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Return
of local incumbents sends signal
that most like way government is run
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
AUG. 23, 2002 -- "Trust the voters. Always trust the voters."---Abraham
Lincoln.
Tuesday's primary election had far-reaching effects on Gwinnett
County, not so much at the high profile races, but locally. Gwinnett
voters returned to office incumbent School Board and County Commission
members.
That move tells us something: people in Gwinnett are
generally satisfied with the way the county and School Board are
being run.
That's a reasonable conclusion. After all, over the last 30 years,
Gwinnett has had well-run government for the most part, with few
serious flaps. We can recall no one public official in Gwinnett
who has been cited for malfeasance in recent years. Judging from
this record, Gwinnett has had an exemplary bunch of elected public
officials serving them.
And it shows. The cooperation and progress that the county and
school board have made in the face of difficult times, primarily
brought on by growth, is amazing. Yet in general, this solid record
of achievement by our local governments has not just been people
holding the structure together with glue and bailing wire.
No indeed. Gwinnett has become an exemplary county for governmental
innovations, plus achieving significant results for its citizens.
Consider these achievements:
… Building schools: Gwinnett has by far the most significant
record for building new schools at some of the lowest cost in the
nation. Key to this construction is using proven contractors with
well thought out techniques and professional supervision.
… Infrastructure improvements: Whether the sewer and water
lines that serve with little dysfunction, or the mass of road systems
that is the envy of the area, Gwinnett thrives. It is now treating
sewage at levels that are setting new world standards. Gwinnett
hires good people, and gives them the wherewithal to get the professional
jobs done.
… Quality of living: Someone must be doing something right,
for people continue to flock to Gwinnett faster than any place in
Georgia. All this has created a county that others look upon as
a great place to live. With all this growth, how Gwinnett continues
to provide such a sought-after life is amazing. But, it works!
That's what voters were saying Tuesday when they returned
three incumbents to office. It's tantamount to the voters giving
the current School Board and County Commission a pat on the back.
* * * * *
Now to move to other thoughts about Tuesday's primary.
- The overwhelming nomination of Sonny Perdue for governor without
a runoff was amazing, defeating two credible candidates. What
is especially interesting is that Republicans turned not to one
of their long-time party stalwarts for the nomination, but to
a former Democrat. That adds more zest to the race, but might
also tell Republicans they must do a better job of developing
potential candidates who would be attractive to the voters.
- Rep. John Linder has been saying all along that his polls showed
him with plenty of margin for victory. Though other polls showed
different, this time John's polls were right on target. He now
gets to return to Congress to continue his fight for the Fair
Tax and possibly (if Republicans maintain control of the House)
to chair the Rules Committee. It is a heady victory for Linder.
- Meanwhile don't feel badly for Rep. Bob Barr, who could have
run in another district, and perhaps have retained his seat in
Congress. But he chose to run against Linder. We predict Barr
will visibly re-surface soon in another capacity. Some see him
taking on Sen. Zell Miller (who should run) in two years.
- How about Denise Majette? She timed running for Congress just
right, when angry voters of all stripes turned Cynthia McKinney
out of office. Ms. Majette will represent five Gwinnett precincts
in Congress. By the way, she won Gwinnett by a whopping 89 per
cent of the vote!
- David Scott copped victory (with 53 percent) over five opponents
in the new 13th District. He now seems poised to keep this seat
for years.
- And welcome to the newest Congressman to represent part of Gwinnett,
Gainesville's Nathan Deal, who ran without opposition.
The reapportioned Congressional seats turned out to present quite
an interesting primary in 2002!
FEEDBACK
8/23:
Feels strike would
really hurt baseball
Editor, the Forum:
I hope the major league players do strike. Before the game tonight
on the pregame show, Don Sutton was receiving a lot of calls from
irate fans and all were fed up with the greedy players.Although
Greg Maddux is a great pitcher, I didn't realize that he makes 13
million dollars a year! This is outrageous!
I am not a Braves fan, but do enjoy watching them play on TV. I
also learned that the average player's salary is $2.4 million a
year! I believe that if they do strike this time, it will kill major
league baseball.
-- David E. Tyre, Jesup, Ga.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
One way, perhaps, to
suggest fairness
"I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my
Republican friends...that if they will stop telling lies about the
Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.
---Adlai E. Stevenson Jr. (1900-1965).
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