Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4B PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JULY 26. 2007
From State Representative, Graves . . .
State’s surplus means taxpayers
By State Rep. Tom Graves
To the surprise of many, Georgia closed the
books on the 2007 fiscal year
with a whopping $600 million
extra cash in the bank after sev
eral record months of tax
receipts.
As has been the case for
many decades, when there is
more money collected from the
taxpayers than needed to fund a
budget, the feeding frenzy
begins.
With $600 million on the
table, special interest groups, government agen
cies and lobbyists are already counting the ways
they can influence the governor and the General
Assembly on how to spend that money.
But there is a new game in town, and after
more than a century, the new Republican majority
is bringing about a cultural change. It's simple: we
believe when government runs a surplus, it has
over-taxed its citizens, and a refund or tax cut is in
order.
After all, the $600 million we are talking about
is not new, found or the government’s money. It's
the people's money, and they are expecting their
change back.
Just like when you go out to dinner and the bill
is $25 and you hand the waitress $30, you expect
your $5 change in return. Georgians expect the
same from their state government.
Whether a rebate, a cut or the elimination of a
fee, tax relief should be simple and result in a net
A Tribute to Billie Jean
By Jeff Warren
Wednesday, July 18, while at
the Progress office on Main
Street in Jasper, County Sheriff
Billy Wofford took time to
show off new artwork on the
front faring of a touring motor
cycle, his personal two-wheeler
(a machine he says he may now
own more of than the bank
does).
Against the electric blue of
the Harley Davidson Ultra
Classic cycle body, the faring
displays an airbrushed portrait.
It is a tribute to Wofford's
daughter, Billie Jean Wofford, a
quadriplegic after injuries she
suffered in September 2005.
The paint work shows a pretty
dark-haired young woman and
the words, "Billie Jean."
Custom painter Henry
Gerson airbrushed the portrait
at his Florida shop, Wofford
said. Gerson runs Daytona-
Airbrush, com.
"I met him down there at
Daytona [during a motorcycle
rally]," Wofford explained.
Wofford had the ABS plastic
faring removed from his cycle
and prepared for paint at a local
body shop, he said, before he
packaged the streamlined wind
diverter and sent it to Gerson by
UPS. Gerson struck the air
brushed likeness from a photo
graph Wofford provided.
Wofford said Junior Spriggs
of Complete Auto Body and
Custom Cycles in Marble Hill
prepared the faring for paint
before it shipped to Gerson.
And Spriggs clear-coated the
custom paint work upon its
return from Daytona before
remounting the faring on
Wofford's motorcycle. The
whole process took about three
weeks, Wofford said.
earn dividends
savings for Georgians.
In addition, any future tax cuts or refunds to the
taxpayer must also be paired with controls on gov
ernment spending. It’s time to implement meas
ures, such as bills now before the House that limit
spending and automatically return surpluses to the
taxpayers.
Such legislation would limit the growth in the
state budget to only the increase in the state's pop
ulation plus inflation. And any surpluses would
be returned back to the taxpayers after reserves
and emergent needs are met.
Every few years we hear the rallying cry for
lawmakers to make an investment in our state
through traditional economic development or
social programs. Well the investment has already
been made.
Not by the lawmakers, but through the dedica
tion and hard work of the citizens of Georgia. It’s
because of them that we have paid all our bills and
have $600 million leftover.
It’s because of them that we also have unspent
state reserves exceeding $1 billion.
And it’s because of them that Georgia’s econo
my is strong and fast becoming the envy of the
nation.
They are the true investors in our state. It’s time
for the Legislature to start paying out dividends to
those who invest the most in Georgia - our hard
working taxpayers.
[Graves, a Republican representing Gordon,
Pickens and north Bartow counties, is chairman
of the comprehensive tax reform subcommittee in
the Georgia House.]
COMING MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007
MONDAY MADNESS
JASPER PHOTO CENTER
WILL BEGIN OFFERING GREAT VALUES ON
PHOTO SERVICES MONDAY ONLY
MONDAY, JULY 2ND - DIGITAL PRINTS $.15
MONDAY, JULY 9TH - 5X7 PRINTS $.99
MONDAY, JULY 16TH - 8X10 PRINTS $1.99
MONDAY, JULY 23RD - 25% OFF PICTURE FRAME
OF YOUR CHOICE
MONDAY, JULY 30TH - YOUR CHOICE OF ANY OF
THE ABOVE PRINT VALUES
River Alliance offers
Healthy Streams Workshops
Who can make a difference
in our local streams and rivers?
You can.
Come join the Upper Etowah
River Alliance for a Healthy
Streams Workshop. These fun,
hands-on workshops are open to
the public and free of charge.
Participants spend the first part
of the day learning about water
sheds, pollution and how land-
use affects water quality.
Then participants get into a
nearby stream to learn to visual
ly assess the health of a stream.
They will learn about the vege
tation on the streambank, the
make-up of the bottom of the
waterway and the manner water
flows. All of these things give a
glimpse into the health of the
stream.
In addition, participants
learn to accurately record their
findings and who to call if they
spot a problem.
This day is a great way to
learn more about clean water
and cool off at the same time!
Once the class is over, partic
ipants can choose to “adopt” a
local waterway for monitoring.
Monitoring a nearby stream is a
great way for families or scout
groups to get an up close and
personal experience with river
protection.
The Upper Etowah Alliance
is a nonprofit organization that
focuses on educating people
across the watershed about non
point source pollution and other
water quality issues through
informational brochures, work
shops, a continually updated
website and on the ground proj
ects.
The organization administers
a grant from the Clean Water
Act that installs Best
Management Practices demon
stration projects within the
watershed. These practices are
recommended construction
methods that reduce erosion and
protect water quality. In addi
tion, the Alliance members offer
presentations on water issues to
community groups and school
children as well as sponsoring
workshops such as this Adopt-
A-Stream workshop.
The Healthy Streams
Workshop will be July 28, from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information, or to
register for the workshop, con
tact Lori Forrester at 770-591-
7156.
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