^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
4 NOV 04: LOVE YA BLUE?
The Columbus Trade Center hosted a Georgia Department of Labor "Career Transition Expo" Wednesday. The timing of this expo was all wrong -- because public safety officers couldn't change their schedules after Tuesday's tax vote to show up.
Somebody's gotta ask this - was Tuesday's election in Columbus a giant vote against law officers? The Marshal lost. The Sheriff almost lost. And with the one-cent sales tax failing, even some male police officers might start selling Avon products to supplement their incomes.
Mayor Bob Poydasheff said city officials are reviewing their options, in the wake of the LOST failing. Did they start doing this only Wednesday? It seems City Manager Carmen Cavezza was considering a "Plan B" before the vote - by applying to
work at Columbus State University.
Mayor Bob Poydasheff told WRBL one alternative to the sales tax money is a "minimum real estate tax." He did NOT explain exactly what that is -- but if they count the spot where I park my car as "minimum real estate," that may be the last
straw.
Not even the promise of lower property taxes persuaded Columbus voters to endorse the one-cent sales tax. Perhaps it hurt the city that this vote occurred on an 80-degree (F.) day -- because it made voters appreciate a property tax freeze that
much more.
So what should Columbus do, to find the extra money it needs? There are several possibilities:
+ City employee cookbooks are on sale at the Government Center. Put them inside Barnes and Noble, and charge double the price.
+ Call Paul Olson, a main opponent of LOST. He opposed the city's "Plan A" - now it's his turn to show one.
+ Take the more radical approach - by cutting public safety more, and having Fort Benning declare about one-third of the businesses in Columbus off-limits.
While we're still reflecting on Tuesday's vote - how about the surprise in Russell County? Commissioner Tillman Pugh was voted out of office for Gordon Cox. We suspect this race came down to one key thing - and most people probably would agree Administrator LeeAnn Horne-Jordan's a lot better looking than Pugh.
Signs endorsing Commissioner Tillman Pugh were all along Crawford Road over the last few weeks. I don't mean small yard signs, but big ones posted by businesses along U.S. 80. You don't think Pugh lost because he was mugged at a store
outside his district, do you?
Georgia voters will have one more ballot to fill out during Thanksgiving week. Deborah Bernes and Howard Mead will meet in a runoff for State Appeals Court Judge. I do hope all the election workers please spell Mead's first name right this
time, so we can settle this....
The Appeals Court Judge race keeps growing more puzzling to me. Howard Mead claims he gave up private attorney work for public service, while Deborah Bernes is a "high-priced criminal defense lawyer." So how on earth can Mead afford all those campaign commercials?
Then came word from a Columbus woman that Jesse Jackson taped a phone message endorsing Howard Mead for Judge. I heard this message, and it mainly mentions Mead endorsing a change in the Georgia state flag. I thought only the rednecks were going to wave a state flag in somebody's face....
And that's another overlooked item from the Georgia elections. Where was the state flag protest at the polls? Instead of punishing Governor Sonny Perdue's party, the Republicans gained full control of the legislature. Of course, this may give Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor nothing to do for two years except campaign.
BLOG UPDATE: Wednesday brought news that Mayor Bob Poydasheff wants the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to review Adam Johnson's collision with a child on Oates Avenue. That's what the NAACP wanted - and maybe we'll get results in time for the next Sheriff's election in 2008.
(If the Mayor really wanted to be daring, he'd appoint a local independent investigator - and Robert Taylor's free for awhile now.)
Now let's wrap this up and get some W's - oops, I mean Z's:
+ An evening run along the Riverwalk was so warm and humid, it felt more like July 3 than November 3. I mean, it was stickier than those giant cinnamon rolls they sell at major airports....
+ The Atlanta Hawks opened a new basketball season, by losing to Phoenix by 30 points. Maybe this team would be better off booking games against Phenix City Central....
+ The Archway Broadcasting building on 13th Street was named after the late Chuck McClure. I think the staff should bury a memorial time capsule under the plaque on the wall - with copies of the Washington Times, Wall Street Journal, and one shredded Ledger-Enquirer.
+ Instant Message to the new H.H. Gregg store: Are you kidding me? Microwave ovens on sale for 18 dollars?? Which yard sale are you competing against?
To offer a story tip, make a donation or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post a reply.
If you quote from this in public somewhere, please be polite enough to let me know.
© 2003-04 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.