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Saturday, March 2nd
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Thursday, February 28,2013
2 Sections, 16 Pages
Citizen Input Sought
Chairman Wants
Open Discussion
On Industrial Park
By Abigail Adams
The Georgia Post
After several meetings in
executive session about the
possibility of a new indus
trial park, Crawford County
Board of Commissioners has
decided to open the issue up
to the public for discussion.
At their meeting on February
19th Chairman Dean Fripp
asked to add the land acquisi
tion issue listed under execu
tive session into new business
on the agenda so that the issue
could be discussed briefly but
openly before they closed the
doors for executive session
that night.
First on the agenda, Sammy
Peterman came before the
board with a special excep
tion request to open an auto
restoration business out of a
shop built on his own proper
ty. Peterman had already been
before the planning and zon
ing board and had his request
approved unanimously by that
board, but had two people in
opposition. The first, an ad
joining land owner, had sent a
letter in opposition to the new
business and the other was a
phone call made prior to the
commissioners’ meeting.
Vice-Chairman Paul Chap
man expressed his concerns
about the shop causing
Peterman’s yard to become
“junky,” but also stated that
he had passed by Peterman’s
home several times and had
never seen this as a problem.
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He requested that Peterman
build a fence if this became
the case to keep the yard out
of sight should it become
filled with cars waiting on
repair.
Peterman replied that he
would not be taking that many
customers and that if the
vehicle could not be brought
into his shop then he did
not want it there. The board
voted unanimously to approve
Peterman’s request.
Next on the agenda under
appearances, Beth Booker, a
county resident brought a list
of concerns before the board
about a property next to hers.
She stated that the owners of
the property had built their
home over an abandoned
graveyard and had, up imtil
recently, no septic tank or
well. Though a septic tank has
been placed the owner still
has not placed a well on the
property and after the previ
ous owner died last year, his
son is planning to move into
the home.
Booker stated that she has
contacted many people about
the property and the state that
it is in, including the health
department about the lack
of septic tank, the historical
society about the home being
built on top of a potentially
historic graveyard, and now
the commissioners to ask
for them to intervene on her
behalf. County attorney David
Mincey stated that the issue
was not one the commission
ers could take care of and
her best course of action was
to contact an attorney and
go through the civil process
against the adjoining property
owner.
After the resignation of
Phyllis Theissen from the
Community Center, the
center’s future has been very
unsure. The commissioners
have been discussing how to
See INPUT, Page 10
The Korean Martial Arts Academy held a ribbon
cutting recently for their new location. They are
still on the square, just moved across the street
in a historical building next to Crafty Mama’s.
Pictured from left are Julie Bower, Hugh Gurley,
Trenesia Stubbs, James Stubbs, Raymond Corbin
and Patti Temple. The Academy has operated in
Roberta for the past four years, having just cele
brated their fourth year after moving into the new
building. Moving into the new building, Stubbs
says, will allow for growth. They are currently of
fering classes four days a week and have training
for youth and adults. They are hoping to add at
least 15 more students in the future.
Gun Control?
Debate Sparks Spikes In Local Sales
By Abigail Adams
The Georgia Post
A debate that has been go
ing on in the nation’s capitol
since the end of the elec
tion, has been on the minds
of many, especially in rural
communities, the issue of
gun control and new laws
that the Whitehouse is trying
to put into effect to “protect”
citizens. Though the laws
look to control guns and gun
ownership, the affect of the
laws and debates has been
quite the opposite.
Since the school shooting in
Newtown, CT. in December
of 2012, President Obama has
been pushing for stricter gun
control and for bans to be put
on “assault weapons.” Though
the laws are for the “protec
tion” of the nation’s citizens
many have been thoroughly
put out by what some are say
ing is the president’s quest to
strip Americans of their 2nd
Amendment Constitutional
right.
The laws and debates have
caused many changes in the
nation and Crawford County
has been no stranger to the
changes. Surrounding bigger
cities such as Macon and
Warner Robins are seeing a
large spike in gun and ammo
sales. An Academy Sports
employee, stated that the
demand for ammo is so great
that although they receive a
shipment every day, they are
selling out of ammo before
noon. One employee stated
that people are usually wait
ing outside the store before
opening time just to come in
to purchase ammo.
Roberta has also seen a
turn in the tide of gun and
ammo sales. Chuck Starnes
at Western Auto/ True Value
stated that gun and ammo
sales from his store have seen
a dramatic increase and it is
hard for stores to get ammo
onto their shelves to provide
to customers.
“When the government
starts talking gun control it
stimulates the citizens to go
out and buy more guns and
ammo,” Starnes said.
After attending the Nation
al True Value Show, Starnes
said that he found this issue
is not just in Georgia, but
across the nation. Almost
every gun company that pro
duces guns and ammos have
taken more orders from com
panies than they can make
in an entire year. This could
cause a shortage of guns and
ammo in the near future.
Crawford County has not
only seen spikes in sales for
ammo and guns. Probate
Judge Pam Busbee stated
that since the issue of more
gun control has become a hot
topic she has seen a spike in
gun carry permit (Georgia
Weapon’s Carry Permit Li
cense) requests. Shortly after
the election in November the
requests for carry permits to
residents have been on the
ride.
In December the probate
court issued 33 carry per
mits and in only the first ten
days of January they issued
a whopping 41. These are
numbers that Busbee is used
to seeing in a three-month
period, not in less than two
weeks.
And remember securing
your Georgia carry permit
does not mean it will be rec
ognized by all states. Some
do reciprocate and recognize
Georgia’s permit but some do
not so check before you go
into another state.
To obtain a carry permit
you must go to the probate
court where you live and fill
out an application. You will
have to pay a license fee and
you will need to be finger
printed. Youi' photo will be
taken which will appear on
the permit. The application
will be processed and if no
disqualifying information is
foimd during the backgroimd
check you will be issued the
license and it could take up to
a month or longer, depending
on number of applications,
etc. This license is valid for
five years and must be in
your possession at all times
when you are carrying a
firearm.
The debate over guns is
nowhere near over and time
will tell the outcome.
REMINDER: New Car Title Tax Goes Into Effect Friday
This Friday, March 1st, is when
the new vehicle tax laws take effect.
The new system was created by
the General Assembly in 2012 does
away with what is called the annual
“birthday tax” on vehicles purchased
after March 1,2013. In its place will
be a one-time state and local title
ad valorem tax paid at the time the
owner registers the vehicle. You do
not have to worry about it unless
ownership of the vehicle is trans
ferred through a title exchange after
March 1,2013. All other vehicles
will continue to be taxed under the
current system and owners will pay
the annual “birthday tax” until they
no longer hold title to the vehicle.
This is a major change to the way
taxes are paid on motor vehicles and
the cost to title a car will be higher
than what you previously experi
enced. The trade-off is you will not
have to pay sales tax if you have
traditionally purchased a vehicle
through a dealership and you will
not have the annual ad valorem tax
to pay every year.
The title ad valorem tax is collect
ed by the county tax commissioner
before a new title is issued and the
vehicle is registered. The new tax is
calculated at the rate of 6.5 percent
of the vehicle’s value, not the sales
price.
If another vehicle is traded in
during the sale, that trade-in value is
deducted before the tax is calculated.
All vehicles purchased after
March 1,2013 are subject to the
new system regardless of where it
is purchased. That means vehicles
purchased through private sales that
were previously exempt from sales
tax will be subject to the title ad
valorem tax.
Other important changes taking
effect March 1,2013:
•Vehicles transferred from another
state to Georgia will be subject to the
title ad valorem tax in two install
ment payments, in addition to the
title and registration fees they were
responsible for in the past.
•Leased vehicles will still be sub
ject to a use tax on the monthly lease
payment. The dealership is respon
sible for paying the title ad valorem
tax and may include this cost in the
term of the lease.
•Vehicle titles transferred between
family members, including spouses,
parents, children, siblings, grand
parents or grandchildren, will be
handled as follows:
- Vehicles owned prior to March
1, 2013: The family member who
is titling the vehicle has the option
to pay the full title ad valorem tax
or continue to pay the annual ad
valorem tax under the old system.
- Vehicles purchased on or after
March 1, 2013: The family member
who is titling the vehicle is subject
to a 0.5% title ad valorem tax
•Title applications must be
processed in the county where the
vehicle is to be registered.
•Salvage vehicles and vehicles do
nated to charities will pay a reduced
title ad valorem tax at a rate of 1%.
•Certain veterans who were
exempt from annual motor vehicle
ad valorem tax will also be exempt
from the title ad valorem tax.
The Crawford County Tax Com
missioner and employees have
been trained for this new system.
For more information you can
contact that office or go to www.
etax.dor.ga.gov and click on “More
Vehicles” and then the “Tax Cal
culator” button or www.accg.org
and click on “Motor Vehicle Tax
Reform.”
