts made
during the height of the pandem
ic and provides historic invest
ments in many key sectors.
This budget, like many others
we have passed, places a special
emphasis on education, health
care and public safety. However,
the FY23 budget has a few
unique provisions that all
Georgians deserve to receive. As
noted, Georgia is in an enviable
economic position, having been
among the first states to open
back up for business following
the COVID-19 pandemic. We
trusted our workforce to find
innovative and safe ways where
they can continue to provide ser
vices their communities depend
on, while protecting the liveli
hood of themselves and their
employees. As a result, Georgia
experienced an economic boon
and is currently experiencing an
astounding 3.1% unemployment
rate at a time when other states
are still struggling to make ends
meet. To show our appreciation
for the reliance of Georgia’s
workforce, this budget calls for
returning over $1 billion back to
where it belongs - the pockets of
the taxpayer. This will take the
form of tax refunds between
$250 and $500, depending on fil
ing status for all Georgia taxpay
ers. In addition, several weeks
ago, Gov. Kemp called for a sus
pension of the gas tax to provide
even more financial relief to
Georgia’s families.
Education is the area which
typically receives the most fund
ing in Georgia’s budget and this
year was no exception. In fact,
this budget contains the most
state funds ever appropriated to
K-12 education. Aside from fully
funding the Quality Basic
Education Formula, it fully
restores austerity cuts made to
education during the COVID-19
pandemic by providing over
$388 million to K-12 education.
This budget also fulfills the
Governor’s promise by granting
educators an additional pay raise
of $2,000, bringing their total
raise over the past few years to
$5,000. Additionally, the budget
expands high-demand career pro
grams at Georgia’s Technical
Colleges, bringing additional
opportunities to Georgia’s stu
dents and industry partners.
In the realm of healthcare, this
budget also invests historic sums
to protect life at all stages.
Specifically, $28 million has
been allocated to extend
Medicaid coverage for new
mothers from six months after
birth to twelve months after
birth. These extra months of care
are critical, as the first year of
development can have such a
long standing impact on a child’s
future. Additionally, care for
Georgia’s foster youth was also a
priority in this budget, through
increasing the annual clothing
allowance by $275 per child and
by establishing two community
action teams to address children
who are at risk of entering the
foster care system, as well as
over $6 million to address invest
ing in alternatives to the practice
of “hoteling” children with com
plex needs.
Public safety is of critical
importance in Georgia’s cities
and rural areas alike, and this
budget provides for a holistic
view of how our public safety
dollars can best be spent. The
FY23 budget provides funds for
an additional Georgia State
Trooper school of 75 cadets to
further expand one of Georgia’s
most elite crime fighting units. In
addition, the Human Trafficking
Unit, operating under the Office
of the Attorney General, was
expanded, with a new gang pros
ecution Unit also funded to tack
le the growing threat of criminal
gangs on Georgia’s streets. The
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
(GBI) has also reported a back
log in cases, largely attributed to
the pandemic, and this budget
recognizes the importance of
solving these cases efficiently by
allocated over $10 million to
expand the medical Examiner’s
office at the GBI. HB 911 also
better equips the GBI with the
resources they need to investigate
any irregularities that may arise
in Georgia’s election. This was a
key priority for the legislature, as
our democracy demands secure
elections and those who attempt
any form of fraud deserve to be
investigated.
The provisions under this bud
get will go into effect when the
new fiscal year begins on July 1,
2022. While this just presents a
brought overview of the state’s
budget for the upcoming fiscal
year, the entire language of the
legislation is available online on
the General Assembly’s website.
If you have any specific ques
tions about any line items in the
budget, please do not hesitate to
reach out to my office.
Sen. Steve Gooch serves as
Majority Whip of the Senate
Majority Caucus. He represents
the 51st Senate District which
includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer,
Lumpkin, Union and White coun
ties and portions of Forsyth and
Pickens counties. He may be
reached at 404.656.9221 or via
email at steve.gooch@senate.ga.
gov
Doodle vs. the squirrels
Sometimes it feels like I live in the
middle of a Disney movie, with all
the sweet animals that walk up in my
yard and feel right at home.
A family of deer visits daily, and
are practically tame.
There’s a fluffle of bunnies we see
every spring.
A murder of crows who will call
for us to feed them.
And squirrels.
Lots and lots of squirrels.
Bold, brazen, assertive squirrels, too.
We’ve even grown to the point of being
able to recognize certain squirrels and have
named one cheeky little rodent Baby.
Doodle is not very pleased with our inclu
sion of the squirrels and rightfully so.
She has had some not-so friendly encoun
ters with them in the past.
Maybe they witnessed what Doodle did to
a baby bunny when she was just a wee pup
and they feared they would meet the same
grisly fate.
Or maybe she tried to catch one once.
Whatever it was, there was tension
between my little pittie-mix and the front
yard habitants.
Since Doodle is not a barker and prefers to
just look at something real hard, she could
often be found staring at the squirrels in the
yard through the screened portion of the
porch.
Head down, eyes locked, and the
fur raised on her back, she would be
frozen in her spot as she watched her
prey.
As ferocious as she is in her own
puppy mind, she never expected the
squirrel to do the unthinkable.
Rather than being scared by her
intimidation tactics, it charged
towards the porch.
Being the terrifying watchdog that she is,
Doodle screamed and ran back inside, look
ing for Ava to protect her.
The German shepherd had to get off the
bed and go outside to defend Doodle from
the squirrel and its army which had emerged
from the trees.
With a satisfied bark, Ava went back inside
and hopped back on the bed, and Doodle
looked quite smug, knowing she had some
one to scare off her arch enemy.
The squirrels seemed to have the memory
of an elephant as one beaned Doodle on the
head with an acom one evening as we sat by
the fire pit.
At first, I thought it was just one falling
from the tree that hit her.
But then another came down.
Doodle yelped.
Then one hit me.
“Ouch!” I yelled.
I heard the squirrels chatter above my head.
“Hey!” I yelled. “I give you peanuts! You
SUDIE
CROUCH
Columnist
shouldn’t hit me!”
Doodle was not happy about their retalia
tion, but retreated, planning her revenge for
another day.
She was having another stare-down contest
with one a few days later when it took an
unexpected turn.
Not only did it charge towards the porch,
but it ran up a nearby tree and then jumped
towards the rail.
Doodle backpedaled like Scooby Doo and
ran inside. She didn’t even bother to get Ava
this time, evidently thinking the squirrel may
be bold enough to attack her packmate.
It worried me though. Baby came up on the
porch rail all the time, and I hated to think
that because she feels so familiar with us, and
even Ava. who never had a mean bone in her
extra-large body, that she would feel safe with
Doodle.
“I’m scared she’s going to get Baby,” I told
Lamar one morning.
He frowned. “It’s possible. You remember
the possum?”
I shuddered. He had spared me from seeing
it, but that had hurt our feelings. Doodle was
normally so sweet and cuddly like a toddler;
the thought she had such a strong prey drive
was alarming.
“She seems so passive the rest of the time,”
“It’s the terrier part of the pitbull in her,”
Lamar said. “They were bred to hunt vermin
and go after things like that. The rest of the
time, she’s in her own little Boo-Ann world,
and gets scared if anyone raises their voice.
But if it’s something she thinks is a rat, she’s
like the Terminator.”
As I worked one morning, I heard what
sounded like something knocking on the win
dow.
I was a bit alarmed, as I was home alone
and didn’t know who would get that close to
the house to tap on a window; I also was wor
ried they could see me sitting there in all my
pajamified glory working.
I slowly looked around and saw at the
kitchen window, the chubby little squirrel
we’ve come to love, Baby pressed up against
the glass.
“My stars,” I murmured to myself. She’s
hungry.
I got up and grabbed the peanuts, and as I
opened the door to the front porch, she
hopped down and ran ahead of me, pausing
every few steps to make sure I was going to
give her the nuts.
“You are a brave little squirrel,” I told her
as she shimmied down to the grass below. “If
Doodle had run out here just now, you may
have met Jesus.”
As I tossed her the nuts, I noticed a dozen
other squirrels making their way to grass in
front of the porch, eager for me to throw them
some nuts.
Seeing how Doodle would be greatly out
numbered and knowing she had spent a solid
10 minutes pouncing on her own shadow ear
lier, maybe Baby was safe after all.
Sudie Crouch is an award winning humor col
umnist and author of "The Dahlman Files: A
Tony Dahlman Paranormal Mystery.
Tinks Heart: She Said.. .He Said Part Two
(This is the second of
a two-part series.)
In all my borne days,
I have never seen any
one who eats like John
Tinker.
Occasionally, he has
breakfast. Sometimes,
he has lunch. But,
ALWAYS, he starts eating
toward the end of the afternoon
and does not stop until he brush
es his teeth for bedtime.
Never, does he eat a bite after
brushing his teeth. I understand
because he spends a solid 15
minutes flossing and brushing.
It’s one of the annoying factors
of our marriage. His metabolism
is so rapidly fast that, in half an
hour after a huge meal and des
sert, he will say, “I’m hungry.”
When we settle down at night
to watch a film noir on Turner
Classic Movies, he will get up
from his chair and cross in front
of the TV, for three to
four round trips to the
kitchen. He returns,
clutching cookies, pea
nuts, and, often, with a
screeching loud bag of
pretzels.
He eats like an eight-
year-old latchkey child
whose mother allows him to sus
tain on junk food.
I was a chubby-cheeked child
and teenager until, finally, I
resolved to lose the long-lasting
baby fat. The majority of my
days, since I was 16, have been
spent either on a diet or, silently,
counting calories. Too, I have
exercised more days in my life
than I haven’t. It is a prison in
which I am serving a life sen
tence.
Given my druthers, Ed live on
Cheetos and ginger ale. And, I’d
never climb another hill or
drudge along on an elliptical for
a determined half hour. Ed, also,
eat until I was close to sick the
way I was when I was 12 and ate
three big bowls of Mama’s
hearty homemade potato soup
with two chunks of cornbread.
Lying, miserably, in bed that
night, I promised myself and
God that I would never eat that
much again.
I haven’t.
So, aside from crunching bags
and television interruptions, I am
mad that Tink can eat like an
adolescent linebacker and never
gain an ounce of fat.
He never leaves the comfy
chair in his office except for an
occasion quick dash to the bath
room or, more likely, a trip to the
kitchen where he studies the
refrigerator like a chess player
about to make a key move.
A couple of times a day, I’ll
stop by his office and instruct,
“Move your legs so you don’t get
a blood clot.” Several years ago,
a cardiovascular surgeon friend
of ours warn that we should
“brake pedal” our feet during our
frequent five-hour plane trips
between home and Los Angeles.
I don’t believe he thought that
the technique would have to be
implemented at home where we
are free to roam around the house
or walk the acres of the
Rondarosa.
“One of these days....” I keep
saying to Tink, who has learned
quickly the mountain way of
“payin’ no never mind.”
I thought “one of these days”
had finally arrived. Both of
Tink’s brothers had suffered
some heart issues and when the
healthiest one, who exercises
vigorously and eats healthy,
needed surgical intervention,
Tink said, “Maybe I should be
checked.”
He made the appointments. On
R0NDARICH
Columnist
the night before the results of the
litany of tests were to be
explained, he was restless.
Worried. Even scared.
“Oh baby, what if?”
I felt compassion and tried to
comfort him. “Then, we will
thank the Lord that we caught it
before it caught you.”
With hung head and furrowed
brow, he went off to the doctor’s
office for the big news. Forty five
minutes later, he called.
“Aha!” His voice rang with
glee. “Em in perfect health. All
my arteries are clean!”
“Dang.” A stream of annoy
ance ran over me. I will not lie.
“Are you serious??”
He howled with laughter.
“This really gets you, doesn’t it?”
“Em glad that you are okay,” I
replied calmly. “Jesus is being
awfully sweet to you.” I paused.
“Because one of these days...”
This is Ronda's side of the story.
Tink told his side in last week's col
umn.
Kade
Moledor
receives
a hand-
off dur
ing the
spring
game.
Rio White
Dawson
County
News
wk
fM
FROM 1B
Football
According to the team’s MaxPreps
page, seven of the ten games have been
scheduled. While rival North Hall will
be moving up to Class 4A next season,
the Tigers and Trojans are scheduled to
face off on Friday, Sept. 2.
Also, Pickens County will be mov
ing into Dawson’s region.
With last year’s roster containing
many seniors, next season will allow a
bulk group of juniors and sophomores
to solidify roles on the team.
FROM 1B
Golf
we were playing in the high
70s. Two days of 90-plus
weather was difficult to adjust
to.”
That score of 662 was only
two strokes behind last sea
son’s third-place finish at the
State Championship, showing
the strength of this year’s
qualifiers and the difficulty of
the previous year’s golf
course.
However, the individual
scores were an improvement,
as Hughes shot 16 strokes bet
ter than he did at last year’s
state championship.
“Alex was incredible both
days. He was so consistent,”
Anglin said. “Alex has always
been extremely strong with
his putter and that was on full
display at State. He is an awe
some kid that showed every
one why he is one of the best
golfers in AAA.”
The next-best scorer for the
Tigers was Christian Roper,
who shot rounds of 81 and 83
to finish at 164. Jeremy Ray,
one of the most improved
players on the team this sea
son, shot rounds of 88 and 89
to finish at 177.
Seth Jackson rounded the
four scores counted toward the
team’s final aggregate with a
178 after rounds of 91 and 87.
Also playing were Will
McNatt and Logan Casey who
shot 183 and 195, respectively.
While Hughes, Roper and
Jackson will be graduating
this year, returning players
include Ray, McNatt and
Casey.
