October 27, 2004
Finally got the coffee pot going for all you "expresso" lovers! Been kind of a dry spell lately due to an overly crowded calendar and computer problems, but if I have any readers left out there in cyberspace who have not totally given up on me, here's a fresh hot cup:
I looove the advance voting capability that is now in effect for Gwinnett County, Georgia! With the needs of out-of-state elderlies likely to crop up suddenly, my husband and I are grateful for the much more comfortable window in which to accomplish our voting. Good thing we voted early for the last election because we had to head out of town suddenly and would have missed that Election Day.
By now the Gwinnett Board of Elections is acutely aware that 17 voting machines in only one location are woefully inadequate for the deluge of voters that showed up to advance vote. Though locked into this arrangement for this election by the Department of Justice, it goes without saying that there will be a much more commodious system in place for the next election cycle. I guess the apathetic voting Gwinnett voters have exhibited in the past colored the estimates. We spent four hours and 32 minutes waiting to vote. My waiting line number was 1593. Folks in the crowd were generally of good humor, generally determined to stick out the wait, and everybody was impressed by the professionalism of the Board of Elections staff members, who kept the masses moving in an orderly manner.
The waiting line to vote was cut off at 5:00 p.m. by assembling everybody in the huge auditorium at GJAC. There was a young mother with her five beautiful and well-behaved little children in this group. Someone proposed that she be put to the head of the line, but that was not officially possible. Only folks 75 years of age or incapacitated in some way are allowed by law to step to the head of the voting line. So, when
Randy Gardiner stood up and asked this young mother to trade her higher voting number with his lower number, thereby allowing her to vote a little earlier, the applause was thunderous. Chivalry is not dead in Gwinnett and Randy Gardiner proved it!
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The United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA) hosted a political forum on October 25, 2004 and what I heard there changed my vote. Georgia state senate candidate for the 40th District
Dan Weber gave a pretty good account of himself until he got to the part where he said he supported charter schools. That was a deal breaker for me. Unfortunately Weber did not make himself available for closer questioning on this point after the forum ended. I am of the opinion that the Florida courts declared charter schools illegal sometime last spring or summer. Charter schools are fraught with problems and are no way to spend a state's hard earned tax dollars. The public education system in this country is one of America's greatest strengths. Frankly, a good many of its problems are not caused by the school systems, but by the sorry attitude of the parents and the students who are engaged within. Wonderful opportunity is offered, especially here in Gwinnett, but surly uninvolved parents and brain-dead kids aren't interested, especially if they have to actually DO something, such as study and attempt to learn. We can throw a ton of money at this, but nothing will change until this attitude changes. Statewide, this is a colossal problem, but popular press dotes almost entirely on criticism of the schools.
It was noted by everyone in attendance that the shadow Democrats on the ballot are still in the dark. The Bangladeshi person who is running against
Charles Bannister for County Commission Chairman failed to respond to the invitation, as did
Norm Cranford, the Democrat who has his name on the ballot for Third District School Board. We haven't laid eyes on these men over here in Peachtree Corners. Why, indeed, should we squander a vote? I have long been an advocate of having a choice on the ballot, but some of the choices offered for this election cycle are worse than not having a choice. This is America and anybody can run for anything. It is possible to get your name on the ballot even if you are not a viable candidate. Clueless people who manage to get elected wind up costing the taxpayers real money in real terms. Beware of the nincompoops!
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The absence of any public opposition to the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) is encouraging. A vote "YES" on this ballot item will continue the one-cent sales tax in Gwinnett for another four years. I think by now most citizens understand the value of this tax and just how useful the revenue stream is to the county. SPLOST literature says that one-third or more of the funds collected from SPLOST come from visitors and shoppers who live outside of Gwinnett but use our roads and infrastructure. Personally, I believe that estimate should be a lot higher. When I look at the license plates of the cars parked in The Forum, an upscale shopping area in Peachtree Corners, as high as half of the cars are from outside of our county. This tax has been in place for the last eight years and needs to be renewed by voters. Without the estimated $550 million in SPLOST revenue over the next four years, property taxes would certainly have to be raised to meet the needs that the SPLOST penny covers.
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In a big show of faith in the "Deer Off" product, I planted pansies and snapdragons in our front yard. So far, so good. They are still there. The Shook salad bar has been extremely popular in recent years with our deer friends and this year will undoubtedly be no different. Cooler temperatures have strengthened the blooming plants and shrubs for a last gasp before winter. I believe the garden has as much or more going on in the autumn than it does in the spring. There is nothing like a Southern garden…unless it is your
garden, of course!
Hope all is well. Thanks for reading.
102704
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