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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
COMMAND
From page 1A
was an honor to be your com
mander and the tip of the spear
was when you all performed
magnificently - when the
nation needed you the most. I
will leave with a thousand
moments in my heart.”
Rottman accepted command
of the 19th Air Refueling Group
and introduced his family.
A father of three sons, he rec
ognized the fact that not only
does the spouse play an impor
tant role in the life of a military
member, but so do the children.
“Kids make the largest sacri
fice,” he said. “My 11-year-old
son Samuel has moved to his
seventh home this year.”
Rottman comes to the 19th
ARG after completing an
assignment with the Pentagon
as the Air Force Chief of Staff’s
speechwriter. He also held the
responsibilities for policy devel
opment, congressional testimo
ny and the secretary’s commu
nication plan by being selected
as the deputy director to the
Secretary of the Air Force and
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Executive Action Group.
Humbled and honored by his
new command position,
Rottman said, “We are pointed
in the right direction and Black
Knights, there is work ahead,
so let’s go on with it.”
More items to be exempt tor upcoming sales tax holiday
By Dick Pettys
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - The state’s
latest sales tax holiday is just
around the corner, and more
items will be exempt under reg
ulations announced Wednesday.
Consumers will get a break on a
wider range of computer-relat
ed hardware and software,
among other things.
It’s a four-day holiday this
time, extending from 12:01 a.m.
Thursday, July 31, through mid
night Sunday, Aug. 3.
During the period, certain
items of clothing, computer sup
plies and equipment, and gener
al school supplies will be free
from state and local sales taxes.
Just as with the sales tax hol
idays last year, it’s not a blanket
exemption. Many items will
continue to be taxed. The
Georgia Department of
Revenue lists the exempt and
taxable items on its Web site.
The state expects to lose from
$9 million to $lO million in tax
money from the holiday while
local governments could lose
from $5.3 million to $6.2 mil
lion.
But the break for consumers
could yield some benefits in the
long run, said Derrick Dickey, a
spokesman for Gov. Sonny
Perdue.
“There’s going to be an
increase in shopping activity,
which will lead to an increase in
sales of nonexempt items and
an increase in working hours
for store employees,” he said.
The program was begun last
year on an experimental basis
by then-Gov. Roy Barnes, who
argued the program would spur
the state’s struggling economy.
Under Barnes, the holiday ran
for two weekends: March 29-30
and Aug. 2-3. «
A big change this year will
affect those in the market for
computer products.
The offer remains essentially
the same _ no sales tax on the
purchase of up to $1,500 worth
of personal computers and
related accessories _ but the
requirements are quite differ
ent.
Last year, the $1,500 pur
chase had to include a computer
base unit. This year there is no
such requirement.
Eligible for the exemption,
with or without a base unit, are
such items as antivirus soft
ware, cables, keyboards, memo
ry, printers, scanners, personal
digital assistant devices, Web
cameras and numerous cate
gories of non-recreational soft
ware.
Buyers should be aware, how
ever, that if a single purchase
exceeds the $1,500 maximum,
they will owe tax on the entire
amount. That’s a change from
last year when, as long as the
purchase included a base unit,
the exemption was for the first
$1,500 of the purchase price.
Dickey said a law passed this
year “allowed us to make some
logical expansions while main
taining fiscal responsibility.”
As it was last year, the exemp
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Maj. Gen. George N. Williams honors Col. Barbara Faulkenberry
before the 19th Air Refueling Group as the outgoing command
er of the group.
tion applies to clothing and
footwear less than SIOO per
item and to school supplies
under S2O per item. There is no
monetary limit on the total
amount as long as no single
item exceeds the maximum, of
taxable and exempt items:
http ://www2 .state .ga.us/depart
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The City of Unadilla has the following employment
opportunities:
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN: The City of Unadilla, GA,
is accepting applications for a fulltime Maintenance
Technician. The person for this position will have the
responsibility for maintaining City of Unadilla equipment
and assist in utility work. The candidate must be dedicated;
self-motivated, and have experience in gas and diesel
mechanics. The starting salary is commensurate with
experience. A good benefit package is in place.
UTILITIES WORKER: The City of Unadilla is accepting
applications for a full time Utility Worker. This position
requires a dedicated, self-motivated individual to assist in
all phases of utility work. This includes but is not limited to
assisting in repairs to water and gas lines, lift station main
tenance, general repairs, grounds keeping, and other
duties as assigned by the Shop Superintendent.
Qualifications for both positions include:
A High School graduate or G.E.D.
Must have a valid Georgia drivers license
Willing to attend training sessions
Unadilla is an EEO employer
Drug test is required
Please send resume to: Charles Walker o
City Manager r
P.O. Box 307
Unadilla, GA 31091
Applications for employment may be picked up at City
Hall, 1616 Borum Street, Unadilla, GA.
ments/dor/salestaxholiday/inde
x.html
On the Net:
Georgia Department of
Revenue list of taxable and
exempt items:
http://www2.state.ga.us/depart
ments/dor/salestaxholiday/inde
x.html
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LOCAL/STATE
CENSUS
From page 1A
“I’m pleased that we’ve final
ly achieved that and that the
census numbers reflect it,”
Worrall said.
Fountain, who also directs the
Warner Robins Urban Area
Transportation Planning
Program, which covers the city
and will soon include Perry,
commended Perry’s political
and city officials on accommo
dating more residents of the
city.
“Perry has the right combina
tion of annexation and sewer
capacity to handle growth,”
Fountain said, adding that the
availability of sewer services is
a catalyst for accommodating
an increase in population.
“There is a willingness from
political leaders to extend those
lines of sewer services to merg
ing areas - you can’t get there
without it.”
Houston County
Commissioner Gail Robinson
said the growth is a good thing
for the area, though it often
means some challenges for
everyone.
“It does present challenges
with roads and infrastructure,”
Robinson said.
But the county is ready to
meet these challenges, she
added.
Working closely with the
municipalities inside Houston
County will continue to be
important for county govern
ment, she said.
The planning and zoning and
building inspection depart
ments already work together on
some projects, Robinson said.
The growth also creates chal
lenges for Houston County’s
school system, and the popula
tion increases may be seen
reflected in the school system’s
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CALL FOR SPECIAL ELECTION
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with O.C.G. A 21-2-540, a special election
shall be held to fill the unexpired term in the office of Mayor, due to recent health
problems, the Honorable Mary Ann Weigand. The special election will be held
on September 16, 2003.
Qualifying for the special election shall be held at the City of Centerville, City
Hall, City Clerk’s Office, 300 E Church Street, beginning at B:3oam on August 5
ending at 4:3opm on August 7, 2003. The qualifying fee shall be One Hundred
Forty-Four dollars.(s 144.00.)
All persons who are not registered to vote and who desire to register to vote in the
special election may register to vote through the close of business on August 18,
2003. Polls will be open from 7:ooam until 7:oopm on Election Day.
In the case of a Run-Off Election that date shall be October 7, 2003.
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infrastructure.
“That’s why we’re adding all
these wings and buildings,” said
Danny Carpenter, interim
superintendent for the Houston
County Board of Education.
“We’ve got construction going
on everywhere.”
“The population growth right
now is really between Warner
Robins and Perry,” Carpenter
said. “It’s growing everywhere.”
Cowart attributed some of
Houston’s growth to Robins Air
Force Base.
“The base is (the state’s
largest employer), which helps
bring in families and contribute
to an already-diverse student
body within the school system,”
Cowart said.
Centerville City Manager
John Harley said he had not
received the new census infor
mation, but that city leaders
have been aware of the popula
tion growth in Centerville, and
are expecting more growth in
the future.
Harley said that the popula
tion increase is due to new
housing developments, and that
if plans to annex 200 more acres
are approved by the city council
Tuesday night, there will be
still more growth. Of those
acres, 101 are in the Eagle
Springs area, which is a prime
location for more upscale hous
ing developments.
Harley said that the city faces
a challenge in keeping up with
services during this growth
period, because even though
new homes have been built,
property taxes on those homes
won’t be collected until next
year, and state grant funds are
currently hard to come by.
Harley said that Centerville’s
property tax rate of 8.98 mills is
“the best millage rate in
SIMMER
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FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2003 ♦
Local growth
(since 2000 Census)
Centerville
2002 population: 5,059
Gained 781 people
(18.3%)
Perry
2002 population:
10,149
Gained 547 people
(5.7%)
Warner Robins
2002 population:
52,565
Gained 3,761 people
(7.7%)
Houston County
(includes city numbers)
2002 population:
116,768
Gained 6,003 people
(5.4%)
Houston County” and that
there is no plan to raise taxes to
meet the increased need for
services.
“We’re just having to make do
and not do any more hiring,” he
said. “ We don’t have the indus
trial base (for property taxes)
that Warner Robins does, but
we’re hoping to bring in indus
try up near the old tree farm
land on (U.S.) Highway 41.”
HHJ staff members Jon
Suggs, Heather Fasciocco,
Emily Johnstone, Luci Joullian
and Charlotte Perkins con
tributed to this report.
7A
