Everyone should have to read John Stossel's editorial about spending printed in The Times on Monday. I mean everyone from our esteemed elected officials down to the everyday man, woman and child.
We have had several public meetings at various locations across the county. I think the consensus is that a public uproar has occurred. I think I can speak for everyone that reads this commentary.
Recently, a friend and I attempted to attend a meeting at the Georgia Mountains Center in an effort to be better informed about the county's budget woes. We arrived about 15 minutes prior to the scheduled meeting time and, to our surprise and disappointment, we were refused entrance to the meeting along with several hundred other taxpayers. I mention this to let the reader know I am ill-informed due to no fault of my own. However, please bear with an ill informed taxpayer's perspective.
How many of the commissioners would consider working with pay and forfeit their salaries to help the budget?
On a recent Saturday morning, I decided to take my little dog for a walk at God and Chicopee's greatest gift to Gainesville, Chicopee Woods hiking trails. What a way to start the day, breathing the fresh air and enjoying the new spring growth.
The letters to the editor in Saturday's Times provided the clearest possible illustration of the depths to which the Republican anti-tax obsession has degenerated.
In a June 10 article, the AJC reported some interesting statistics regarding Georgians dying needlessly because "they are too far from a trauma center." No doubt these statisticians could prove that Rhode Island is seven times bigger than Texas. As a result, most of the information contained in the article is typical of how so-called intelligent and knowledgeable people attempt to dupe us so-called ignorant and unawares into buying their white elephants.
When individuals and families are faced with reduction in income, they must of necessity reduce spending for their families' sake. When businesses encounter reduction in revenue, they take stock and cut spending for their stakeholders.
I live and own property in the North Hall area and was born and raised here. My family has lived and worked in Hall County several generations back.
I had begun to think my household was the only one in Hall County who doesn't want a tax hike or can't afford one and knows the issues we face fall at the feet of the ego-laden Board of Commissioners.
I am frustrated with talk of people willing to support a tax hike to save parks. In case anyone has missed it, the recession is still in full swing. People are still out of work and homes are still being foreclosed on. To increase property taxes now will only exacerbate the foreclosure problem that has contributed to the loss of more than $20,000 in my home's value the last four years.
The age-old debate over free will and determinism is as relevant today as ever. If we have significant amounts of free will, then people deserve what they get, now and forever. Punishment is justified. We may offer conditional forgiveness and second chances, but it will be limited and temporary.
On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I offer condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Samuel L. "Sam" Oliver of Gainesville on his recent, untimely passing.
Boy, the pressure is really starting to build up at warp speed. I feel as if I am standing on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and the market is crashing. I am the point man for my entire family and I am the one who is ultimately responsible for its well being.
If Hall County increases the property tax, it will not have much impact on my standard of living and I doubt if it will have any impact on most of the commissioners.
As Memorial Day approaches, I'm reminded of a disturbing trend I've noticed over the past several years. I've been serving in the U.S. Army and the Georgia Army National Guard for more than 17 years now, and the amount of support we receive from the community is very much appreciated.
Have you ever been in a department store or grocery store and felt like you were among a bunch of wild animals? I despise parents who are controlled by their children. Who is in control? Obviously, not the adults.
For the last several years, the Lake Lanier Association and several advocates, have drafted plans of action to address issues regarding the lake's delicate balance, of its water quality and the constantly fluctuating levels, not to mention all the downstream demands made on this pristine North Georgia jewel.
State Sen. Steve Gooch has emphasized the need for more work on Second Amendment rights for Georgia citizens. He correctly states that, in 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the individuals right to keep and bear arms. If you wanted guns to be outlawed except for militia use or some version of that scenario, then your argument is lost.
The Hall County Family Connection Network is a collaboration of agencies and organizations that serve families and children in Hall County. In this capacity, we write to express our concern about the future of the public transportation system in Gainesville and Hall County.
It seems we are continually confronting a threat or threats: radical Islam, economic meltdown, Obama scare, war, etc. However, one of my greatest concerns is the lack of honesty in our leaders. Their response, unfortunately, is always an effort to mislead and cover up. If I recall correctly, this administration promised to be the most transparent in our history. It appears to me we have a trust deficit much larger than our fiscal one.
As you can imagine with a business that employs more than 100 people on Green Street, and one that has operated successfully on the street since 1967, we oppose the banning of left turns on Green Street as the only solution to Gainesville's traffic problem. It is a easy, knee-jerk public action but will only marginally affective in reducing the affect of traffic through our city.
It appears that Jim Scharnagel still doesn't understand the history of this country or what our Constitution and Bill of Rights are all about. In his recent letter, he left out possibly the most important reason for maintaining an armed citizenry, namely protection from an oppressive government.
Your article on the Teacher Keys evaluation system was accurate, but failed to discuss the critical issue; that is, is it possible to evaluate teaching using any evaluation tool regardless of its sophistication or intricacy? There are at least a few loud voices in the field of education, mine included, which reject the fundamental concept of teacher evaluation through an objective measurement device.
Our son's elementary school, Wauka Mountain Multiple Intelligences Academy, is honoring its teachers this week as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. Since this is his last year at the school, we began to reflect on all the wonderful teachers that have been a part of our lives these last six years.
Saturday night, our power went out because a tree fell on a power line near our house. This happened shortly after 11 p.m. All night, we heard Jackson Electric workers cutting the tree and working in the pouring rain. At 6 a.m., our electricity came back on.
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