About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2023)
PAGE 7 A Send a letter to the editor to P.O. Box 1600, Dawsonville, GA 30534; fax (706) 265-3276; or email to editor@dawsonnews.com. DawsonOpinion WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 This is a page of opinion — ours, yours and others. Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writers and artists, and they may not reflect our views. An update from the Just part of the job of being a mama Gold Dome: Week 10 By Steve Gooch Senate Majority Leader (R — Dahlonega) With week ten of the 2023 Legislative Session coming to a close, the Senate remains hard at work thoroughly analyzing and vetting bills from across the hall in committee and debating and voting on measures on the Senate floor. Since the gavel fell on Legislative Day 28, Crossover Day, the Senate has passed more than 60 House bills and resolutions. This week, the Senate took action on a number of bills addressing areas of concern like school safety and emergency prepared ness. Here is a brief update on legislation of note that received passage in the Senate during Legislative Days 32 through 35. This week Governor Kemp signed House Bill 18, the amended state budget for fiscal year 2023. This is a wide rang ing and responsible budget that takes advantage of the historical budget surplus our state has and also gives a significant amount back to the taxpayer. The Amended FY 2023 Budget includes $745 million towards the funding of K-12 education, including teacher pay raises, as well as $61.2 million towards fully funding the HOPE schol arship. With conservative fiscal management, the Senate Republican Caucus prioritized putting taxpayer dollars back in your pockets. Georgians will be receiving $1 billion in property tax relief for homeowners, aver aging $500 per homestead and $1 billion in tax refunds; $250 for single filers and $500 for joint filers. In addition to the tax refunds provided in the amended budget, individual tax payers who filed income tax returns for both the 2021 and 2022 will receive up to $1 bil lion in the form of a one-time tax credit due to HB 162 which was also signed by the gover nor. The Senate began the week by taking action on House Bill 147, legislation endorsed by Governor Kemp. Carried in the Senate by my friend and col league Sen. Mike Hodges (R - Brunswick), HB 147 seeks to establish a school safety and anti-gang endorsement for eligi ble certified professional per sonnel issued by the Professional Standards Commission. Known as the “Safe Schools Act,” HB 147 addresses an area of concern that we are all too familiar with, school safety. As you well know, emergencies in schools have become all too prevalent not only within the borders of our state, but across the nation. Gov. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp have devoted much of their service to Georgia ensuring schools and teaching facilities are safe for all students, teachers and educa tional staff. Under HB 147, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency would require specific school safety plans to be submitted to the agency on or before December 31, 2023. In addition, HB 147 would require public schools to partic ipate and complete intruder alert drills by October 1 of each school year. By implementing these requirements for emer gency preparedness, we can guarantee increased safety and security for students and teach ers in Georgia’s public schools. I was proud to support this mea sure because it is prudent that schools in Georgia are equipped with all the necessary tools and resources to keep students and teachers safe. Keeping on the theme of pro tecting students, Senate Rules Committee Chairman Senator Matt Brass (R-Newnan) brought House Bill 440 to the Senate floor for a vote. Aimed at providing much needed dia betic resources to students, HB 440 would allow authorized medical professionals to pre scribe, and pharmacists to dis pense, undesignated ready-to- use glucagon to school nurses and trained diabetes personnel. In turn, public and private schools would have the oppor tunity to acquire and stock a supply of glucagon for students and faculty. Glucagon can be administered as an injection or nasal powder and is most effec tive for those who suffer from Type 1 diabetes and experience an emergency situation where they have very low blood sugar. Granting increased access to glucagon in public and private schools is prudent to ensure Georgia’s students are properly equipped with the necessary tools they need to stay healthy and safe while at school. I was proud to support this legislation and see it receive passage with bipartisan support. In other news, I am eager to provide you with an update on legislation from across the hall that is moving through the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities. House Bill 406 serves as the House counterpart to my legislation, Senate Bill 146. Both bills function in a similar fashion, laying the groundwork for the rapidly growing electric vehicle industry in Georgia. On Tuesday, the Senate committee had the pleasure of hearing from the bill’s sponsor and my co-chair of the Joint Study Committee on the Electrification of Transportation, Representative Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper), as he brought House Bill 406 before the committee for consider ation. On Thursday, the bill was favorably reported out of com mittee. Significant investment in EV charging infrastructure is in the near future, and Georgia must be prepared to ensure the uniformity and capability of electric vehicle chargers for consumers. I also presented SB 146 in the House Committee on Technology and Infrastructure Innovation and fielded ques tions from members. I hope to see this bill move out of com mittee and to the floor of the House for a vote soon. I am happy to report that on Wednesday Senate Bill 193 was favorably reported out of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications. It was then passed by the House in a bipartisan unanimous vote on Thursday. As I have previously outlined, SB 193 works to sup port and increase access to Georgia’s broadband internet services by preparing Georgia for state and federal grant pro grams to expand broadband deployment across the state in underserved areas and require the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to determine locations eligible for state or federal funding programs administered by the state. I will continue working with internet providers around the state until all Georgians have access to affordable high speed internet. With five legislative days remaining in the 2023 Legislative Session, we are quickly approaching the dead line for all legislation to be granted final passage. I antici pate the upcoming days and weeks to be exceedingly busy as we near the finish line. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns regarding and proposed or passed legislation. It is an honor to serve you here in Atlanta. Sen. Steve Gooch serves as Majority Leader of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents the 51st Senate District which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union and Pickens Counties and a portion of White County. He may be reached at 404.656.7872 or via email at Steve. gooch@senate.ga.gov. One of my least favorite things about my son being 18 is how certain establish ments seem to think that means my role as his mother has ceased. These folks evi dently have not met me or the women who came before me. Our children are very much our business. In the past, if Cole had an expe rience with a business and wasn’t getting a response, I could reach out and let them know I was his mother and that the situation need ed to be rectified. After he got the runaround a couple of years ago with an online order. I contacted the customer ser vice team and he had his refund in a day. “Why didn’t they do it for me?” he asked. “Because,” I said. “They proba bly knew you were a teenager and wouldn’t know how to tell them how wrong they were.” No, I wasn’t being a “Karen” - a misnomer I strongly dislike because all the Karens I know are lovely people. But I know how to point out the grievances so they will know to take care of it. I’m not rude, either, unless they get rude first. I was raised by a Jean, who taught me to be nice first. Always. Mama always started out being nice. She probably came across as a willowy, auburn-haired angel try ing to get some help until someone was just downright rude and mean. Then her persona changed into a fire-breathing she-devil, especially if her Kitten was being wronged. One time in particular came to mind as I was fuming over a recent customer service snafu where the business was taking their sweet time to refund my child’s money. I had gone on a big shopping spree, buying up some clothes to stay home and read in over the summer break. One of the pieces was a lovely long floral Ralph Lauren dress. It was quite expensive and prob ably the most I had paid for a dress ever. I’ve never been a fan of trying things on in the dressing room. No, instead I prefer to buy them, bring them home to try on and return what didn’t fit or more aptly, what didn’t fit right. “At least it’s a departure from your normal mini-skirts,” Granny commented. I rolled my eyes and ignored her comment. It was different from what I normally wore but it was going to be a dress that would make me look like a heroine in a romance novel or at least that’s what I told myself when I bought it. I was 14. What did I know? As I gathered up the dress to slip over my head I noticed it zipped on the side instead of the back. When I inspected the zipper a bit closer, I also saw there was a great big hole along the seam of the zipper. “It’s got a hole in it,” I told Mama. “Where?” “On the side, by the zipper.” “You’ve got your receipt don’t you?” Of course I had my receipt. I wanted to revel in all the shopping I had done that day. “Did you take the tags off?” “No.” She had run out of reasons why I couldn’t take it back. “I guess you want to take it back now. don’t you?” “Please.” Mama sighed. As we pulled up to the sidewalk, she ordered me to not dilly dally as she was waiting in the car. There was no dilly to dally as the clerk was quite adamant I couldn’t return it. “I have my receipt, the tags are still on it. I just bought it earlier and it has a hole in it.” “You can exchange it for another one.” the shrew of a lady insisted. “There’s not another one over there in my size. I looked this morning.” The store manager approached. “What seems to be the problem?” “This young lady is trying to return this dress she bought this morning.” “Oh?” “It has a hole in it.” “How did it get a hole in it?” the manager demanded in an accusato ry tone. “I don’t know,” I said. “Are you sure you don’t know?” he asked, literally looking down his nose at me. “Did you wear it somewhere and tear a hole in it and now are trying to return it?” “No,” I said. I was shocked. I had never been talked to like this before by someone in a store. “I just bought it this morning.” He looked at the clerk and then sizing up the fact I was clearly very young, said, “Well, we just need your driver’s license so we can take care of this.” The clerk added a smug smile to go along with it. “I don’t have a driver’s license.” “And why is that?” “I’m 14!” I exclaimed. “Oh, well, you just need to come back with a parent then.” “I’ll go get my mom right now.” And, I did. I found her sitting there at the curb with her window rolled down, Virginia Slim hanging out the window. “Mama, they said I need a driv er’s license to get my money back and they were really rude and hate ful!” “Say that one more time?” I repeated myself and Mama’s blue-grey eyes narrowed and she somehow exited the car with one swift motion and stormed into the store, cigarette ablaze. “You didn’t need an ID when she spent several hundred dollars in here this morning!” she bel lowed as she charged towards the counter. She wasn’t nearly as tall as Granny, but suddenly she seemed like she was close. And to be a skinny woman, she sure could be loud, her voice reverberating through the store so fiercely, I think the crystal in the Home sec tion dinged. “We all know you have a return policy because my mother has come across several dresses in here reeking of stinky perfume and hav ing makeup on the collar - so why can’t you let my daughter return this defective dress?” With each sentence, her voice went up an octave. “Ma’am, please, lower your voice and calm down.” Probably the worst thing to say to a woman but especially to my Mama. “We were just worried she was a teenager who had shoplifted the dress — we’ve had a few incidents of that happening recently.” the manager lied, trying to cover. “She had the receipt. The tags were still on it. She bought it just a few hours ago, probably from this very woman who evidently has been sucking on a lemon since 1963, based on her expression. You will give her her money back right this minute. Do you understand me?” The man stammered as he opened the register and took out the cash. “Give it to my daughter,” she ordered. “Give her the receipt too, because we’re bringing every single thing she got back — and she will never give you one penny ever again.” “Mama!” There were some shorts I really liked. When we got back in the car, Mama looked at me. “I mean it, Kitten. Once we take everything else back, I don’t want you shop ping in there ever again. You got it?” I nodded. I didn’t like it, but I got it. “Thank you for getting my money back. Mama.” She shrugged. “Just part of the job.” “What job?” “Being a mama,” she said. “Standing up for your kid and making sure no one is trying to ran over them is just part of the job.” It’s a job with no retirement either, regardless of that kid’s age too. Sudie Crouch is an award winning humor columnist and author. SUDIE CROUCH Columnist Remember Vietnam veterans March 29 March 29. 2023, is National Vietnam War Veterans Day. It is a national recognized day usually only participated in by those men and women who served in the Vietnam Era and their families. Over 2.7 million Americans served during this war, over 57000 did not make it home and 1581 remain Missing in Action. Every year, March 29 acknowledges and hon ors anyone who served during the war’s 20-year time. Respect and support wasn’t immediately given to those that served. The Veterans returning home were met with disdain from their fellow citizens, spat on, pelted with rocks and called “baby killers”. The Vietnam War Veterans Day was founded in 2017 to final ly offer that respect to everyone involved. Understanding that it wasn’t the soldiers’ choices to go to war, legislation was introduced and then signed by President Trump on March 29. 2017 calling for U.S. flags to be flown on this day to honor everyone who served during this time, whether they were in Vietnam or not. Every year this national day has continued to be recognized on March 29 and aside from honoring those who fought, the day also rec ognizes the service of the Armed Forces and support organizations during the war; the wartime contri butions at home; the advancements in technology, science and medi cine; and the contributions by American Allies. Vietnam Era Veterans of the North Georgia Mountains will gather at Dawson County’s Veterans Memorial Park to honor the day and remember those who did not come home. A bell will toll their memory, words will be spo ken that underscore the War, and the camaraderie of those who served will be evident in tears and jubilation. All Vietnam Era Veterans are welcome to join VVA Chapter 970, 11AM at the Park. We hum bly ask the community to pause during the day and quietly thank those that served, so many of whom and their families remain impacted and affected by the war. “Never again shall one genera tion of veterans abandon another.” Don Brown Dawsonville SB 233 isn't going to help most kids State Sen. Steve Gooch’s refrain about Georgia’s “failing schools” insults many hard-working Georgians, women, who care tire lessly in their classrooms, leading, guiding, directing, focusing, and loving their students. SB 233 will not help the majori ty of Georgia’s 3 million children have a better learning experience. Georgia’s schoolchildren need more counselors. Coroner Ted Bearden reported in DCN that already in 2023, Dawson has expe rienced three or four suicides; we are still first in this regard. Of our 159 counties, only 59 have a private school. Average pri vate school tuition is $11,700; most parents making this choice provide transportation; their chil dren are car riders in densely pop ulated suburban areas. Over 11,000 school children lost their primary caregiver, parent, as over 35,000 people died of COVID. Social media still pinches happy, positive and productive child development. Civil dis course, kindness and caring in our communities has reached a new lows as cultural and class battles continue to divide us. Unfortunately. SB 233 is a hall mark of these politics. SB 233 will take millions away from public schools. A private school with 230 private students could steal $1.38 million. The Quality Basic Education (QBE) school funding formula needs revision, so that schools could hire one counselor for every 250 students, rather than 450. Psychologists and social workers should outnumber school resource officers. Children who find themselves impoverished, without parental bread winners caring for them, should receive additional school services — a weighted amount of money in QBE, based on their scarce income and instability at home. Healthcare, insurance, food and clothing become forgotten luxuries in those homes. For most of Georgia’s children, jumping on the big, yellow bus and spending the day at a public school with a hard-working teach er — at an average, annual taxpay er cost of $11,500 — is the best deal and their brightest promise for a secure future. SB 233 is nothing more than a handout to wealthier citizens who already have the money, position and location to grab the golden ring of power under the Capitol’s gold dome. Senator Gooch is working for the privileged few, not the best interest of all our children. Ellen Harrison Dawsonville
