3 FEB 09: Another Year, Another Penny
The weather Monday afternoon was perfect for our new Muscogee County school superintendent. Rain fell for several hours. You know, a splish-splash SPLOST sort of rain....
Dr. Susan Andrews wasted little time in her new job as Muscogee County Superintendent in setting the foundation for a school sales tax vote. In a series of TV interviews, she said it was the most logical way to bring more revenue to the school district. It's either that, or persuade a native tribe to move to Bibb City and set up a casino.
Dr. Susan Andrews said the weekend school board retreat at the Cunningham Center led to a "consensus" for a one-percent school sales tax vote. If she can gain a consensus from the board after the last couple of years, she doesn't belong in Muscogee County. She should join George Mitchell in Middle East diplomacy.
The new superintendent addressed concerns about the Muscogee County School Board. Susan Andrews borrowed one of President Obama's favorite words about government -- transparency. So many officials are using this word that they must hold stock in the company which makes Scotch tape.
Dr. Susan Andrews says a one-percent sales tax is the best moneymaking option because Columbus is a "retail center." There, you see? Someone else refuses to believe those rumors about Peachtree Mall.
Dr. Susan Andrews noted two main reasons why Muscogee County schools need sales tax money. One reason is the tight Georgia state budget. The Muscogee County school budget already has been trimmed two percent - so hopefully you won't mind if grade-school students walk to a couple of field trips this spring.
The other big concern for Dr. Susan Andrews is base realignment. She told WLTZ it's unclear how many students will move to Columbus - and how many will be high school students, as opposed to grade school students. The Muscogee County schools may have to rent some "portable classrooms" which actually are on wheels.
As we noted here Sunday, the Muscogee County School Board is considering September as the date for the one-percent sales tax vote. The official thinking behind that date is that it falls shortly after the new school year begins. The unofficial thinking is that Mike Gaymon is right, the recession will be over and Columbus will climb out first.
As for that other potential trouble spot in a school sales tax vote: WRBL reported Monday the Muscogee County Administration Building should be finished by July. That way, angry voters in September can't demand construction stop any more.
THE BIG BLOG QUESTION comes out of hibernation, to see if you accept Dr. Susan Andrews's arguments. Would you vote for a one-percent sales tax for Muscogee County schools? Or does the recession have you pinching pennies so much that you can't even spare one for education?
-> Our other blog gets visitors from Columbus to Europe. Read about poker and life at "On the Flop!" <--
E-MAIL UPDATE: The woman who wrote us about Columbus Tax Assessors has a follow-up to what we posted Monday....
The conflict of interest with the Board of Equalization and a person appealing the tax increase, Linda George, in this case, is that the Board of Equalization Chair has a competitive property across the street from Linda. They are in competition for renters. He signed a statement saying he had no conflict of interest, prior to the hearing- which is always required to prevent conflict of interest. Was that a conflict of interest for him to advise the Tax Assessors Board on her tax increase appeal?
1. There is a Tax Assessors Board that assesses taxes,
2. An Equalization Board, which reviews appeals for tax increases,
3. Development Authority Board which allows=advises The Tax Assessors Board on tax breaks (abatements) for businesses that bring enough business to Columbus to warrant a tax break
The Tax Assessors Board also approves Development Authority Tax (breaks) Abatements like those for Councilman Glenn Davis, which was $20$ Million$ or so and large landlords, like Will White, who got $180 Million in tax abatements for his rental apts, though he only employs a few people per apt. location. Tax abatements were not meant to be applied to companies which only employ 2-3 people particularly when these large landlords get $100- $180 Million in total abatements across town. All of that while the small landlord can have yearly increases in taxes for simply repairing an air conditioner (triggering a new tax assessment-which can be done yearly on landlords-such as in the case of Linda George-whose taxes increased about $1000 per year). Multiplied out, as is done in abatements that would be a $20,000 increase over 20 years as compared to the $20 Million dollar abatement Councilman Davis gave himself on his business.
The Boards in Columbus are fraught with Conflict of Interest= Billy Blanchard is on the Development Authority and he is a big part of CB&T, Synovus, etc, while getting money in tax breaks to the tune of millions from that same Board. Same is true for that board's Attorney of record- the city employs him to advise the Development Authority and his vested concerns get money from the Development Authority as well.
The City uses CB&T to house money, you know the city takes in tax money, and the city has reserves of about $50 Million, and there was even more during the Poydasheff years. I would ask you to find out the percentage of interest the city is paid by CB&T but I know that would take a miracle worker. CB& T was thrown out of NY state and the CEO was listed on the NY Attorney General website like a common criminal, in a complaint which names him and the bank in simple language. Here is the link
All one needs to do is go to the website and type in Columbus Bank and Trust in the search window on the website--many links will appear on the NY Attorney General website on CB&T. CB&T cannot practice their predatory lending on Hispanics there in NY now--but they can and do house money for the city of Columbus as well as have an employee as a City Councilman.
Is it a Conflict of Interest to have:
1. A City Councilman who is also a bank officer of the bank that houses city money while that institution simultaneously receives money from tax breaks from the city
2. A Development Authority Board member get money for his own company, which is also the bank that houses city money and has an officer as a city councilman who is over that board?
Small landlords get the shaft with potentially yearly increases of taxes- while large apt owners get millions in tax breaks from the Development Authority's advice to the Tax Assessors Board.
In Last week's council meeting Linda George, who owns ONE triplex, presented information on the conflict of interest, in her case, and afterwards Councilman Pops Barnes stated they have never had any trouble with board members- When the City Manager suggested that the Cunningham Leadership Center would train board members for $30 in materials, etc., Pops Barnes stated there was no problem ever with board members. What a joke!
This state needs Conflict of Interest Laws that are meaningful, and the city needs to stop the genetic bottleneck of board members who are on the boards to profit from their "service" to the community.
Deborah Owens
First of all - what do you mean, "competition for renters?" I've lived in the same apartment nearly 12 years, and no one's knocked on my door yet offering lower rent and a free moving truck.
We went to the web site of the New York Attorney General, and a search for Columbus Bank and Trust found 11 different items. But put the phrase "Columbus Bank and Trust" in quotes, and only one comes up -- without the name of the bank's chief executive officer. Lumping this bank with the Knights of Columbus doesn't seem very fair.
But after looking over the list of names on Columbus city boards, I can understand the argument about conflicts of interest. For instance, the Board of Health has four doctors on it. Where are the lawyers, to set these kings of malpractice straight?
By the way, we DID call the city finance department last year to ask about the interest rate Columbus Bank and Trust pays on city bank accounts. In fact, Deborah Owens asked us to do that [10 Sep 08]. But the department director never returned our phone call -- and that was way back when economic times were good.
Let's take one more e-mail, which goes back to a 21 January topic:
Do you think that perhaps Mike Patrick was removed as CEO of Carmike because his mother recently died? His parents were founders of Carmike after purchasing the chain from her Martin relatives. I wonder if the Board of Trustees could not remove him until both parents were deceased..Just a left field guess...Carl (Pat) and Frances Patrick were really a class act.
If this guess is true, it would seem to show a little disrespect by the Carmike Cinemas board. After all, Frances Patrick only died in late December. Pushing son Mike out the door only weeks later would be like.... well, it's a little better than hurrying the crowds outside after a Saturday night movie ends.
By the way, Carmike Cinemas opened a new 12-screen theatre this past weekend in Dalton, Georgia. Carmike used to have theatres inside Walnut Square Mall. The new location is behind it - which makes it even more amazing that the movies are first-run.
Be here Wednesday for the latest entry in our Blog Special Event. But for now, let's wrap up other Monday news:
+ Aflac reported its 2008 revenue was up six percent from the year before. Some local stock-watchers declared a Morgan Stanley analyst was "out of line" in issuing a warning on Aflac stock recently. But really now - any child at an amusement park knows you can only ride a duck for so long.
+ WRBL put messages on the air declaring it "intends to cease analog broadcasting" 17 February. So what if Congress postpones the digital TV deadline to June? Will the station provide bus service to sports bars, so people in low-income neighborhood can watch the NCAA basketball tournament?
+ Augusta State and Columbus State split a college basketball doubleheader. The Augusta men opened with a 14-0 run, then coasted to an 82-73 win. So when WDAK's Scott Miller said it's "good to see Dr. Mescon here," I wondered if Cougar coach Doug Branson really felt the same way.
+ ESPN college basketball analyst Bob Knight admitted he'd be willing to coach Georgia, if the university wants him. Do the Bulldogs really want to hire a Hall of Fame coach, who's 68 years old? Why, he probably can throw a chair only halfway across the court now.
+ Instant Message to Denny's restaurants: Wow - you're offering FREE Grand Slam breakfasts for eight hours today!?! It's nice to see someone celebrating the start of college baseball season around here.
The number of unique visitors to our blog has doubled since 2006! To advertise to them, offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,425 (+ 52, 3.8%)
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
© 2003-09 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.