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PAGE 4A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008 Editor: Angela Gary Phone: 706-367-2490 E-mail: AngieEditor@aol.com Website: www.banksnewsTODAY.com Opinion “Where the press is free and every tnan able to read, all is safe.” — Thomas Jefferson Too busy to think Recently, someone asked me why my columns have been missing from the editorial page. The truth? I don't have the time to write columns. An even better answer? I don't have the time to THINK about writing a col umn. That’s not to say I don’t think — but when your schedule is packed, some times you just don’t have that “down” time to think. I mean, really think. Just think about stuff and what it all means. My thinking time seems to come while I'm driv ing. Even with the radio turned on, that’s where the thoughts come flowing. I think about my daughter, my husband, my job — and occasionally just little random things come to mind. And it’s become the norm that I use my driving time to make “notes to self.” Instead of writing a note while driving, I pick up my cell phone from the center console, press a speed-dial button to either my house or office and leave a “note to self’ about whatever is on my mind. Sometimes, it’s a reminder about a work-related item. Other times, it's a reminder to get something from the store or send something to someone. It’s whatever random task comes floating through my head. And then, there are the sticky notes. The little pieces of paper are plastered around my computer screen at work. That’s where my eyeballs stay focused on for many hours of the week. So it makes sense that my little reminders would always be on my mind, right? The reality, however, is that the more sticky notes around the screen, the easier it becomes to ignore them. With a choice of yellow or pink sticky notes, they seem to decorate my working space. Each sticky note represents a task: Follow-up with this story. Call this person. Do this thing. E-mail that person. It feels good to take down a sticky note when a task is completed. But, one — if not two more — sticky notes around the screen usually follow it. An even more pathetic tactic? Notes on the back of my hand. Yep, if I'm away from the sticky notes — and I fear I may forget to ask someone about something — I write a note on the back of my hand. The other day, the red ink on my hand said, “Store!!” It was a reminder to get some medicine at the store before it closed. My day was busy, and it was possible that I’d forget to go to the store between all of the things on my schedule. The problems with notes on hands is that they rub off easily after a few washes (what if you haven’t completed that task yet?) and they make you feel like a forgetful second grader who needs such an obvious reminder right in front of them. This Christmas, I'm not asking for much. Just time with my family and a personal digital assistant (PDA) — to keep up with the busy schedule. Kerri Testement is a news editor with MainStreet Newspapers. Her e-mail address is kerri@main- streetnews.com. The Banks County News Founded 1968 The official legal organ of Banks County, Ga. Mike Buffington Co-Publisher Scott Buffington Co-Publisher Angela Gary Editor Justin Poole Sports Editor Sharon Hogan Reporter Anelia Chambers Receptionist Suzanne Reed Church News Phones tall 706 area code): Angela Gary Phone 367-2490 Angela Gary Fax 367-9355 Homer Office Phone 677-3491 Homer Office Fax 677-3263 (SCED 547160) Published weekly by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc., P.O. Box 908, Jefferson, Ga. 30549 Subscription in county $19.75 Subscription in state $38.85 Subscription out of state $44.20 Military with APO address $42.20 Senior citizens get a $2 discount Periodicals postage paid at Homer, Ga. 30547 Postmaster, send address changes to: Subscriptions, The Banks County News, P.O. Box 920, Homer, Ga. 30547 Member: Georgia Press Association Georgia Sports Writers Association National Newspaper Association Where is leadership during budget crisis? At a time when Georgia is fac ing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and has to deal with a budget deficit of $2 billion or more, what has been the response of our political leader ship? Let’s put it this way: there is defi nitely room for improvement. The Legislative Services Committee, whose member ship includes the top leaders of the state Senate and House of Representatives, voted last week to defer a 3 percent cost-of-living pay increase that lawmakers were scheduled to receive in 2009. They made it sound as if they were making a huge personal sacrifice for Georgia’s taxpayers. “As we face tremendous budget challenges, it is appropriate that we do our part," said Sen. Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), the outgoing Senate president pro tem who plans to run for lieutenant governor in 2010. How much of a sacrifice are we really talking about? Deferring the salary increase will cost each lawmaker about $525 next year - or about $124,000 total for the entire General Assembly. The budget now exceeds $21 billion a year, so the legislative reduction will amount to less than one-thousandth of one percent of total state spending. As my accountant friend would say, that’s not even a rounding error. It’s certainly a nice symbolic gesture, but it won’t get you close to making up a $2 billion budget deficit. The legislative leadership could have made a bigger dent in state spending if they had called a special session during the fall and started some serious discussions about which programs should be cut and which should be retained. They declined to call a special session prior to Nov. 4 because they were all running for reelection to another two-year term. That’s an understandable reason for not acting on the budget crisis. The problem is, they also declined to call a special session after election day, apparently thinking they can just let the state’s problems drag on while the economy goes deeper into the tank. Evidently, a deferred pay raise is the most we’re going to see from our lawmakers. How about the state’s chief executive, Gov. Sonny Perdue? His department heads are actually talking about budget cuts and one of them resulted in the closing of an assisted living facility in Milledgeville where more than 80 military veterans were trying to live out their final years. The veterans were told to find new residences by Thanksgiving, because after that they would be evicted. The savings to the state from shut ting down that veterans’ facility totaled about $2.7 million. It seems like a harsh way to save a few dollars, but these are hard times we’re facing and sometimes budget cuts are going to hurt people. There’s just no way to avoid that reality. Of course, Perdue could have saved even more money if he had canceled the ill-fated "Go Fish” program that he announced last year to great fanfare. This initiative, which will cost taxpayers at least $19 million, authorized the construction of larger docks and boat ramps at state reservoirs in hopes that the new facilities would attract bass fishing tournaments. It was a great idea, Perdue claimed, that would boost tourism and make Georgia a destination state for all those people who just can’t get enough professional bass fishing. Perdue had the misfortune of proposing this wonderful idea at the same time that a record setting drought swept across the state, dropping the water levels in reservoirs to historic lows. Two fishing tournaments that had been planned at Lake Lanier were cancelled because of the drought and the boost in tourism spending that Go Fish would bring about doesn’t seem to have happened. But that hasn’t stopped Perdue from plunging ahead with plans to build a new visitors center and hatchery to support the fish ing program in Houston County. The cynical among us would note that Houston also hap pens to be the county where Perdue was bom, raised, and first elected to the Legislature. So, with the next session of the General Assembly soon upon us, here’s the tally on how our political leadership is dealing with a huge budget deficit: they’ve deferred a small pay raise for legislators and they’ve kicked 81 veterans out of an assisted living facility. That would reduce the budget deficit to about $1,997,000,000. I’m sure they’ll be able to take care of that with little trouble. Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact's Georgia Report, an Internet news service at wmv.gareport.com that covers gov ernment and politics in Georgia. He can be reached at tcrawford@capitolimpact.net. Ironing things out Ironing just isn’t one of my favor ite chores. In my laundry room, I have a large basket which contains several tablecloths, napkins and a variety of shirts pants, and dresses which belong to different family members. All of these items are waiting to be ironed before they can be worn or enjoyed. Years ago, I remember Grandmother having a heavy black iron which sat beside the fireplace on the hearth. I often wondered if “back in the old days” she or her mother used the heavy object to do their daily iron ing. The iron was made of iron. I rationalized that ironically it was how the iron probably got its name. Before Grandmother passed away, I was very fortunate to have her spend a couple of mornings each week at my house, helping me try and stay caught up with of the abundance of laundry. With my family of five, it seemed to grow like kudzu while we slept at night. The clothing and linens always looked so nice and neat when Grandmother folded them. One day I observed her to see what her secret was. I found that she ironed each and every piece of laundry, only she didn’t use an iron. She would lay each individual item on the table, then carefully smooth it out with her hands before making any folds. Many of the things which I would have thrown in the basket to iron at a later date didn’t have a wrinkle in it after being exposed to Grandmother’s warm hands. Relationships can be a lot like laundry. We all have a few wrinkles in them. Many times we just toss situations which need to be dealt with in the basket and let them sit there. We feel like the wrinkles must be all ironed out before matters can be resolved. Removing wrinkles usually takes work, which we feel that we don’t have time for or just don't want to deal with until a later date. As you spend this holiday season with family, friends and acquaintances, remember how Grandmother dealt with wrinkles — she simply smoothed things over. Take this opportunity to empty your laundry basket. Go ahead and start the new year by ironing things out. Sherri Stephens is a South Jackson resi dent. She may be contacted at charmbug5 @ hotmail.com. sherri Stephens 'Success' can describe Hart's term in office In less than a month, Gene Hart will leave behind his office as Banks County Commission Chairman. He will have served just one term in office, but I believe the impact he leaves behind will be a posi tive and suc cessful There be those disagree one. will who of course. Such is the nature of politics. Being a county chair man is a sure fire way of making enemies. On almost any decision you make, you are going to make someone upset or mad. Hart took office almost four years ago and immediately had an impact of streamlining the commission’s office. In his relative short time as chairman, the business of the office he oversees runs more efficiently and smoothly. Hart has been a chairman who can been found in the office for regular hours and beyond. It’s not always that way, even with so-called “full-time” commission chairmen. Yet, it was basically one issue which led to Hart’s defeat. A dispute involving volunteer firemen in Banks County led to Hart’s ouster as chair man and to the election of a new one. On one hand, there is something posi tive to be said for citizens who don’t like the way their county is being run and who then take action about it. On the other hand, ousting a county chairman on the primary basis of one issue can be dangerous. What if the new chairman doesn’t give in to every whim of the group which “helped” get him elected? What if the new chairman doesn’t reverse the decision made by the former chairman on his initial day in office? Will the group which basically threw out the old chairman then turn on the new chairman as well. Being elected on one issue is also dangerous in that the business of operating a county is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once that sole, hot topic issue is resolved in one way or another, the business of the county must go on and must be conducted, even when those who cried the loud est are gone. Hart stuck to his guns concern ing the volunteer firemen issue in Banks County. He did so because he believed what he was doing was right. Hart is not a career politician and that made his decision to do what he thought was right easier. He was not worried about getting re-elected and in fact even had given consideration to not running before this controver sial issue came up. Still, Banks County has benefited from Gene Hart's leadership during the past four years. He is an hon est man who has deep roots here. I believe he would have served the county well if re-elected. Let’s hope the new leadership can continue to move Banks County in the same positive direction it has been going. Many issues Hart has been pushing for are still on the table. Many other issues need addressing and perhaps the new chairman will take those up. One positive for the county will be the expansion of the current three- member commission to a five-member one. The current setup is long out of date and voters did the right thing by expanding the number of county com missioners by a vote in November. As for Hart, I believe he deserves the citizens’ thanks for what he has done for the county since January 2005. It remains to be seen if voting him out of office over one issue was the right thing to do. History says, however, it is usually unwise to take that approach. Chris Bridges is an editor with Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail com ments about this column to chris @ mainstreetnews. com.