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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 26. 2009 — PAGE 5A
Opinions
We gave you tax cuts ... Where are the jobs?
Georgia's lawmakers
have always been willing to
approve tax breaks for the
state's business leaders and
special interests, but they
have really stepped on the
gas since Republicans took
control of the House and
Senate four years ago.
In that first year of
Republican control, legis
lators passed a huge break
for corporations: a bill that
would give them tax reduc
tions totaling nearly $1 bil
lion over a 10-year period.
Since 2005 the General
Assembly has routinely
approved tax breaks for Delta
Air Lines worth $15 million
a year or more along with
tax gifts to such beneficia
ries as the Georgia Aquarium,
Gulfstream, Aflac, and insur
ance companies that market
high-deductible health plans.
It is estimated that the tax
breaks handed out by law
makers over the years are
worth more than $1 billion
annually.
And that doesn’t count the
huge giveaways from this
year’s session. The two cham
bers have already passed,
and Gov. Sonny Perdue has
indicated he will sign, a bill
that allows Georgia Power
to charge ratepayers early
for nuclear power plants that
won’t be operational until
nearly a decade from now - a
$1.6 billion financial gift for
the giant utility.
Both chambers are also
considering another package
of tax breaks for businesses
that could include elimination
of the corporate income tax.
The
Capitol
Report
tcrawford@
capitol
impact.net.
By Tom Crawford
Allowing businesses to avoid
paying state income taxes will
save them an estimated $700
million a year. That would be
one of the biggest financial
jackpots ever won by the cor
porate lobbyists who crowd
the capitol’s marble-floored
halls.
Every time these tax gifts
are debated, the bills' sup
porters make the same argu
ment for their passage: busi
ness tax cuts will create jobs.
When the billion-dollar tax
break for corporations was
being debated in the Senate
in 2005, Casey Cagle, then
a senator from Gainesville,
averred, “It’s pro-jobs legisla
tion. It will ensure we have
jobs for the future.”
“It’s about jobs, jobs and
jobs,” said Rep. Ron Stephens
(R-Savannah).
Funny thing. All the new
jobs that were supposedly
going to be created from this
gusher of business tax breaks
don’t seem to have material
ized.
We have continued to suffer
higher than average unem
ployment since 2005, culmi
nating last month when the
jobless rate hit the highest
level ever in Georgia at 9.3
percent. How could that be
happening if all of those busi
ness tax cuts were creating so
many jobs?
If you look at data avail
able from the state Labor
Department, you’ll see that in
the 50 months since January
2005, which was when
Republicans assumed control
of the Legislature, Georgia’s
unemployment rate has been
higher than the national rate
for 28 of those months.
Obviously, most of the cur
rent job losses can be attrib
uted to the worst economic
recession since the 1930s.
Every state is losing jobs and
Georgia is no exception. But
our unemployment rate has
been higher than the national
rate, sometimes by a sub
stantial margin, for the last
16 consecutive months. That
dates back to before the cur
rent downturn began. If all
those business tax cuts are
going to create new jobs,
shouldn't Georgia at least
be undercutting the national
average?
We heard similar argu
ments at the federal level sev
eral years ago when George
W. Bush was persuading
Congress to approve massive
tax cuts. The Bush adminis
tration contended that these
tax cuts would also create
scads of new jobs. Except that
they didn't.
“When it comes to reviving
the economy, tax cuts do not
work as well as smart public
spending,” wrote Lawrence
Mishel, president of the
Economic Policy Institute
in Washington. “Even worse
were the Bush tax cuts of
2003, which the administra
tion claimed would generate
1.4 million jobs on top of the
4.1 million jobs that were
expected to be generated over
the eighteen months follow
ing June 2003... Not only
did the promised 1.4 million
additional jobs not appear, but
the 4.1 million jobs expected
with no action also failed to
materialize.”
Don't get me wrong. For
the entities who get them, tax
cuts are a wonderful thing. I’d
love to get a business tax break
myself, but I can't afford to
hire lobbyists to demand one
from the Legislature.
Let's be honest, however,
about what these tax cuts
are: a financial gift to who
ever happens to receive them.
Business tax breaks are not
going to create jobs and it’s
time that legislators quit using
that as an excuse for passing
them.
Tom Crawford is the editor
of Capitol Impact’s Georgia
Report, an Internet news ser
vice at www.gareport.com
that covers government and
politics in Georgia. He can
be reached at tcrawford@
capitolimpact.net.
^ Iff-' %
Animal Shelter Inc.
1888 Colbert-Danielsville Road
Danielsville, 6a.
Is offering a
llth Annual
HULL COMMUNITY
SPRING FESTIVAL
May 23, 2009
9 a.m. till 3 p.m.
Old Elberton Road in Hull
PARADE • 9:30 a.m. sharp
ENTERTAINMENT FEATURING:
Frankie and Tina Cleveland
ANTIQUE/CLASSIC CAR SHOW
VENDORS FEATURING: Food, Games,
Novelties, Children’s Activities and much,
much more!
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL:
Antique/Classic Car Show: Paul Chandler 706-354-4170
General Information: Paul Elkins at 706-548-7343
Parade Information: Jeanette Jones 706-549-2159
Program Ads: Joyce Jefferson 706-742-7600
Vendor Booth Information:
Paul Elkins 706-548-7343
Net proceeds will go to
“There’s Hope For The Hungry’
Food Ministry sponsored by
Hull Baptist Church.
4 r
City of Colbert
SPECIAL ELECTION
RUN-OFF NOTICE
Hot ice 1b lusrsby givm that. In sooordance
with O.C.OA. 01-2-30 i(o), a Special Election
Run-off shall be held in the City of Colbert to
fill the vacancy on the City Connell. The
Special Election Run-off will be Laid on
April 14, 0009. The following candidates
received the highest number of votes In
order to be included in the run-off:
KVBLYN P, POWER
BUjYN teunhud
Only those persons registered to vote by
February 13, 0009, shall be antitied to vote
In the run-off.
Early and advance voting will begin March
S3, 2009, and and April 9, 0009, In the
Colbert City Depot during normal Colbert
City Hall buslnes hours which are Monday
through Friday, S a.m. to 1 p.m. On election
day. April 14. 2009, the polls will be op an
from 7100 am. to 7:00 p.m. in the same
location.
This the 13th day of March, 2009.
Fam Fowler
Election Superintendent. City of Colbert
WALK-IN RABIES CLINIC
Saturday, March 28
Noon - 3 p.m.
One year rabies shot - $10
Three-year rabies vaccine - $15
(must provide proof of previous vaccine
for the three-year shot.)
The following vaccines/services
will also be offered:
Distemper/parvo for dogs/puppies $10
Feline leukemia for cats/kittens $10
Microchipping $25
The shelter operates a low
cost spay/neuter clinic for
the public. Grooming
services are also available
the last Saturday of each
month with all proceeds
going to the shelter.
Please call 706-795-2868
for a surgery or grooming
appointment and pricing.
INTRODUCING THE
NEW MOMENTUM™ PROGRAM
It’s a brand new way to do Weight Watchers. You’ll learn how to
stay full longer, so you can lose weight and keep it off.
Check out a meeting for FREE* *
Weight Watchers is
coming to Comer
starting March 19!
Comer First
Baptist Church
5024 Main Street
Thursdays 6:30
Free Registration -- This Location Only
1 800 379-5757 ®VeightWatchers‘
WeightWatchers.com Stop Dieting. Start Living.
Weigh-in begins 30 minutes prior to meeting time.
*A Free meeting visrt is avaiabte year-round. The Free meeting does not include Program matenais. IT you decide to join,
you vWl gel the first week's Program materials and pay the tees then n effect to pin. Avatfable in partopaimg areas only.
v 2C09 ‘.'.■sight Washers injensiona: Inc c« ol :heGHT MTCHEFS -eqis;e-ed trademark -i! lights lestr.ed
Reckless driver
put son in danger
Dear Editor:
On the morning of March 19, at 7:10 a.m., I watched my
son get on the bus to go to school. As I watched the bus slow
to a stop with yellow lights flashing, a car pulled out from
behind the bus to pass it. They passed the bus right in front
of my driveway just feet from my son. (This happened on
Hudson Rivers Church Road).
If you were driving that car, you put my son in danger of
being killed at the end of my driveway.
This is not an isolated incident. It happens all the time.
Parents, make sure you tell your children to look both ways
before they start across the road to meet the bus. Just because
the lights are flashing doesn’t mean that the person behind the
bus is smart enough to stop.
And to whoever was driving that car: I think you must be a
pretty pathetic person to put someone’s child in danger just to
save yourself two minutes.
You got away with it this time, but next time you won’t be
so lucky.
Sincerely,
Janet Freeman
CORRECTION
Last week’s letter entitled “Thanks for restoring roof, free
of charge,” written by Agnes Bennett, Ila, should have said
that her mobile home was repaired before the snowstorm, not
following it.
Want to submit a letter?
Email us at zach@mainstreetnews.com, fax
us at 706-795-2765 or mail us at P.O. Box 658
Danielsville, GA 30633. Please include your
first and last name, town of residence and
phone number for verification purposes.
Madisonjournal
TODAY.com
Commerce First
United Methodist
Church Preschool
Year 2009-2010
What we have to offer:
• Half Day Preschool for ages 2-4
• Experienced Staff
• A BEKA Curriculum
• Music and Movement classes
• Chapel and Bible Time
• Computers in 3 & 4 year old classes
• Playground and gym
Tuition from $120 to $160 per month
Registration Fee - $140
Divided in two payments.
For more information, call
(706) 335-9589.
NOW OPEN
of* **%
1357 Washington Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
(located in Bell’s Shopping Center)
• • FREE ESTIMATES • •
• Carpet
• VCT
• Vinyl
• Tile
• Hardwood
• Laminate
• Custom Showers & Back Splashes
• Top Quality Installers
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