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Forsyth County News
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skeptical
Likens measure on
ballot to a tax hike
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
In what was’ an otherwise routine
Cumming City Council meeting, Mayor H.
Ford Gravitt advised voters to think twice
before supporting the transportation bond
referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Though Gravitt never said directly to vote
against the S2OO million bond proposal, he
has read the ballot language and told those at
the meeting that there could be better ways
to raise money for road projects.
“If you own property, this will be on your
tax bill for the next 20 years,” he said. “So
you might think long and hard before you
vote for anything like this. I think there are
other alternatives to this such as money on
the special purpose [local option] sales tax
that built the courthouse and jail.”
Earlier this month, county officials and
members of the local state legislative delega
tion spoke in favor of the bond measure dur
ing the 2014 Transportation Summit put on
by the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber
of Commerce.
Of the proposed S2OO million in funding,
officials have said $Bl million would be used
on projects for which the Georgia
Department of Transportation has allocated
$93 million in leveraged funding. The
remaining sll9 million would go toward
county projects.
If the referendum were to pass, Ga. 400
would be widéned from McFarland Parkway
to Bald Ridge Marina Road, using $53 mil
lion of the bond funding. The state would
contribute another $lO million.
Four other projects for which the county
and state would be partners include widening
of Hwy. 371 from Hwy. 9 to Kelly Mill
Road; widening of Hwy. 369 between Hwys.
9 and 306; and intersection improvements at
Hwy. 369 and McGinnis Ferry Road at 400.
Other efforts, which would be funded sole
ly through local bond funds, are an extension
of Ronald Reagan Boulevard from Majors
Road to McFarland Parkway, and widening
projects on McGinnis Ferry, Old Atlanta,
Pilgrim Mill and Union Hill roads.
Gravitt told the gathering Tuesday night
that he would recommend using money from
the 1-cent sales tax, also known as SPLOST,
to fund roadwork.
“] think these bonds should be worked into
the sales tax, and paid for by sales tax,
SPLOST tax,” the mayor said. “The county
could work that in if they wanted to, but the
county commissioners have voted to raise
your property taxes.”
Gravitt went on to express doubt about the
long-term prospects of the bond measure.
“I’'m not sure that you'll see a lot of
improvements with that money,” he said.
“But the commissioners have proposed a
S2OO million property tax increase, accord
ing to the last item on the ballot.”
County to offer extended early voting hours
Move made to
help commuters
reach polls
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
Advance voting has been ben
eficial to those wanting to beat
the crowds on Election Day, but
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Volume 105, Number 126
© 2014, Forsyth County News
Cumming, Georgia
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9099404001
Trunk or Treat event is Saturday | 8A
Two nabbed in sting
GBI child porn operation spanned state
By Kayla Robins
krobins@forsythnews.com
ATLANTA — Two Forsyth County
residents, one of them a 73-year-old
man, were arrested this week as part
of a statewide child pornography
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Photos by Jim Dean Forsyth County News
Four people were injured in a wreck Thursday morning in front of Silver City Elementary School.
Crash near
. .
Silver City
Elementary
By Jim Dean
jdean@forsythnews.com
Two adults and two children were
hospitalized Thursday morning
after a near head-on collision at the
entrance to Silver City Elementary
School by the Forsyth-Dawson
County line.
According to the Georgia State
Patrol, which is handling the inves
tigation, a southbound vehicle
attempting to turn left into the
school from Dahlonega Highway
(Hwy. 9) crossed into the path of a
See CRASH | 8A
the early closing time has made was made after concerns that
it a challenge for those who many commuters would be
work outside Forsyth County. unable to reach the polls before
That’s about to change. or after work.
Forsyth’s board of registra- “Forsyth County is a commut
tions and elections voted er county. We have thousands
Wednesday to extend the voting and thousands and thousands of
hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. starting voters that work outside the
Saturday and continuing county, going down [Ga.] 400
through Oct. 31. The hours were coming through horrible traffic
previously scheduled for 8 am. to make it to Forsyth County,”
to 4:30 p.m.
The move, which passed 3-0, See HOURS |BA
Abby 5B
Classifieds 6B
Crossword 6A
Deaths 2A
Opinion 7A
Sports 1B
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sting.
According to the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation, Jerry Griffin and
22-year-old Thomas Lagomasino
were among 18 people charged under
the Computer Pornography and Child
Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007.
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Wearing a borrowed Forsyth County Sheriff's jacket, Silver City
Elementary head custodian Nancy Warren directs traffic past the
wreck at the entrance to the school.
! Forsyth County
% S ; has extended
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Bsss ey, ing hours for
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Coming Sunday
Don't miss the 2015 Best of
Forsyth Readers’ Choice ballot.
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The GBl’s child exploitation and
computer crimes unit and the Georgia
Internet Crimes Against Children
Task Force coordinated the three
month investigation known as
Operation MasqueßAlD, which
involved executing 44 search warrants
in 31 counties Monday.
Authorities were looking for
See STING | 8A
72/8
Forecast| 2A