It’s a tie vote – you win!

Much discussion, deliberation, and unusual interest of late on the issue of tie votes by various governing bodies and boards. Largely, a tie vote is a non-issue, the system works, and generally the governed win in a tie. Certainly, tie votes by local boards are not comparable to issues of national significance such as those pending before the U.S. Supreme Court or other courts of law. Regardless, the local community is most often the best determinant if tie votes are negatively affecting the community.

So, my first thought is why is a State Senator who professes a governmental philosophy of local control and personal responsibility inciting the issue? Should tie votes rise to the level of negatively affecting a community, the voters will most assuredly rectify the situation. Our Declaration of Independence establishes that the people, “will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed.” It is the community of people, subject to the board casting tie votes, which should originate change, if change is necessary, not the lofty elected further removed from the citizenry in the governance food chain.

One “solution” proposed is to remove the vote from the presiding officer; thereby, reducing the likelihood of ties votes and eliminating personal responsibility and accountability for the non-voter. At the recent town meeting the newspapers quoted a former mayor proudly stating, “I had the job for 26 years, and I voted twice and got in trouble both times.” The mayor, chairman, or whatever title assigned to a governing body or board should hold that position as a leader, establishing vision and direction for the body, and he should lead by example, that example is his vote. The leader must also be accountable to those that chose him to lead and his voting record provides that accountability. I assure you, in the present form of government in my community where the mayor votes, that position has much, much less power and influence than our previous form of government when the mayor did not vote.

I served with the former mayor quoted in the newspapers and the media made much of our great battles and disagreements. Truthfully and factually, however, I voted 92% of the time in agreement with that mayor’s position. As I understand it, the current number of tie votes in my local community remains at nearly the same percentage – 8%. To the best of my ability to discern, the vast majority of those tie votes are on issues of little import to daily lives of citizens and businesses.

Yes, sometimes governance is ugly and divisive, but over time, it generally works. Our nation’s founding was an ugly time in our history. Were it not for the personal integrity of General Washington our nation today may be a monarchy rather than a democratic republic. My community endured one form of government for over a quarter of a century then deliberately, systematically, and cautiously made change. Our new form of government is youthful and while locally driven improvements continue, should be free from usurpations of the powerful.

What does it really mean when a governing body or board casts a tie vote? It means the issue was not compelling enough to gain a majority and therefore, you win. It does not mean the issue is dead. The advocate must simply go back to work, improve the proposal, and present it again – you win again.

Finally, if tie votes rise to the level of impeding the successful operation of an organization, without prodding, those governed will become well aware of the divide and will certainly rectify the situation at the ballot box as our forefathers intended.

Parallels positive for all

Proposed streets provide access, improve safety, reduce congestion

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation recently reported, “Atlanta has the second-worst congestion in the nation, behind Los Angeles. Failing to keep up with the growth in traffic is one reason; another is a poorly functioning arterial road network, which causes overuse of freeways for local trips and does not allow for alternate routes around accidents and traffic jams. Atlanta's failure to plan for growth by designing and building an effective grid of arterial roads should be a lesson for areas around the state that are not fully developed.” An Atlanta Journal Constitution article titled “Make roads safe so that ‘routine’ deaths decline” referenced U.S. 78 as an example of an unsafe suburban thoroughfare in need of improvements benefiting local, regional, and pedestrian traffic. The Evermore CID is leading the effort to plan and construct significant improvements benefiting all that live, work, shop, or travel U.S. 78 in Gwinnett County.

Most know of the major investment underway along U.S. 78 to improve safety by installing a center median; however, Evermore is also benefitting from the planning and design of an effective parallel street system too. Potential projects linking the signalized intersection at Rockbridge Road with Davis Road and Hewatt Road, crossing Parkwood Road, continuing to Britt Road and eventually to the newly engineered intersection at Walton Court are positive for all. Completion of these projects, as well as the numerous others underway, will provide options for local travel, improve safety, guarantee access, and preserve property values for residential and business alike.

By providing a grid of parallel streets the entire 7-mile corridor, local traffic will have choices to access businesses, avoid congestion and/or accidents, and safely enter and exit the corridor. The proposed parallel streets include reduced design speeds, pedestrian access, and buffers. In addition to providing safe access and improving mobility, the parallel streets provide opportunities to preserve and revitalize the business corridor. A strong, vibrant business marketplace improves safety and strengthens residential property values.

From the CID’s founding in 2003, our organization has modeled our projects and programs in an attempt to avoid the life cycle experienced on the Memorial Drive corridor. Absent safe access provided by parallel streets, business failures, empty storefronts, and an increase in less than attractive properties is a much greater probability. The Evermore community must remain united in support of our work program that will encourage investment and revitalization.

Whether a homeowner, business owner, employee, or visitor, Evermore’s proposed parallel street projects are positive for all.

Vote YES on Amendment 2 to preserve local school control

The issue of tax allocation districts and permitting school system participation does not fit well into sound bites. Too often attempts at sound-bite messages distort or falsely state the truth. The most prominent sound bite in opposition to school system participation in TADS is that it "takes money away from our children."

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Amendment 2 authorizes local school boards to participate voluntarily in funding redevelopment and revitalization efforts that preserve local control and transparency. It also provides future funding increases in support of the school system. Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 will modify the state constitution to permit increases in school tax revenues, based on the increased value of a revitalization project, to go toward paying for that project. Over time, the resulting new development will generate greater revenues to the school system.

Wonderful, but what about needed school revenues today?

Our school system, just as most parts of our economy and community, is facing increased funding pressures today. The school funding crisis is never more evident than in areas in need of revitalization and redevelopment where stagnating and declining property values contribute only a fraction of the tax revenues previously received by the schools.

Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 allows local school boards to evaluate on a case-by-case basis participating in revitalization projects funded via TAD bonds. Flexibility contained within the TAD laws not only provides for future funding increases to the school system, but also allows local school boards to negotiate, as a condition for their participation in a TAD, for additional school improvements and/or up-front payments. Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 provides local school boards the ability to immediately secure additional and accelerated school funding.

How often have we heard our elected zoning officials say, "We cannot consider schools in the zoning decision?" How often have we heard our elected school board officials say, "We have no input into development issues impacting our schools?" Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 permits our local school board to voice its support or opposition to specific revitalization projects influencing our schools.

School costs will most certainly increase over the next 25 to 30 years; Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 provides our local school board a flexible tool to assist in generating immediate and future revenues necessary to meet those costs. It further assists in returning declining and stagnant areas to their full taxpaying value so as not to be a drain on other taxpayers.

Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 does not take money away from our schools or children, it does not increase taxes of any kind and it does not abate taxes for any taxpayer. Voting "yes" on Amendment 2 preserves local control, provides transparency and secures funding for the benefit of Gwinnett County schools and our children's future.

Editorial published in the Gwinnett Daily Post, Sunday, October 26, 2008

Bidding in a cigar Dutch Auction

Sorry, can't talk right now, gotta stay focused on the auction . . .

UPDATE: Yeah! Picked up 4 boxes of 10 at $25.10 via the auction.

JR Cigar Dutch Auction > DON DIEGO PRIVADA NO. 1
(Box of 10)
Dutch Auction Item #439

JR Price: $33.95
MSRP: $47.50
Starting Bid: $1.00
End Time: 09/02/2008 - 10:00 AM EST
Start Time: 08/29/2008 - 10:00 AM EST
No. of Bids: 165
Quantity Available: 100

Item Info:

Description
A classic Dominican cigar with a silky-smooth, almond-colored Connecticut Shade wrapper. Beautifully handrolled, these cigars have a creamy flavor that never bites, and a subtle finish with no aftertaste. An excellent cigar for those who prefer a milder smoking experience.

Quantity: 10
Origin: Dominican Republic
Length: 6.62
Ring: 43
Strength: Mild-Medium
Wrapper Color: Light Brown (N)
Wrapper Type: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: DR/BRA/MEX
Shape: Parejo

This is a great everyday cigar, one of my favorites. Wish me luck!