Newspaper Page Text
Mayor, Commission
Vet Recommendations
for Budget Savings
For the first time ever, the Athens-Clarke
County government's proposed budget will
shrink a bit rather than increase next year,
and ACC staffers and commissioners are look
ing hard to find savings. As in other places,
ACCs property values have continued to
decline with the economic downturn, and tax
revenues have sunk along with them. "It's
not been going in the best direction," County
Manager Alan Reddish told commissioners at a
budget work session last week.
Sales tax revenue is roughly steady, but
federal stimulus money has run out, and the
local government has already made vari
ous cuts over the past few years. This year's
budget will be the tightest yet; it includes
net reductions totaling $800,000 below
FY11. Reductions in county services will
not be severe, but "it will have an impact"
Reddish said. Leaf and limb pickup could be
extended from an eight-week cycle to nine;
three backup firefighters could lose their jobs;
travel funds for all departments could be cut
by about a third; and animal control calls
could be eliminated on weekends (except for
emergencies).
In total, more than a dozen positions could
be cut and benefits for the remaining employ
ees are likely to take a hit For two years, ACC
employees have not had cost-of-living raises
or merit raises; they won't in the coming year,
either. (Reddish proposed resuming raises the
following year.) Funds reserved for emergen
cies (like tornadoes) are being reduced; the
best that can be said about the proposed bud
get Reddish said, is that "it balances."
Mayor Nancy Denson, herself a longtime
county employee, proposed restoring a modest
reduction to health benefits that was made
several years ago, but Reddish maintained
that ACC's benefits are "rather rich" in health
insurance—and they are "the single larg
est benefit that we pay for." Commissioners
seemed inclined to agree; disability benefits
could be trimmed, as well. And while cutting
night bus service (begun only in 2006) could
save nearly $400,000 a year, commissioners
are resisting that proposal.
"I think the need has increased for this
service," Commissioner George Maxwell said.
"We worked so hard to get it done." Fewer
people ride the buses after 7 p.m.—an aver
age of 257 people per night, spread over six
routes—especially during the last hour of
night service, which runs until 11 p.m. That
last hour will likely be cut, but just hav
ing night buses may give people confidence
to ride earlier in the day, commissioner Ed
Robinson said, because riders know they can
still get home if they work late. Commissioners
are continuing to discuss budget cuts at
work sessions this week (the final session
is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, May
11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bob M. Snipes Water
Resource Center) and will vote on the final
budget June 7.
Fourth-of-July fireworks at Bishop Park
could be a casualty. The fireworks show costs
$10,000 to put on; it had already been cut
from the county budget, and was being paid
for by donations—but this year, the donations
SATURDAY, MAY 14
Living Wage Coalition
»
6:45 p.m. Suex Effect
Youth Program:
7:15 p.m. David Swanson
10:00 a.m. Youth Welcome
7:45 p.m. Rollin’ Home
10:00 a.m. Montessori singers
8:15 p.m. Revolution Books
Girts with Guitars
Nicole Casey
10:30 a.m. Tim iohnson
8:30 p.m. Ralph Roddenbery
Athens immigrant Rights Coalition
9:00 p.m. N0RML
10:45 a.m. Tic Tac Tones
GLOBES
11:30 a.m. Ambitious for Equal Rights
9:15 p.m. Diva Experience
Economic Justice Coalition
9:45 p.m. David Swanson
11:45 a.m. Kara Keen presents
10:15 p.m. The HEAP
The Exonerated"
12:00 p.m. Dancing Flowers for Peace
SUNDAY, MAY 15
12:30 p.m. Noogeez
2:00 p.m. Festival reopening
Festival:
2:00 p.m. Repent at Leisure
1:00 p.m. Festival opening
2:30 p.m. Faces of the Homeless/VISTA
1:10 p.m. The Burning Angels
Athens immigrant Rights Coalition
1:45 p.m. David Swanson
2:45 p.m. The Fact
2:00 p.m. JD Smith and Company
3:15 p.m. Economic Justice Coalition
2:15 p.m. Blind by Sight
Nicole Casey
2:45 p.m. PholksingerJosh
3:30 p.m. Tommy Jordan and String Theory
3:00 p.m. Athens
4:00 p.m. Georgia Conflict Center
3:30 p.m. Dignidad Inmagrante En Athens
Back to the Garden
3:45 p.m. The Georgia Healers
4:15 p.m. The Charlie Garrett Band
4:15 p.m. Eugene Wilkes
4:45 p.m. Speaker Open Mic
Millard Farmer
5:00 p.m. Kite to the Moon
4:30 p.m. shehehe
5:30 p.m. David Swanson
5:00 p.m. Arturo Corso
6:00 p.m. So It Goes
5.T5 p.m. JazzChronic
6:30 p.m. Green Party
5:45 p.m. Economic Justice Coalition
Athens Revolution Group
Athens immigrant Right Coalition
Life
6.-00 p.m. Marisa Mustard
7:00 p.m. Cosmic Charlie
6:30 p.m. GA Students for Public Higher
Education
•
8:00 p.m. Ed Tant
8:15 p.m. Michael Guiioie Band
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are $5500 short. "We have no money budgeted
for this, and as a government we will not be
sponsoring fireworks," Reddish said.
John Huie
33rd Annual Athens
Human Rights Festival
Hits Streets Saturday
Created over three decades ago as a memo
rial to the people killed or wounded during
the Kent State University and Jackson State
College protests in May of 1970, the Athens
Human Rights Festival, now in its 33rd year
of operation, continues to foster a free, open-
minded forum for discussion on political,
social and cultural issues currently facing the
community.
Taking place downtown at College Square,
the 2011 festival will kick off with a youth
program Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. Kid-
friendly bands and performers such as Dancing
Flowers for Peace (exactly what it sounds like)
will keep young people entertained between
speeches pertaining to the challenges fac
ing immigrant children and the increasing
importance of receiving higher education. A
children's area full of crafts, face-painting,
sidewalk chalk and other activities will also be
available.
From anti-war efforts to the legaliza
tion of marijuana, a multitude of political
and social issues will be confronted over the
course of the weekend as representatives
from various backgrounds take the stage in an
effort both to educate and rouse attendees.
This year's lineup of speakers includes David
Swanson, activist, blogger and author of War
Is a Lie and Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial
Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union;
Tim Johnson, executive director of Whatever
It Takes Athens; Nicole Casey, former presi
dent of the Arkansas chapter of the National
Organization for Women; Athens Banner-Herald
columnist Ed Tant; immigration lawyer and
criminal defense attorney Arturo Corso; and
activist lawyers Eugene Wilkes and Millard
Farmer. Rows of tables set up by local non
profit and activist organizations will also be
present to share ideas and information.
One major goal of many speakers is to
eradicate prejudices against under-represented
groups of people and support them in achiev
ing equality. The Faces of Homelessness
Speakers' Bureau will tell the stories of people
who have experienced homelessness, in hopes
of increasing understanding towards the less
fortunate. GLOBES will discuss topics relevant
to UGA's LGBTQ community, followed by the
Diva Experience drag revue. The Living Wage
Coalition and the Economic Justice Coalition
will advocate for living wages and better
treatment of all workers.
Dignidad Inmagrante en Athens and
the newly formed Athens Immigrant Rights
Coalition both aim to educate, mobilize
and support local Latino communities while
informing the public of immigrant rights.
Ambitious for Equal Rights (AFER), a group
quickly formed by Cedar Shoals High School
students after the Georgia General Assembly's
passage of the "show me your papers" House
Bill 87, will relate first-hand experiences
of living in an anti-immigrant climate and
fears of not receiving higher education if
undocumented. UGA Students for Public Higher
Education, a statewide coalition of students,
workers and community members standing
against education budget cuts and attacks on
undocumented students, will speak in sup
port of all students' right to affordable higher
education.
In addition to being a platform for activ
ism, the Human Rights Festival also serves as
a showcase for local musical talent. With two
dozen bands and solo musicians performing,
rock, Americana, punk, pop, blues and jam
music will all be represented. Keep an ear out
for the winners of the recent Battle of the
Bands competition—Christian grunge rockers
Blind by Sight and The Fact, a hardcore punk
band relocated from Mexico City—who won
a slot to play in this year's festival For more
info, visit www.athenshumanrightsfest.org.
Jessica Smith
MAY 11,2011 FLAGPOLE.COM 5
