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Time For A Decision
On Metro Phone Calls
Some local residents have been
waiting for a long time for the Pub
lic Service Commission to decide
whether or not Cumming and sec
tions of Forsyth County will be in
cluded in metro Atlanta toll-free
direct dialing.
The Public Service Commission
(PSC) has indicated it will make a
decision on the issue early next
month.
The question of whether or not
the area should be included is a
controversial one, because there
are numerous residents who call
Atlanta frequently and some that
hardly ever call Atlanta.
Should those residents who
hardly ever call Atlanta be subject
to possible higher rates?
Meanwhile, should those resi
dents and businesses that call At
lanta daily be charged more than
some in the southern part of the
county?
The PSC knows that at some
point the line will have to be drawn
that metro service can not be
extended all over the area sur
rounding Atlanta.
Forsyth County residents push
Long-Range Program
For Economic Trouble
A long-range economic program
proposed by presidential candidate
Ronald Reagan could put the
United States on a course of more
financial trouble.
The proposal discussed by the
candidate numerous times since
his acceptance speech following
his republican nomination, has
been filled with contradictory
goals of simultaneously cutting
taxes, increasing defense spending
and at the same time, balancing
the federal budget.
Reagan has called for a 10 per
cent across the board tax cut every
year for the next three years. Eco
nomic experts say that plan would
result either in a large amount of
federal spending cuts or new bud
get deficits.
His priority of increasing de
fense spending indicates his spend
ing cuts would come from social
Viewing Budget Requests
Not Always An Easy Task
The Forsyth County Commis
sioners are in the midst of one of
their most difficult times while in
elected office reviewing and de
ciding on departmental budget re
quests.
It appears the commissioners
are taking an appropriate amount
of time to realistic view each de
partment’s request during
workshops set aside to discuss
what will be feasible.
... . .
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EDDIE STOWE
PuWiVHfl Editor
ROGER HENDERSON „ S , MEM * R J ,N
Aduertiiing Director Clwsitied t Production
Published every Wednesdey by The Forsyth County Newt Company Second CUH Postoje pi id it: Post Office in Cumming,
Georgia under Act ot March Ith in IP7 Subscription rites in Forsyth end idiicent counties If 34 per yeir. including Stile Sites
Tut. Other Georgil counties end out of sttte 112 4 per yeir. includes sites In.
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ing for the service are not alone in
their quest. Several other areas,
such as Covington, have been
fighting the battle for a time, too.
The PSC should act responsible
in its decision and how it will affect
the phone users of Forsyth County.
Before the public service com
missioners deny the request alto
gether, or move to include the
entire county into the service, it
might consider what alternatives it
has.
One option considered would be
to provide one-way calling from
Forsyth County to Atlanta at a
small charge, but charge more for
calls from Atlanta to Forsyth
County.
The decision facing the public
service commissioners is not a
new one. They know what their op
tions are and how it can affect lo
cal residents.
The burden to make a plausible
decision rests with those officials
we elected to handle such issues.
Residents look for a decision of one
kind or another and no more long,
drawn out indecisions.
programs that now benefit the dis
advantaged. Additionally, wealthy
Americans would get the bulk of
the envisioned tax relief.
Huge tax cuts could trigger a
new round of double digit inflation
that would hurt the average fami
ly’s budget.
Another problem with Reagan’s
economic program is that prom
ising precise tax and budget cuts
as much as three years in advance
is unrealistic. Even colleagues
such as former president Gerald
Ford have made this point re
cently.
No one knows for sure what the
nation’s needs or problems will be
36 or 48 months from now, and no
one knows for sure whether tax
and budget cuts will really be nec
essary, desirable, or possible in
1983 or 1984.
As in most cases when it comes
time to figure the budget, the total
dollars in the requests outweighs
the total revenue estimates.
It’s not an envious job to decide
what has to be cut and what will be
allowed.
We appreciate the time our com
missioners give to these difficult
decisions and trust their final ac
tions will be to the best benefit of
each department.
Some Tips That Might Help
Writers Of Letters To Us
Letters to the editor, or what the
News calls “Voice of the People," is
one of the most interesting and impor
tant parts of any newspaper publica
tion. Besides giving the reader an
opportunity to express opinions and
ideas, it also provides the paper some
most timely and provocative copy.
The potential of a column like “Voice
of the People” is only exceeded by the
impact of the individual letters. Each
one, whether it contains rebuttal,
praise, or new thoughts, should be com
plete and well presented.
In order for a letter writer to achieve
his desired effect, it’s imperative that
he develop all features of his letter to
the fullest. He must avoid mistakes in
content and reasoning.
If a letter is in reference to a past or
future event, it’s important that this be
pointed out in the beginning. Doing this
prevents confusion on the part of an un
familiar reader.
It’s also important that letter writers
avoid overstatements. If an issue is ex
aggerated or magnified, things may
Friends Can Be Special
If you are lucky, you are married to
your best friend, like I am. Sometimes,
Hugh is too busy when I need to talk
about a certain problem. Quite often,
he is not available or I know he is too
tired to listen.
Therefore, I am grateful for other
friends who can listen and not always
feel they have to have all the answers.
This column is for them.
Do you know how very important you
are to me? Do you know that your will
ingness to listen unhurriedly to my
thoughts makes you very special in
deed? Are you aware that your
thoughts and your dreams and your vi
sions are important to me, too? Did you
know that each time we talk I learn
something of value from your insights
and your unselfish attitude?
If you don’t know these things, let me
assure you that they are all true. There
have been many times that I felt better
because you were there when I needed
an ear to hear and a shoulder to lean on
for just a little while.
Two New Features Begin
With this week’s issue, The Forsyth
County News will begin two new fea
tures.
These two features will be in the
newspaper each week, hopefully of
added interest to our readers.
One of the features will be written by
consumer expert June Fuller and will
discuss how to save or earn money
through coupon and refund offers. The
new feature is entitled “The Coupon
Clipper” and will give tips on how a
shopper might save up to SIOO a month.
Ms. Fuller says that manufacturers
of national-brand supermarket prod
ucts made almost 7,000 refund offers
last year. With the information in The
Coupon Clipper, readers might turn ev
ery box top and label in their kitchen
into cash, she says.
The author of the column encourages
readers to take advantage of the col
umn, which at times may be written in
installments.
The new feature will probably be lo
cated in The News in the area of the so
ciety pages each week, and should
appeal to those who do the grocery
shopping.
Through a mini survey, The News
has found that this type of feature has
generated much interest and response
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become distorted. It’s a good idea to
stick to solid facts.
Generalities, too, can often lead to
unclearness. Vague ones are the most
destructive. Specifics in a letter make
it much more effective.
Name-calling is another item the
writer should watch. An accused per
son or group may not completely fit the
label they are given, which, therefore,
misrepresents the picture. It’s best to
control name-calling.
When making comparisons and de
ductions in a letter, one should exhibit
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The times this happened may be
vague in your mind, and perhaps they
were not as significant to you as they
were to me. Perhaps you do not recall
the times you listened patiently to my
tales of woe, but I can recall them. Per
haps they were just friendly conversa
tions to you, but to me they were more
significant.
You have often waited patiently for
me to talk out my frustrations and my
angers and then you quietly assured
me that it is all right to be angry as
long as it does not blind me to what is
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in other communities.
+ + +
The other feature we are starting this
week is written by Dennis Hitchman, of
Cedartown, Georgia.
The name of the column is entitled,
“Talking About Taxes" and will
usually appear on page 5-A, or adjacent
to the editorial page. The column may
sometimes appear on the editorial
page.
“Only two things in life are certain,”
says Hitchman, “death and taxes.” Of
that quote, he says, “The second cer
tainty, Taxes, has seldom received the
much needed attention it deserves.”
Talking About Taxes will be an infor
mative, sometimes humorous, some-
PAGE 4A
good sense and rationality. Logical
conclusions should be drawn from fac
tual statements. And it’s important to
remember that a premise must be true
in order for a conclusion to be true.
Another possible error in letters is
misunderstanding the relationship of
cause(s) and effect(s). One may think
that something has a single cause when
there are actually several causes and
vice versa. The key here is to explore
one’s subject matter to the fullest.
The final item which helps determine
a letter’s validity is whether or not it is
signed. A letter with it’s author’s name
at the end is usually taken more se
riously.
All letters must be signed, but names
may be withheld.
These points have been listed so that
individual writers will be aware of
those things which add to and take
away from a letter. It is hoped that
these will help to create a more accu
rate and informative letters column.
“Voice of the People” is open to any
one with something to say. All are
urged to use it.
really important. You look at the situa
tion from a different point of view and
you can see the forest and not just the
trees.
You have a way of making my prob
lems seem as important as your own
even when they are quite small by com
parison. When I begin feeling sorry for
myself, you point out that other people
have difficulties and that you believe I
am strong enough to handle mine. You
do it in such a way that my feelings are
not hurt and I don’t get angry. That
makes me feel better.
You point out that what we want is
not always what is best for us and that
most of the time we get so much more
than we deserve.
You make the rough road smooth and
the bumps and knocks of daily living a
pleasant ride.
When I began this column, I had
three special people in mind. However,
the list grew longer as I wrote. I realize
how truly blessed I am with somevery
good friends. I hope you are as lucky as
I am and your list is a long one, too.
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times opinionated public affairs
column, written to fully explore the
unique world of taxation.
The column is written in non-techni
cal language, easy to read, to provide
information on a subject common to all
of us.
Hitchman says, “...the whole spec
trum of individual taxation is explored
not through dull discourse, but
rather, by use of entertaining, real life
commentary.”
We begin these two new features with
the hope our readers will benefit from
their contents and will be an addition to
our weekly package.
Week by week, we offer a variety of
features and columns. There are others
that are available to us.
If there is enough response from our
readers about a particular subject or
feature, we will make efforts to provide
the information to you.
If you have suggestions, please direct
them to the attention of the editor, The
Forsyth County News, 107 Dahlonega
Street, Cumming Ga., 30130.
We’re interested in hearing from
you.
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THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS—WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,1980
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Dollar Now
Change
The other day, I got stuck with some
Susan B. Anthony dollars.
It was at the post office. I had bought
some stamps, and the clerk handed me
a pile of change. I should get back more
than this. Ten stamps don’t cost that
much. I looked again. Not quarters had
I in my palm, but the correct change in
Susan B. Anthony dollars.
I don’t like the darn things.
Neither does anyone else I know. I
was at a country convenience store the
other day. The clerk said she didn’t see
very many and volunteered she didn’t
like them, either.
And she spoke with some passion,
too. It was not in the manner of pre
ferring Pepsi to Coke, but with feeling,
downright dislike.
The treasury’s multi-million dollar
advertising campaign.
Now, there are lots of good, solid,
practical reasons to dislike Susan B.
Anthony dollars.
They are easily confused with quar
ters, for example. I spent my Anthony
dollars the next day. The proprietor of
the store dropped them into his pocket
so they wouldn’t go into the quarter
bin.
Anthony dollars are heavy and
clunky. I carried my Anthony dollars in
my pocket for a couple of hours until
they began to get in the way. Then I left
them in a pile on my desk.
Coke machines won’t take them. De
cals explaining “the new dollar conin’’
won’t fit are becomming common
enough to remark upon.
But I suspect the dislike of the An
thony dollar is much deeper seated
than mere inconvenience.
Americans see their dollar shrinking
before their very eyes.
Sustained inflation like we have ex
perienced since the mid-19605, so far as
I know, is unique in American history.
There have been short bursts of infla
tion, as in the late 1940 s when the rate
hit 14 percent annually for a brief pe
riod, but never something like we are
experinecing now.
For Europeans, it is different. My
landlady in Germany talked vividly of
the barter economy after the Second
World War, or how she and her hus
band had traded wine from the family
vinyard to eat, of how the Hitler-era
Reichsmarks were worthless and that
there was nothing to replace them. As a
small girl, she experienced the hype
rinflation of the 19205, when the mark
was worth literally billions to the dol
lar, when workers were paid daily,
when the price of a cup of coffee could
nearly double while it was being drunk,
when a wheelbarrow was valued more
than the money which filled it.
But we have never had that here. All
our experience is with losing our jobs,
not our money. Newspapers are gener
ally pretty sparing with their capital
letters, but even the wire services,
which govern newspaper style, capital
ize the Great Depression. My father
still talks of it. All our tax and welfare
laws have been influenced by it.
Money is worth something because
we think it is.
Gold, for example, is a soft malable
metal. It has some uses in high technol
ogy electronics and until it got too ex
pensive, it was widely used for filling
teeth.
But people believe in gold. When war
clouds loom, they buy gold. As the dol
lar erodes, they buy gold. As one econo
mist told me once, “to buy gold is to
vote against the dollar.”
It didn’t used to be like that. My fa
ther told me a war story once about a
friend of his who was caught in the
American embassy in South Korea in
1950 when the Commusnists struck.
The friend had to set out across country
alone and on foot to escape. He had su
pected trouble was coming and had
prepared a survival kit. It contained
some food, a pistol and a large quantity
of good old U.S. dollar bills. The cash
money was the most valuable thing he
had. That was what got him through.
You couldn’t do that now, though,
and people know it.
But people want to believe in their
money. They want it to mean some
thing, to be valuable. That 20 years of
saving for the kids’ college just has to
be worth something.
And in this day and time, that belief
is harder and harder to sustain.
Deep down inside, everybody knows
the dollar isn’t what it once was.
They don’t want the Susan B. An
thony dollar to remind them that the
dollar that meant so much only a few
years ago is now only pocket change.