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PSC meeting in
Roberta is an
important one
Georgia Representative Robert Ray has spent a very long
time working on a larger toll-free dialing area for the citizens of
our area. Elsewhere in this edition is an article pertaining to the
meeting to be held in Roberta on October 22.
The PSC is holding an informal hearing to hear the views of
those of us who have little or no toll-free phone access.
Now that metro Atlanta has been somewhat broken up by the
added 706 area code, perhaps the people of Middle Georgia
could be afforded some access to toll-free phone service.
This is a subject often discussed among us, especially if we
have teenagers! It is a time when your voice can be heard and it
could affect the feeling the PSC has about the problems we en¬
counter.
It is long distance across the street in many of our areas and
we do have the added confusion of different phone companies
serving our area.
It is our hope that we will take advantage of this forum to let
our voices be heard to ask for greater access to free phone ser¬
vice.
More on the annex
After last week's editorial comments on the Byron Annex,
Wes Smith, son of Post 1 Commissioner Johnny Smith, called
to say he felt the treatment of the commission had been unfair
and unjust.
He stated that the Byron annex wouldn't cost the taxpayers of
Peach County any money at all; that it would be paid for out of
interest money earned on the Hospital Bond money after the
bond was retired.
He also stated that he felt the people of Fort Valley did not
want to do anything for Byron and that his community has been
ignored for years.
We are happy to give Mr. Smith equal time on our editorial
page whether or not we agree with his views.
Another view on the
Dear Editor:
Will the lottery help educa¬
tion? NO!
When lottery money is dedi¬
cated to education, legislators sim¬
ply take away an equal or greater
amount of money from the general
fund that now supports education.
Financial World, 2/20/90
Because lottery revenues fell
14% in California in 1991, Califor¬
nia schools received $176 million
less than expected. This reduction
contributed to salary and job cuts
at already strapped school districts.
A recent poll found 46% of the
states’ adults now opposed to the
lottery, up from 21% in 1985.
BusinessWeek, 11/4/91
Leon County, Florida, school
officials announced more than 100
Opposition to 1% sales tax
Dear Editor:
I want to ask that our citizens
vote NO to the imposition of a 1%
sales tax to be used only for land¬
fill purposes.
If the tax is approved by the
voters as presented, the revenue
from the tax can be used only
toward landfill costs. We will not
need $6,000,000 over the next 5
years for landfill costs, but if this
request is approved, that will be
the only way the revenue can be
spent. As an example, we could
not use any of the revenue for
Industrial Growth, no matter how
much new jobs may be needed in
the county. Peach County could be
placed in a position where there is
an overflow of funds in a landfill
account while other pressing needs
of the county go lacking.
There is no question that addi¬
tional revenue is needed for land¬
Which one would you pick???
Dear Editor:
What a line-up for president
we have this election year. Vote
Democratic and you’ll be voting
for the solution that got us the
financial problems our nation faces
today. More federal involvement,
more federal bureaucrats, more
federal programs, etc. The Demo¬
cratic party line is more govern¬
ment and is no better.
Republicans on the other hand,
say less government is better. But
when I think Republican these
days I think "no new taxes", (presi¬
dent), Sadam Hussan, potato(e).
Vote Independent and get a
genius of a businessman but obvi¬
ously politician (not). Beside he
doesn't want to be president. We
may elect him, he may turn out to
The Leader-Tribune Wednesday, October 7,1992
layoffs because of funding short¬
falls.
Atlanta Journal - Constitution,
9/16/90
Revenue shortfalls last year
resulted in the largest decrease in
education spending since the reces¬
sion of the mid - 1970’s. General
revenue money going for educa¬
tion in Florida has decreased by
7.1% since the lottery money
began.
Tallahassee Democrat, 3/14/90
“Linking a lottery to educa¬
tional funding is a mistake, as
demonstrated by a growing body
of evidence from other states.”
Georgia RT A. Board of Managers
Memo to local units, 9/30/90
Sincerely,
Billy Dick
fill purposes, but I contend that we
should not limit the proceeds from
this tax to only the needs at the
landfill.
Regardless of who the voters
elect to represent them on the
County Commission for the next 4
years, doesn’t it make sense to
give these representatives time to
study the needs of the county and
be certain that more needs than just
the landfill are covered by the tax,
rather than go by the recommenda¬
tions of a lame duck Board where
the majority who approved this
have been voted out of office?
In six months, your new
County Commissioners can present
to you a plan for a 1% tax which
will be of more overall benefit to
the county. Please vote NO to this
tax.
Charles Bartlett
be great and quit in February. Then
who would be president? Who is
the Independent party's vice presi¬
dential candidate anyway, does
anyone know yet?
Whomever you decide you
want next month, the important
thing is that you go to the polls and
pick just one. This is the system
our parents gave us. It may not be
perfect, but these days it is the sys¬
tem that's in just about everywhere
but Cuba. The way I see it, any¬
thing Castro doesn’t like is good
for me.
1992 presidential line-up;
Choice A; Draft dodger. Choice B:
No new taxes (again). Choice C:
Politician (NOT)
Bruce Wright
I
Lottery support is on the decline
Back in the spring polls showed that two thirds of
Georgians were in support of Gov. Zell Miller’s state
lottery. By the summer that support was down to 63
percent of those most likely to vote. And the most
recent poll that was conducted during September 3-
20 showed lottery supporters down to 57%.
It is apparent that Georgia voters are beginning
to the real about a state run and
that is that it might not be
good for the state and for
cation as they had been told
our esteemed governor
In fact, it appears that
Governor Miller is
alarmed as to whether or not
state lottery will pass on
November 3. He has begun to
throw out new carrots to Geor¬
gia voters in the form of college
scholarships to be financed by
lottery money. I believe the
deal is that if you graduate
from school with a B aver¬
age (or something akin to that), then you will be eligi¬
ble for a two (or is it one) year college scholarship,
and that scholarship will be renewed for another year
(or longer) as long as you maintain that B (?) aver¬
age.
Come on Zig Zag. You have already promised
away the expected $250 million lottery revenue a
year to kindergarten's for four year olds, and other
educational projects, so pray tell me how there could
be enough money left to give college scholarships to
all students in the state who graduate from high
school with a B average? I don’t know what percent¬
age of our kids graduate with a B average, but I
would imagine it would be a rather large percentage.
Gov. Zig Zag has also been challenged to
debate the worth of a state run lottery with a repre¬
sentative of a statewide group opposed to it. He
respectively declined to debate on the grounds that
he didn't want to give any publicity to those who
oppose lottery. Remember, this is the same man
who, in 1988 as Lt. Governor, gave many of the
same reasons that lottery opponents use now as to
why a state run lottery would be bad for our people.
Boy, what a turn around!
I had a conversation this week with our company
attorney Tyron Elliott over a legal matter, and he point¬
ed out two interesting things to me about a lottery.
First, he said our state had a lottery back in
1866.This lottery apparently was not the type we are
Goodbye Stadium, hello Dome
1 went to Atlanta last Sunday to watch the
Braves play their last regular season game
against the San Diego Padres.
I wanted to go not only because it was the last
game to the regular
season, but because it was the
last game to be played in the
regular season in Fulton County
Stadium.
I love that stadium. My dad
and granddad used to go up
there to watch the Braves play
during their "lean" years. I can
remember my dad, my grand¬
dad and myself sitting in the
club level deck, when the atten¬
dance was about 3,500, with
what I remember to be a five
pound bag of roasted peanuts, (granddad took his
own; always a BIG bag).
We would by an iced Coke and prop our feet on
the rail and eat those roasted peanuts. By the time
we got finished, there would be a mound of peanut
hulls surrounding us.
I took two pounds of pistachio nuts with me Sun¬
day (we had friends with us and I wanted to be
prepared) and I sat around cracking open pista¬
chio nuts. No, I didn't throw any of the shells at
anybody; I like to think that I have outgrown that
stage.
Anyway, I ate pistachios and watched the game
and reminisced. For some reason, when I started
eating those pistachios and reminiscing, they just
didn't taste as good as those peanuts used to.
I watched the Braves' bullpen blow a three run
lead. That seemed like old times. They went all
the way to the 12th inning to do it, though.
I remembered Dale Murphy, God bless him, my
hero. He stuck with the braves through some pret¬
ty rough times, and he always did well, even dur-
<3he iCeaber-Onbune
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I
feuding about today, but it was a lottery, something to
do with freeing the slaves, I would assume.
Tyron also pointed out the fact that Gov. Miller is
asking the voters to allow the state to become
involved in criminal activity. Right now it is a crime for
a private citizen, or group, to be involved in a lottery
(gambling). If the constitutional amendment for lot
is the
Ml ■» ML Bob
Tribble,
Publisher
further, Mr. Elliott suggests. We could find a suppos¬
edly good cause for revenues produced from prosti¬
tution and pass a constitutional amendment putting
the state in the business of running houses of prosti¬
tution. We could go even further with this idea and
have the state sell hard drugs with the money made
to go for a good cause, he concluded. Something to
think about.
I am encouraged by the latest poll showing 57%
of voters supporting lottery, down a full ten points
since the spring. We who oppose lottery are now
within striking distance of defeating it!
I am disappointed in one area of the poll results
that showed 67% of our black citizens supporting lot
tery. This is disappointing to me because many of
those who lottery will hurt the most will be those
blacks themselves living at the poverty level, or on
limited incomes. Our black leaders need to step for¬
ward and tell their people the truth about a lottery
and who will get hurt the most by its passage. They
need to be told from the pulpits as well as from the
public arenas.
Other interesting figures from the poll show only
42% of those over 55 supporting lottery, 44% of likely
Republican voters supporting it, 59% of Democrats in
support, 55% of males in support, 65% of indepen¬
dents in support, 66% of those 18-35 in support, and
60% of those with family incomes of over $50,000 in
support.
ing those ’learf'Vearswhen the-rest of the blub
used to struggle,
And Bob Horner. Third base seemed kind of
lonesome without him, even though he used to get
Kevin
r
see the players on the field from deck level. If the
Braves are ahead in the sixth, and it starts raining,
the umpires can call the game and the Braves get
the win. That's something that the powers that be
may want to think about before they close Fulton
County Stadium. It could come in handy.
The Georgia Dome is supposed to be a better
facility. I watched the first game the Falcons
played there. I can't remember who was back to
receive the kickoff for the Falcons, but he looked
up to track the ball and it disappeared...into a myr¬
iad of light banks and glare. A football is dark
brown and rather large compared to a baseball.
Besides that, a baseball is white; not an easy
to detect in the glare of lights on a silver back¬
ground.
It's not that I am against the Dome. It may be a
good idea. I just like open-air stadiums. There
used to be a big saying that went something like
"i'll do that when the lights go on at
Park!" The times they are a changin’.
I just wonder if the peanuts will taste as good in
the Dome.
be all right for our state to run a
lottery, but it will still be a crime for
our citizens, groups, or what have
you to run lottery (or gambling
houses). Only the state will be
allowed the privilege to legally
commit the crime of running a
gambling house.
Mr. Elliott went on to point
out that our Governor was selling
the evils of a lottery on the
assumed good it would do (a
good cause). It will help the chil¬
dren of our state.
We could several
hurt a lot and spent most of his
career with Atlanta on the dis¬
abled list. That's o.k., 'cause he
was good, too.
You know, the way I remem
ber the Braves during those
years, it's a wonder they didn't
win the World Series every year
from '74-'86. I guess that’s one
of the good things about memo¬
ry; you can make it selective.
I think I always associated
baseball with Fulton County Sta¬
dium. It is open. You can still
That's
Entertainment
Jackie
Cooper
Columnist
3*
The BCSt OI
OOITI { AC vi
the summer
Video Review by Jackie Cooper
Three of the best comedies of
the summer are now available at
your local video store. All three
have bright stars, loveable plots,
and super funny stories. They star a
Dolly, a doggie, and a dummy. And
they are all delightful, delectable,
and delicious. Enough of that, on
with the video news.
Dolly Parton has not been able
to turn her enormous charisma into
a major movie hit since Nine To
Five , but she came close this sum¬
mer with the wonderfully endearing
Straight Talk. In this movie she
glows as an ordinary woman mis¬
taken for a psychologist This gives
her a chance to espouse some down
home humor that makes sense and
charms the country.
In the movie Dolly not only
pops some great one liners, she also
gets to have a movie romance with
James Woods (not a brilliant casting
choice). Plus there is one great Dol
ly song after another playing in the
background,
Straight Talk didn’t find its audi¬
ence in the theaters but it should on
the small screen.
My Cousin Vinny had a bit of
box office success and should be
equally successful as a video. This
Joe Pesci/Marisa Tomei starrcr is a
hoot and a howl. Nobody can play
dumb as a fox like Pesci, and no
one can play smouldering but smart
like Tomei. These two are a comedy
kamikaze team, willing to do any¬
thing to get the laugh.
The South takes a few jabs in
the movie, but then so does the
North. Vinny (Pe$ei) is a fresh to
w the lawyer who
courtroom has a girl
friend who wants marriage. When
his cousin gets caught in a murder
situation in Alabama, Vinny and
friend head south. The legal system
is not ready for Vinny nor is he
ready for it. But you had better be
ready for laughs for there are plenty
here.
Probably the funniest of all three
of the comedies is Beethoven , a
movie about a Saint Bernard and
his obnoxious master (Charles
Grodin). Beethoven, the dog, is a
great comic actor. He can make the
smallest situation funny and the
most overdone jokes seem fresh. In
short the dog can act.
Grodin is at his best as the man
who doesn’t want to love the dog
but does. And perennial good guy,
Dean Jones, is great as a villainous
veterinarian. But belter than either
is the dog. He is a real howler.
After these comedies you might
want to view a video that is way out
there, as far as entertainment goes.
So try High Heels, a movie by con¬
troversial director Pedro (Tie Me
Up, Tie Me Down) Almodovar. In
this movie he creates a love triangle
composed of a mother, her daugh¬
ter, and her daughter’s husband.
That is a sticky wicket but it gets
worse when the husband is mur
dered and mom and daughter both
become suspects.
Almodovar’s genius is in his
ability to intensify all situations.
This he does in High Heels with
precision and delight. It's not your
typical movie but maybe you are
due for a change.
Brigette Bako looks as though
she would be right at home in an
Almodovar move. She is sexy and
smashing and has the potential to be
a big, big star if she can get some
good roles. Right now she is con¬
centrating on being a sex symbol, at
least that is the idea you get from
watching The Red Shoe Diaries.
She and Billy Wirth heat up the
screen in R rated and edited ver¬
sions of Zalman King’s film. King
is the director who brought us Wild
Orchid and Nine and a Half Weeks
so you know what to expect. He
doesn’t disappoint.
Lorenzo Lamas is a sex sym¬
bol of sorts. He made a lot of
hearts flutter when he was a
weekly staple on Falcon Crest.
Following the cancellation of that
show, he has used his good looks
to fashion a career in B movies.
He has starred in Snakeater I and
II. Now he is back in “III” still
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