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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
