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actually needed more support on the streets
that radiate from Athens' center. Rather than
letting the pressure be l>orne by the spokes
of the wheel, he said, “we re gonna be cre
ating a whole other wheel "
Throughout the heated debate Thursday.
Mayor Doc Eldridge was careful to act as a
moderating influence
Ex-Mayor Gwen O’Looney made her posi
tion clear when contacted Monday “The
corridor is a product of political and per
sonal interests that have been pushing for it
for 20 years." she said "During that time
nothing has ever come forth that said it
would solve our transportation problems or
benefit this community." (Richard Kausset)
CAPITOL PUNISHMENT
An update from the Georgia General Assembly
New Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, still wincing
from GOP opponent Mitch Skandalakis’
sleazy, cocaine-laced TV smears, has sacked
the minority party from key committee lead
ership posts in the Senate, the political play
ground of the state’s second fiddle. Senate
Minority Leader Eric Johnson (R-Savannah)
complained that Taylor "sucker punched’’
Republicans, who lost one chairmanship. 11
officers and spots on heavyweight commit
tees like Appropriations. Rules. Judiciary
and Transportation.
A few years ago gleeful state Republicans
— watching big GOP wins in Washington —
prepared a “shadow government." and pre
pared to assume leadership when they
gained a majoritv in Atlanta. But the math
isn’t there this session for Republicans:
they've got 78 of ISO seats in the House, one
fewer than last year: and 22 of 56 chairs in
the Senate, the same as last vear
Waning Republican power may partially
explain the call of House Minority Leader
Bob Irvin (R- Atlanta' for a bill to prohibit
lawmakers fr ai receiving gifts, an action
that in the winter would grind the downtown
hospitality industry to a halt Perhaps
GOPers are tired of lobbyists giving ruling
Democrats the gold mine and the minority
party the shaft The Republican ethics bill
would be modeled on one of Gov. Roy
Barnes' first actions last week, prohibiting
state employees from receiving lobbyist
gifts.
While that decision earned praise
throughout the state. Barnes two big ticket
items unveiled the first week have been met
with a mixed response from lawmakers,
county officials and powerful bureaucrats.
The governor has floated a tax cut plan
that would give most homeowners a break
in real estate taxes The plan would raise
homestead exemptions to $20,000 per
owner-occupied house. But some lawmakers
and a statewide association of county com
missioners worry that many counties that
already have high homestead exemptions
would receive little oi no benefit.
The details are not known because the
tax relief bill has not been introduced.
Also unintroduced is a Barnes proposal
that sent shock waves through the
Department of Transportation office, a
mammoth complex in the shape of a scor
pion that consists mostly of parking decks
overlooking the traffic-choked downtown
highway interchange.
The governor, who hails from Cobb
County, is a personal witness to the sprawl
and traffic that chokes North Atlanta, and is
tinkering with a new Georgia Urban
Transportation Management Authority to
run an independent mass transit system
First he must wrestle some control over
land-use planning from the 13-county metro
area governments, and convince the DOT to
bless something other than a build-more-
highways plan. Most DOT board members
come from metro Atlanta counties, where
federal highway funds could dry up due to
continuing violations of air quality stan
dards And some have given reserved sup
port to Barnes’ sketchy proposal. Barnes’
complete transit wish list includes a study
for a light rail from Marietta to
l.awrenceville. a bus system in Gwinnett
County that runs on natural gas. and com
muter train lilies that connect Atlanta to
Macon and Athens. But there are some
major roadblocks ahead CSX has shown
little inclination to share their busy railroad
tracks with commuter trains.
And DOT support of Barnes’ plan is not
guaranteed Perhaps that’s why the governor
has thrown them a possibly contentious
bone in his transportation plan — construc
tion north of Atlanta between 1-75 and 1-85 of
a limited access portion of the Outer
Perimeter. Citing a nightmarish proliferation
in traffic, sprawl and pollution, environmen
talists have fought the O P for years.
Meanwhile, Republicans representing
suburban districts are already leading the
way in the general assembly with environ
mental legislation. Sen. Chuck Clay (R-
Columbus) introduced a bill to create the
Heritage Fund to purchase green space
threatened by development. A similar pro
posal failed in a voter referendum last
November, but the Heritage Fund has gar
nered support from environmentalists and
businesses statewide, and certainly has a
better chance of passage than some of the
fantastic bills that always work their way
into the legislative calendar.
Three other Republicans, Bobby Franklin
(R-Marietta). Michael Coan (R-Lawrence-
ville), and Warren Massey (R-Winder) have
introduced a bill to make some DUI offenses
punishable by death House Bill 4 states
that “homicide by vehicle which occurs as a
result of driving under the influence shall be
punishable by life imprisonment or death."
But the electric chair won’t be fired up if the
homicidal driver has a blood alcohol content
less than 0.16. (Richard Stenger)
MLK WEEK
The University of Georgia celebrates the
12th Annual Dr. Martin Luther king, Jr.
Holiday with a variety of events to appeal
to all ages. Check Art Patrol and et al. for
event details, and don’t forget these two:
• The King Week Community Service
Project allows an opportunity for interac
tive participation between academic and
local community and Clarke County
school children. Volunteers visit schools
Jan. 20-22 to read stories, share a hobby,
have lunch and hang out. To volunteer,
call 542-1263, 542-1421 or 546-7721, ext
220.
• At the University Chapel: the annual
MLK Commemorative Service, spon
sored by the UGA Campus Ministry, pro
vides reflection at 3:30 p.m. on
Wednesday. Jan 20 Call 548-9625.
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Community Education
Programs at The University
of Georgia Center for
Continuing Education offers
more than 100 quarterly
courses for personal
and professional develop
ment Classes begin the
week of January 25
in
Get a Catalog!
Room 191, Georgia Center
542-3537
www.gactr.uga.edu/CEP/
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