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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS. WEDNESDAY. TANUARY 9.2008 - PAGE 5A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Don’t Change The Tax Policy, Fix It
Editor:
For two previous weeks I
read the criticism and other
viewpoints about Rep. Glenn
Richardson's idea of howtaxpay-
ers of Georgia should be taxed.
The problem is that everybody
thinks they know what taxa
tion means. Arguments about
taxation systems usually go
awry because the participants
are talking about different con
cepts.
There have been many
attempts to produce or elimi
nate tax systems. All have
failed in one way or another.
Nonetheless, every generation
has another attempt. The fed
eral government, states and
local governments have differ
ent ideas on what each tax is
intended to achieve.
The problem with the tax
reform policy of Rep. Glenn
Richardson is he has not looked
at the fact that the rich will
always save more than the poor.
The poor taxpayers consume
every penny that is available to
them. The rich do not. The tax
system is not designed to be
fair, so the rich will always pay
less than the poor.
I recently read an article by
Richard W. Rahn where he
writes that Warren Buffett, the
country's second-richest man,
recently wrote an article say
ing his average income tax rate
was only 17.7 percent, while
his secretary paid a rate of 30
percent.
You always hear about politi
cians on the left talking about
raising taxes on the rich and
that the rich should pay more
taxes. Yet politicians like the
Kennedys and Kerrys only pay
37 percent of all income taxes.
In another article I read dated
Aug. 13, 2004, titled "In Case
There Was Any Doubt," adds
that the top one percent of
earners, with an annual income
of about $1.2 million, will get a
cut of $ 78,460, while the middle
20 percent, averaging a $57,000
income, will get $1,090. This
is an insult, considering the
already unfair tax burden
between the wealthy and the
middle class. Why should the
rich pay more taxes? Because
they make more and they can
afford it.
What should make the mid
dle class and the poor angry
is the wealthy are paying less
than their fair share, even by
non-progressive standards, and
the gap is even wider than it
appears because of rising costs
in fuel, slashes in federal pro
grams and local and state fund
ing, as well as falling wages
which hit the middle class and
the poor very hard while leav
ing the wealthy relatively unaf
fected. The rest of the world
could care less about the tax
burden of Americans; in fact,
the USA, the Philippines, South
Korea all attempt to tax their
citizens on the basis of their
citizenship, wherever they are,
and tax aliens who are resi
dents in the USA, or who have
U.S. source income gains or
U.S. Situs assets. The United
Kingdom taxes everyone who
is a resident in the UK, except
foreigners (non-domiciled per
sons) who are taxed only on
their UK source income.
If you look at the positive side
of taxation you have to notice
when used fairly it serves the
public interest. In an effort to
sustain or increase economic
activity in a region, local offi
cials often offer companies
incentives to locate in an area.
These incentives come in the
form of tax breaks. Property
tax abatement had become a
widely used economic develop
ment tool. Commerce could
use them to offer tax discounts
or complete property tax relief
for a specified time period to
businesses willing to locate in
the Commerce area. Job train
ing tax credits seeks to offset
costs associated with providing
employees the skills needed to
ensure stability and facilitate
growth in the Commerce area.
Finally, if Rep. Glenn
Richardson is serious about
Georgia's tax policy he should
lead the fight to fix the massive
tax cuts put in place over the
past few decades and oppose
the differing burdens of state
and local governments. He
should fight for the middle
class and poor by closing the
loopholes, shelters and deduc
tions available to the wealthi
est earners, which the middle
class and the poor cannot take
advantage of.
He is your chance to show
us your leadership Rep.
Richardson. We shall be wait
ing for your answer.
Perry Faison,
Commerce
Give Seniors Tax Credit For Volunteer Work
Editor:
During 2007 the majority of
Jackson County property own
ers experienced an increased
property value assessment and
subsequently a majority had an
increase in their county prop
erty taxes. Some of our citizens
received a 15 percent to a 34.7
percent increase in their county
property tax bills and from all
of my conversations with our
citizens, this has been devastat
ing to a large segment of our
senior citizen population.
I suggest that we should
implement a program, similar
to that put in place in some
other U.S. locations, but go a
little bit further, allowing our
senior citizens to earn a prop
erty tax credit for value-added
work performed for government
and allied non-profit organiza
tions that enhance quality in
our community. Many of our
seniors have skills and talent,
but are unable to hold full or
part-time jobs in the private
sector, but could certainly be
useful to our community.
This plan that I propose for
consideration would give them
property tax credit for the fol
lowing endeavors:
•voter registration work
•help in chamber of com
merce activities
•short-term work in county
and maybe city offices, where
there is a skill/talent fit - i.e. tax
office surges, phone, document
distribution work, short term
day-day work for our school
systems and the various public
libraries in our communities
•project assistance work for
non-profit, registered 501(c)(3)
organizations who offer credit
able value to our community
There may be other endeavors
where our able senior citizens
could be of use to allow them
some credits toward property
tax relief. This has nothing to
do with politics, the need for
the tax increase, I just think
that we need to strive to think
outside the "box" to help our
low-income seniors pay their
taxes, stay in their homes and
continue to contribute in a
very meaningful, viable way to
this county. In spite of any of
our cost-saving efforts, which I
hope will be "priority 1" in our
governments, the cost of gov
erning over future decades will
increase as our population and
commercial growth increases.
I hope this letter will not be
construed solely as a recruit
ing tool for citizens to join
volunteer/civic organizations,
although most people who
know me realize that I have a
strong belief in citizen volun-
teerism to effect change.
I am sending this letter to
our county leaders for con
sideration and response and I
certainly would welcome your
readers response as we all try to
make our county a better place
to live.
Sincerely,
Jim Scott
Commerce
— Columnist Decides It’s Time To Part Company With English
Cont. from Page 4A
Through the Looking Glass, said,
"When I use a word, it means
just what I choose it to mean —
neither more nor less." I think
a lot of people follow that
philosophy. I could have titled
this article "English Goombah
ab Wombat" which for me
means "Goodbye English. It
was nice knowing you." I'm
waiting for a phone call from
a home improvement store
offering me a job as advertis
ing copywriter.
Willis Cook is a retired electri
cal engineer who was born in
New Orleans and grew up in
the Mississippi Delta. He lives on
Varner Road in Franklin County.
Absentee Voting For Feb. 5 Primaries, Bond Vote Now Under Way
Absentee voting for the Feb.
5 election is going on now in
the Administrative Building in
Jefferson for the presidential pref
erence primaries and the $15 mil
lion bond referendum for recre
ation.
Voting hours for absentee bal
lots are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays
through Fridays. Absentee voting
will be held through Jan. 25.
To cast an absentee ballot, a
voter must state one of the follow
ing valid reasons for doing so: 75
years of age or older; will be out of
the precinct on election day from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; physically dis
abled; is an election official who
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will be performing duties in con- precinct from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on
nection with the election; religious election day.
holiday; or is a public servant who Advance voting will be held Jan.
is required to be on duty in their 28 through Feb. 1.
Weekly Health Tip From Kim Bost
Pharmacist - Owner
We Deliver!
Believe me, I can fully understand the fast pace
of today’s families. Between work, family and
church responsibilities, my family seems to stay
at a steady run! From this understanding, came
the idea to offer our patients an extra degree of
convenience. In November. Homer Drug Co.
and Tiger Town Pharmacy began a free
prescription delivery service. Yes, we’ll deliver
your prescriptions right to your front door. At
l this time, we are offering this service to anyi
location within a 5 mile radius of either Homer
Drug Co. or Tiger Town Pharmacy. And even
better, there is NO EXTRA CHARGE for this
1 service! We will need to get some information,!
so just call the store for more details. Our phone
numbers are listed below for each store. Give us
a call to start this service for your family!
Homer Drug Co. - 706-677-3223
Tiger Town Pharmacy - 706-335-0099
706-335-0099
1939 Homer Rd„ Commerce, GA
Intersection of 441 By-Pass and Homer Rd.
In Commerce Professional Park
Monday-Friday 9-6; Saturday 9-12 Noon; tigertownpharmacy@alltel.net,
Nicholson Increases
Costs Of Two Permits
By Sharon Hogan
Nicholson City Council mem
bers approved a fee of $75 each
for remodeling permits and
HVAC permits at their meeting
on Monday night.
The council also approved
a resolution being drawn up
by city attorney Chris Elrod
opposing the so-called GREAT
plan to increase sales taxes and
eliminate property taxes to fund
education.
Council member Howard
Wilbanks asked to table a reso
lution in support of the county’s
proposed bond referendum.
The council had been asked to
support the $15 million bond
referendum that will be on the
ballot Feb. 5 by the Jackson
County Parks and Recreation
Department during a presenta
tion at Thursday night’s work
session.
Nicholson Fire Chief Dennis
Brock came before the council
asking the city to deed the fire
department building and the
building next door to the fire
department so it can expand.
Brock said the department wants
to build a facility for Emergency
Management Services and tear
down the old fire department
building and build a new build
ing with a bay to accommodate
a ladder truck.
Wilbanks said, “I see no prob
lem with this, we need to keep
the fire department and EMS
here in the city.”
“This land is of no use to any
one except the school system,
the fire department and Charlie
Smith,” observed Mayor Ronnie
Maxwell.
Maxwell told Brock the item
will be discussed at the next
work session at 7 p.m. Thursday,
Jan. 31.
The council met in closed
session for approximately
one hour to discuss personnel
issues. No action was taken
when the meeting was opened
to the public.
The council scheduled a meet
ing for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14,
at city hall to discuss the hiring
of a new city clerk. The coun
cil had previously discussed
the resignation of Amy Sims
as city clerk, which prompted
the hiring, at Thursday’s work
session.
Also at Thursday’s work ses
sion, the council discussed the
possibility of accepting or pur
chasing old village buildings
located in Sweetwater, TN,
which they had recently visited.
Maxwell informed the council
that he is continuing to investi
gate the possibility of obtaining
state funds to help in the cost
of moving the buildings, as well
as working on discussions with
county agencies on obtaining
the buildings.
New Year Brings
Polling Place Changes
Jackson County Probate
Judge Margaret Deadwyler,
who also serves as election
superintendent, has announced
that several precinct changes
are planned.
The changes include the fol
lowing:
•Center precinct: Will move
from Center Fire Department
to Center Baptist Church, locat
ed at 9368 Commerce Road
(across from the fire depart
ment).
•Wilson precinct: Will
move from the Maysville Fire
Department to the Maysville
Public Library, located at 9247
Gillsville Hwy., Maysville.
• Hoschton precinct: Will
move from Hoschton City Hall
to the Hoschton Depot, located
at 4272 Hwy. 53.
•Porter precinct: Will move
from the civic center building
to the police and municipal
building, located at 5040 Hwy.
53, Braselton.
•Randolph precinct: Will
move from West Jackson
Middle School to Center United
Methodist Church, located at
7649 Jackson Trail Road.
“In order to keep up with the
expanding population and for
the convenience of voters, it has
become necessary to move the
voting precincts,” Deadwyler
said. “We suggest you drive by
these locations prior to elec
tion day to familiarize yourself
with the new locations.”
Commerce voters will again
utilize two precincts, Minish
North at the J. Nolan Spear
Public Safety Complex on
South Elm Street; and Minish
South at the Commerce
Recreation Department office
on Carson Street.
For more information on the
changes, call the probate office
at 706-387-6276.
706-354-1539» Epps Bridge Pkwy.
(Across from Super WalMart)
ASK THE PLUMBER..
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Why Does My Toilet Get
Clogged Often?
If you have clogs on a regular basis, and the bathroom
sink is also running slow, you may have an obstruction
in the main sewer line. If the sink runs free but the
toilet is slow, there could be an obstruction in the toilet
trap. We often find things like toothbrushes, hair clips
and small toys that have stuck in the trap. If you have
small children that have been taught to flush, they tend
to enjoy putting almost anything into the toilet just to
see what happens. If your plunger can’t push the
obstruction past the trap, do not try to free it with a
coat hanger or other sharp implement because you
may damage the bowl. It’s best to schedule a service
call with The Plumber at 706-652-2024.
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706-652-2024
7875 Maysville Road • Maysville, GA
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