Houston home journal. (Perry, Ga.) 1999-2006, July 11, 2003, Page 7A, Image 7
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 If- H f ~••-" '“ “ ’ if ' llgNp 1 I 8 MSI | ' ,* • ' BWj cH" £§; mm * SmUw! HHJ Heather Faoclocco 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 Dcwntcwn Opticians, Inc. We accept most insurance assignments including Spectra, Superior and Cigna C i?nses lair <f f>efllawO jJhßShf with single vision plastic m lenses. S2O more per pair for BBr ‘ Wk flattop bifocal plastic lenses. if All frames guaranteed for j|h£ A.' 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 M<imi‘i I (him IM i liitciiiiilk Mill Suihiii 1 biimri 1 1 him M'M MillHflll Mil HMIH! 11‘lllt‘l lIMISS 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 r JWonday IRadnesJ f T V SlB + TIW FOR * HOLES I * ors 27 + TnxmiDßV I Includes (dirt & Green Fees® 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. Jr Jut 4 w WL A Hi nl[uimii(Tniiii!fill 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 SIZZLIN' SAVINGS! E Tli<‘ Hamptons of Perry 478-987-8179 THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN MIDDLE GEORGIA 395 N. PERRY PARKWAY PERRY, GA 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