Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 10A
. FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, January 31, ISM
The Forsyth County News
t
Opinion
'* This is a page of opinions - ours, yours and others.
Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the
♦ ' * • writers and artists and may not reflect our views.
-'L
■ i'VJlu
r'
? Can Forsyth see the light
in order to grow smarter
mart Growth” is being promoted by the Sierra Club, and
• growth strategies are being studied by a state commission.
. In Forsyth, preparing for growth has become an urgent pri-
ority though growth and smart aren’t always found in
’‘ the same sentence.
* Some are of the opinion that any more growth is not smart. One speaker
at a public hearing drew on a literary reference: She could see lights
through the woods, so it was time to move. She thought when she escaped
to Forsyth County she had outrun the growth. However, development is
invading the night skies with the lights of a population pushed on by pros-
. /p’erity. People are being drawn to the area’s attractiveness similar,
though markedly less rural, to what drew earlier settlers to this Utopia.
The speaker was advised by Commissioner Julian Bowen that she had
not moved far enough. Others seeking more house for their money,
’ more of a sense of community, more relative safety and security as well as
piece of mind have followed the trailblazers. Now that the lights of oth
’cts grow nearer and brighter, it’s disconcerting to those fearful of the pos
sible ramifications: higher taxes, crowds, crime, an uncertain future.
’ Planning and positioning for growth have been touted for decades, but
does the metro Atlanta region have a strategy to cope with growth? Does
■ Forsyth County have a real vision for its future?
' ’ ‘ Consider transportation for example. The Georgia Department of
Transportation has an 88-project, S7OO million building program which a
lawsuit by four groups, including the Sierra Club, seeks to stop. Some of
," , those funds should be shifted to alternatives to the DOT road-building
■' agenda, says Brian Hager of the Sierra Club, who spoke last week to the
Homeowners Federation of Forsyth County.
1 ‘h After a notice of intent to sue in November brought some negotiations
but little satisfaction, the suit was filed. Negotiations continue, but Hager
says the lack of compliance with the federal Clean Air Act is “morally
wrong because of the impact on health; “stupid” since DOT and Atlanta
Regional Commission efforts to draft a transportation plan are not work-
• ' ing; and “illegal” with the compliance deadline well past.
r" The list of road projects, including expansion of Hwy. 20 in Forsyth
County, which DOT says should proceed out of urgent need is under fire.
‘ The suit’s impact could be felt locally if a temporary restraining order is
won by the groups’ action.
Rail service, buses, other modes of travel and inducements for employ
- ers to encourage and even reward employees for taking those modes or car
pooling are promoted as alternatives to the 34-mile-a-day commute with
1.1 people per car which is the current average for the metro area, Hager
said.
*»\ Gov. Roy Barnes’ transportation initiatives are still unfolding. He calls
Xthe sprawl, transportation and air quality situation “a mess in metro
'• ’Atlanta.”
Hopefully, under Barnes’ leadership, a smart growth strategy can be
• found to benefit all of metro Atlanta. But Forsyth County can’t merely wait
; for direction from the state; we must make our own way, and establish our
; . .Own vision.
;? i We all can see the lights through the woods. Are they the lights at the
snd of the planning tunnel or the headlights of more approaching sprawl?
. •
Here’s what you think
» L 1 ‘ - 5
< *»' What do you think about the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners’
» .resolution to place a 16-month moratorium on new rezoning applications
' to allow the county to “catch-up” with growth?
’. Negative. Commissioners should be able to “catch-up” with growth Without
-a moratorium. Pure politics.
ft I
t• • •
The moratorium may be too little, too late. I don’t think it takes a rocket sci
i 1 jentist to figure out what is happening in this county. Ray Charles could see the
1 ! and the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the two-lane roads, not to
' ' ‘mention the water and sewage problems. I can see the commission trying to
.build a tax base, but please don’t do it at the expense of the private citizens. It
’is my humble opinion that the silent majority of this county moved here to try
'and escape the tree massacre and live in peace and the relative quiet. I do not
•feel any remorse for the people that will be allegedly losing money during this
* 16-month period. If any developers actually live in this county and experience
i the day-to-day problems of the working people, they would know that it is time
'to rein in the over growth. If they do not see the problems, they are blinded by
'greed and personal gain, without regard for the land or their fellow man.
* Without any facts, it is my estimation that the people that are butchering
'Forsyth County are not residents here. A tip of the hat to commissioners that
voted for this, and a “shame on you” for the ones that did not. Could be they
* have another agenda. We will try and hold out until you take office, Mike, and
hopefully give you some more help next election. Sixteen months is not long
* enough to do the right thing for this county.
ib
• • •
L 1 Rezoning, growth, dilemmas won’t be the only big problems confronting
our county politicians. Catching up on infrastructure requirements will not be
* cheap. And all the “sales tax” improvements will need additional funds to
» maintain them. You can bet “speculators” and developers don’t want to pay up
j for them. Let the taxpayers do it!
I am pleased that the board of commissioners has realized our small town is
« in danger. This is a very good start. Let’s keep the small town feeling.
N• • •
They are very wise - from residents who know (we came from two areas
similar to Forsyth - Broward County, Fla., and Hillsborough County, Fla.)
I
!
I think the Commissioners have finally shown some commendable insight
j and proactive decision-making. I have seen the nightmare of uncontrolled
’ development in Gwinnett, and I am hoping Forsyth is not going to make the
L same mistake.
See WHAT YOU THINK, Page 11A
35S===SSaSS==SS==SS===S===SS=S==SEK=SS==SSS=S=========================S========aSS==SK===SSX===S==SS=SaS=SSESSSSSSSSS==S3ESI
Professor Barnes’ Political Science 101
There they were, more than a hundred
business executives, lined up like so
many schoolchildren on the Capitol stair
case, to pose for TV cameras and declare
how much they liked Gov. Roy Barnes’
plan to abate air pollution and reduce
traffic congestion.
For a moment, one felt they might
burst into song.
A few came forward to take the micro
phone and testify for Barnes’ traffic-con
trol bill, a measure that would make the
governor the state’s transportation czar
and give him more authority over road
building and land use than any Georgia
chief executive has ever had.
They seemed so eager to please this
Democratic leader whom many of their
group had opposed for election just three
months ago.
Barnes summoned these chieftains of
commerce together Thursday to show
their appreciation for his plan to solve
metro Atlanta’s sprawl puzzle. Some
delayed plans to fly to Miami for the
Super Bowl so they could be with the
governor and display their support.
On Wednesday, Barnes had rattled
their political cages with a bone-jarring
State of the State address to the
Legislature in which he demanded sweep
ing reform of health insurance in
Georgia.
He spent much of the speech castigat
ing business interests and their lobbyists
who oppose his health-care initiative.
“We are here to do the work of the
people, to help solve their problems,”
Barnes roared. “We are not here to look
after lobbyists who, right now, are wait
ing for you to come out of this chamber.
Who are going to try and tell you how
Letters
Disagree, but please
don’t degrade
Dear Editor,
Does Jim Callison really believe that
about one-third of the people in our country
are radicals, zealots, moralizers, sanctimo
nious guardians, indignant soap-boxers, polit
ical lynch mobs? All these descriptions were
applied in his column, to those who believe
Bill Clinton should be impeached.
Over 30 percent of the people polled
believe Clinton committed impeachable
offenses.
In my whole life I have never been con
sidered a radical, a zealot, an indignant soap
boxer, or part of a political lynch mob, but I
do truly believe Bill Clinton committed
impeachable offenses and should be removed
from office.
Why do so many of Clinton’s defenders
feel they have to trash those who don’t agree
with their opinions? I strongly disagree with
his column but I won’t apply those descrip
tions to him.
Kathy Dittle
Cumming
Popularity polls are not
the answer
Dear Editor,
. This is a response to the Feb. 24 letter
from Kathy Doane regarding my commen
tary that appeared in the Forsyth County
News a week earlier.
I was pleased to read Kathy Doane’s letter
responding to my commentary because she
validated and supported my positions regard
Bill
HK|d| Shipp
everyone’s [insurance] rates are going up
because of this plan, how businesses will
be forced to drop policies, even how the
sky is going to fall and famine and pesti
lence will be our fate. Don’t believe
them.... That’s what they’re paid to say.”
Members of the Legislature whooped.
Barnes received a standing ovation. No
governor has delivered such a stem-wind
ing denunciation of the perceived ene
mies of the people since Gov. Marvin
Griffin departed these premises in the
mid-19505.
Fiery eloquence and old-fashioned
oratory have returned to the state Capitol.
So has hardball politics.
For some in the business community,
their worst nightmare has become reality.
A trial lawyer, Roy Barnes, is in charge of
state government.
A few lobbyists tried to pooh-pooh the
governor’s firebrand pitch against them.
“That’s just Roy letting off a little steam,"
said one.
Perhaps he is correct. The evidence
suggests otherwise. Barnes began his
administration with an order banning gifts
from lobbyists and vendors to employees
of the state executive department.
He is leading a legislative campaign to
strip Insurance Commissioner John
Forsyth County News letter policy
The Forsyth County News welcomes your opinions on issues of public concern. Letters must be
signed and include full address and a daytime and evening phone number for verification. Names
and hometowns of letter writers will be included for publication, without exception. Telephone
numbers will not be published. Letters should be limited to 350 words and may be edited or con
densed. The same writer or group may only submit one letter per month for consideration. Letters
must be submitted by noon Wednesday for Sunday publication. We do not publish poetry or
blanket letters, and generally do not publish letters concerning consumer complaints. Unsigned or
incorrectly identified letters will be withheld. Mail letters to the Forsyth County News, P. O. Box
210, Cumming, Ga. 30028, hand deliver to 302 Old Buford Road or fax to (770) 889-6017.
ing the Clinton impeachment trial. Although
Clinton’s “productivity” is his signing of leg
islation championed by his opponents, she
believes that “productivity” in any event
overrides responsibility to following the laws
of our land. I’m curious why her letter didn’t
address the overwhelming national productiv
ity of Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
She also expanded upon the taxation
without representation that stirred our
founder’s hearts to revolution, and agrees that
our country remains severely overtaxed by
decades of Democrat initiatives. At a rally in
Buffalo New York, Clinton even boldly stated
the American people were “not to be trusted
to do the right thing” with their own money.
It is also a fact that the cost of Ken Stan’s
investigation and this trial is a fraction of the
cost of Clinton’s pointless and diversionary
military action against Iraq at the dawn of
this trial.
Our elected officials have a responsibility
to defend our nation’s constitution, not follow
popularity polls. Does Ms. Doane propose
that, if 65 percent of the public wanted to
outlaw abortions, curtail the rights of free
Oxendine of much of his authority. Many
believe Oxendine is too cozy with the
insurance industry he has sworn to regulate.
Now comes Barnes with a stem package
of health-insurance reforms. The proposed
changes fly in the face of the most influen
tial lobbyists in the Capitol and, more
importantly, their employers.
And the governor has promised to
untangle Georgia’s traffic and unclean air
problems. In Barnes’ mind, there is a clear
connection between the issues of insur
ance and traffic congestion.
Much of the business community is
opposing Barnes’ insurance package.
They believe it would cost too much to
implement.
Some of the same interests want the
governor to include in his Clean Air pack
age tax credits for industries that install
anti-pollution devices mandated by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
Through his aides, Barnes has sent a
message to the tycoons that goes some
thing like this: “If you want tax credits for
reducing air pollution, then you must not
stand in the way of reforming health care.
It is a simple quid pro quo.”
So, welcome, dear moguls and lobby
ists, to Gov. Roy Barnes’ Gold Dome,
where populist causes are top priorities
and “connectivity” between issues, no
matter how seemingly dissimilar, is the
new reality.
Bill Shipp is editor of Bill Shipp's
Georgia, a weekly newsletter on govern
ment and business. He can be reached at
P.O. Box 440755, Kennesaw, Ga. 30144
or by calling (770) 422-2543, e-mail:
bshipp@bellsouth.net, Web address:
http://www. billshipp. com.
speech, or limit the rights of women o®
minorities, our congress should ignore
rights granted by our constitution and simplj®
sign off on mob rule? »
By her logic, Ms. Doane also suggest®
that Mark Fuhrman’s use of the “N" wore®
was not relevant to his deposition at the O.J®
trial. Suppose Fuhrman had answered a cleafl
“no” rather than refusing to respond, anc®
when later caught lying simply stated “it wa®|
embarrassing and Johnnie Cochran was on ®
witch hunt.” Would she have champione®
Fuhrman’s cause? '
Finally, Ms. Doane supports a comparisor®
of Clinton to Caligula. Personally motivate®!
senators and revisionists did all they could t®
assassinate the character of Reagan an<®
Bush, and now permit their successor to usd®
the office for all his personal pleasures an<®
benefits. I’m sure she believes th®
Republicans are simply getting revenge, bu®
in reality the only person who has successful®
ly assassinated Clinton’s character has beer®
himself. .
Peter H. Wilken®