Newspaper Page Text
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY i, 1985
Legislative terms
A proposal before the state’s
General Assembly calling
for a constitutional amend
— ment to provide four-year
terms for the state’s lawmakers
deserves serious consideration.
It would be easy to dismiss such
an idea offhand with the argument
that lawmakers are more respon
sive to their constituents if they
face election every two years, and
there is credence to such a point.
Members of the General Assem
bly are likely to stay in tune with
the people they represent if they
are forced onto the campaign trail
every other year.
But there is another side to the
same argument which demands
attention. As the General Assem
bly now operates, production of
major serious legislation virtually
ceases every second year as mem
bers prepare to run for re-election.
In cases where a new legislator
is elected to a seat in the House or
Senate, freshmen often spend the
Rehabilitating words
A rose is a rose is a rose. But is a
criminal a rehabilitated offender
or simply corrected?
Such serious questions are being
posed at the state capitol by Rep.
Carlton Colwell, who has intro
duced legislation to change the
name of the Department of Of
fender Rehabilitation to the De
partment of Corrections.
Seems the Department of Of
fender Rehabilitation used to be
called the Department of Correc
tions, but the name was changed
during the administration of Gov.
Jimmy Carter.
Colwell is afraid not enough peo
ple understand what offender re-
Let the sunshine in
It has been a long time coming,
but an elected official in Georgia
has finally been indicted by a
county grand jury on charges of
violating the state’s sunshine law.
In the past, sunshine law cases
have entered the courts in the
form of civil litigation, but viola
tion of the open meeting law is a
criminal charge which should be
enforced. A grand jury in Colquitt
County has found enough evidence
to warrant a trial on seven counts
of violating the open meeting law.
Finding missing kids
The suddenly mushrooming plan
to place photos of abducted chil
dren on the sides of milk cartons
throughout the nation is a great,
humanitarian idea which deserves
the support of all who can help.
More than 100 dairies reportedly
have signed up to participate in
the idea, born in lowa, and said to
be taking root around the nation.
In a program officially begun
Monday in New York, a manufac
turer will feature photos of a total
of 24 missing children on milk
cartons which it distributes to dai
ries around the country. The dai
ries will have the option of using
the special message in lieu of
Forsyth County News
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EDDIE STOWE
PUBLISHER t EDITOR
HARRIET HOUSTON
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first year simply learning the
ropes, tiptoe through the second
year in hopes of winning re-elec
tion, and are into their third year
before making a serious contribu
tion to the legislative process.
Sen. Culver Kidd has offered the
opinion that approval of his propo
sal for four-year legislative terms
would entice new blood into the
legislative process by doing away
with the necessity, and the cost, of
frequent re-election campaigns.
Kidd’s proposal, already ap
proved by the Senate, faces the
prospect of tough opposition in the
House, and may well be defeated
or delegated to the a committee
for the duration of the session. We
would suggest at the very least
that the idea deserves serious de
bate and consideration by the
members of the House, since it
would still require approval in a
public referendum before becom
ing law.
habilitation means, and is
convinced more would know what
correction means.
Rather than belabor a question
of semantics a question which
could cost the taxpayers as much
as $30,000 in new logos, stationery,
etc. why not leave the state
agency name alone. We expect,
unfortunately, it rehabilitates
about as often as it corrects.
If a new name seems a vital
necessity, why not drop the eu
phemisms which no one really
understands and call the office
exactly what it is the depart
ment of prisons and punishment.
The county commission chair
man indicted for the sunshine law
violation may be found innocent,
but it is long past time that pros
ecutors and grand juries realized
that the open meetings law pro
tects a vital public interest, and
isn’t on th law books just to occupy
space.
Hopefully, all of the state’s
elected officials will monitor the
Colquitt County case and subse
quently review their own manner
of conducting public business.
regular advertising on cartons.
It is an outgrowth of several
local efforts, one of which paid off
last week when a 13-year-old girl
was found and reunited with her
parents in California.
Few things could be as trauma
tic for a family as having a child
missing and not knowing if that
child is alive or safe. This photo
on-a-milk-carton idea has already
relieved that trauma for one Cali
fornia family. On the chance that
it could pay off again and perhaps
numerous other times, we urge
participation in the program
throughout Metro Atlanta and the
nation.
Forsyth County News
V 1985 Copley News
I know how ‘Ma* Kettle felt
Couldn’t wash my hair.
Couldn’t take a shower.
Couldn’t flush the toilet.
Dirty dishes ruled the kitchen.
No “ice” cold Cokes.
And no mashed potatoes.
WATER.
I never really realized how much I take
for granted in this life until all-of-a-sudden I
have to exist without something.
And some things, you learned to exist
without.
You know, like money.
But then there are things like WATER
you either have it or you don’t have it.
Well, I didn’t have it for about three
days.
Of course, everyone says, “But oh, you
can learn so many lessons from such experi
ences.”
I learned that without water, I wake up
mad because I can’t wash my hair, I’m late
for work because eventually, all my clothes
do get dirty, and most important I can’t
cook.
I love to cook. And I love mashed potatoes,
especially on cold nights. But without water,
you can’t turn those instant spud flakes into
anything. And believe me, Seven-up just
don’t cut the mustard with mashed potatoes.
And just wait until they throw that
“Well, what do you think the pioneers did?
They had to go for their water...they didn’t
have dishwashers or ice makers...” at you.
Well, it just so happens that I was bom a
little bit later and the pioneers paved my
way to the dishwasher and to ice makers.
Also, I’ve had enough “pioneer” experience
going camping.
That one lump sum tax bill
Editor’s note: This is the second and final
installment of a series on the 1984 Statistical
Report of the Georgia Department of Reve
nue.
Annual property tax bills aren’t a wel
come sight for anyone, especially for resi
dents living on Lake Lanier, where property
values are sky high.
Perhaps the reason property taxes hurt so
much is that they come in one lump sum.
Throughout the year, however, we pay
sales taxes on things like groceries, furni
ture, clothes, etc.
And, because these taxes come in small
amounts, we don’t tend to notice them
unless we’re making a major purchase, like
a car, or if we keep track of all sales taxes
we pay.
As you might expect, food is the largest
source of revenue for the state in the cat
egory of sales and use taxes, according to a
1964 Statistical Report published by the
Georgia Department of Revenue.
Listing revenues from sales and use taxes
by business group, food is first at
$314,013,331; followed by automotive
sources, $266,517,695; utilities, $203,834,083;
general merchandise, $194,920,081; lumber,
$•5,879,815; services, $95,369,304; manufac
turers, $93,647,587; miscellaneous,
$77,982,122; furniture, $77,836,677; and ap
parel, $35,282,766.
Looking at all tax sources in the fiscal
year ending June 30,1984, the selective sales
tax produced $455,955,504; qeneral sales and
use taxes, $1,460,905,430; personal income
taxes, $1,466,065,619; corporation income
and license taxes, $326,946,901; motor vehi
cle fees, $50,864,922; estate taxes,
$13,715,897; property taxes, $15,377,252; mo
tor carriers, taxes and fees, $4,368,896; and
other taxes or fees, $15,349,981.
Total net revenue collections for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1984 were
$3,818,550,405.
Table 12 of the Statistical Report shows
1982 personal income tax data and 1982
Dawn
Holcomb
I^StaHWriterl
Like the time when we camped at Talullah
Falls and everyone said, “Dawn, if you take
off your clothes and sleep nude, then you’ll
stay warmer.”
They didn’t tell me that this was only if
you had one of the first-class sleeping bags.
Mine was homemade. And I was an ice cube
the next morning.
As for cooking, I’ll never forget the time
that it was my turn for kitchen detail and
Jimmy Millwood and I had to cook. We woke
up bright and early, fixed some coffee and
then started the bacon. When we tried to flip
the bacon, it all fell out right there on the
ground.
I took it to the creek real fast and washed
it off. Then we hung it on the clothesline to
drain. Of course, Jimmy and I did without
bacon that morning but everyone else ate it
up.
At last count, they’re all still alive.
But I’m just not your basic pioneer and
will never claim to be. I guess that why the
good Lord decided to welcome me to the
world in the 19505.
That’s why doing without water was such
a traumatic experience for me. I mean, I
felt like Ma Kettle just lugging a big ol’
metal pot down to the lake to get water just
to bathe in.
Chuck
Thompson
News Editor
earnings by county of residence.
For our county, it shows 9,891 returns
were tabulated (35 returns per 100 resi
dents) and total adjusted gross income (less
deficit) of $192,528,769 ($19,465 per return).
Net taxable income for 1982 in Forsyth
County was $131,654,471, with $6,143,837
worth of tax liability ($621 per return).
Returns tabulated in Cherokee County
numbered 18,879; compared to Dawson
County, 1,976; Fulton County, 243,805; Gwin
nett County, 74,528; and Hall County, 29,854.
The average amount of tax liability per
return in surrounding counties was $641,
History books show pictures of badly
eroded land in the United States during the
dust bowl days of the 19305. Although soil
erosion has not concerned most Americans
in recent years, it is not a problem that has
passed.
According to Lester Brown, president of
the Worldwatch Institute, there is a “mas
sive depletion of the world’s topsoil.”
That is one reason that world food prices
have risen greatly in recent years. It also is
one reason for the terrible famine conditions
in parts of Africa today.
According to Brown, studies of the U.S.
com belt indicate that for every inch of
topsoil lost, crop yields decline by 6 percent.
In much of the Third World, as well as in
the United States, fertile land has been
taken out of production for housing. As a
And to flush the toilet No wonder my;
Dad used to give me weird looks when I;
flushed the toilet more than one time. Do
you know how much water it takes to fill a
toilet tank? It takes two trips to the lake'
with that big ol’ metal pot for me.
And honestly, washing my hair used to be:
the joy of the morning. Except when you;
don’t have anything to get the suds out with.;
And when you’re trying to limit the water'
supply for this and that, there’s just no way
to completely get all the suds out of the curls;
in my head and I wind up going to work
looking like Alphafa from the Little Rascals.:
Then, there’s having to share your humble
abode with a pile of dirty dishes. You know,
I always thought they made paper plates for
summertime like picnics and outings and
such. Little did I know what a wintertime
necessity they can be.
It’s winter-snippers like the one we had
last week that turns my brown hair gray and!
puts muscles in my legs and arms from'
walking to the lake and lugging metal pots;
full of water.
And after three days of this so-called
"suffering,” it was a little bit embarrassing;
to find out that it was just our two condomi
niums that had been cut off from the maid'
water vein. S
So thanks to some of the other owners, and
after careful surveillance of the area, after
a leak search and after following the man'
around who does all the turning off and on of
the water, you can bet that it’s going to be a
real cold day and I mean a cold day —i
before I have to walk to the lake again.
That is, not unless the water man wants td;
help me lug that pot.
Cherokee; $440, Dawson; $756, Fulton; sßl9*
Gwinnett; and $526, Hall.
Net taxable income for these counties Was
as follows: Cherokee, $252,728,709; Dawson;
$20,245,534; Fulton, $3,686,739,080; Gwim
nett, $1,243,955,352; and Hall, $345,693,943.
Table 16 of the report lists counties iij
order by their 1983 mill rates.
Haralson County, in northwest Georgia,
had the highest rate that year 36.45, and
Towns County, in northeast Georgia, was
lowest, at 8.15.
The 1983 mill rate in Forsyth County was
29.14, including county maintenance and
operation, 5.57; county bonds, .44; fire dej
partment operations, 1.00; school system
maintenance and operation, 19.50; ands
chool system bonds, 2.38. __ \
Mill rates for surrounding counties that
year were as follows: Cherokee, 24.56; Daw
son, 20.52; Fulton, 30.62; Gwinnett, 25.25;
and Hall, 19.02.
Other views
result, more hillsides and marginal acerag}
have been plowed, which has increased ths
rate of soil depletion.
In some countries, like Ethiopia, re
sources that once went into fertilizers have
been diverted to armaments. This has re
duced yields and diminished ground cover
and formerly held run-off.
The current food shortages have been
many years in the making. Temporarily,
they can be solved by better distribution
from major agricultural-producing nations
But, in the long run, all governments, wfll
have to undertake a campaign to present
soil and increase farm yields if the world te
to be saved from even more widespread
famines.
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Progress ]
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