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TODAY'S ISSUE
Snellville mayor pushes for city sales tax revenue
By Brett Harrell
Mayor
City of Snellville
Special to GwinnettForum.com

FEB. 11, 2003 - - M.O.S.T. stands for Municipal Option Sales Tax. The Georgia Municipal Association as well as the Gwinnett Municipal Association is including passage of MOST legislation at the General Assembly as part of their 2003 Legislative Agenda. Passage of a MOST law would allow cities additional financing flexibility by enacting a one-cent City sales tax via a local voter referendum.

Cities with regional market demand pressures need access to a municipal- only sales tax to help offset the cost of repair, maintenance, and expansion of vitally important aging infrastructure. Cities typically do not get their fair share of LOST (Local Option Sales Taxes) and are not true partners when it comes to a call for SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes).

The proposed MOST would be an additional one percent sales tax collected at the point of retail sale within the boundaries of the city. The proceeds would be returned to the city for financing infrastructure improvements, capital projects, and other necessary operational expenses.

Many cities have both heavy concentrations of retail businesses and large numbers of tax-exempt properties such as schools and houses of worship. As such, they are greatly impacted by increasing traffic and congestion which places substantial pressure on road and drainage systems as well as public safety needs.

Today, the continued rising costs of maintaining these systems falls largely on property tax payers. Cities are increasingly limited because of rising property tax exemptions and evaluation freezes, from funding community needs through property taxes. The MOST would provide funding for infrastructure maintenance and improvements while at the same time benefit local property tax payers.

It is a consumption tax; you choose to pay it only when you choose to shop. In as much as cities are often regional shopping areas, those visitors to a city with the MOST will share in the cost of providing the services they use.

It is a visible tax paid with each purchase rather than hidden in an escrow account paid annually by your mortgage company.

It is collected efficiently through the existing sales tax mechanisms and requires no added expense, overhead or manpower by the city. Funds are electronically transferred to the city monthly, improving cash flow for the city rather than having to schedule projects based on the annual property tax collections.

Some businesses, especially large ticket sellers, may view a retail sales tax as a competitive disadvantage to other non-taxed competitors. A reduction in property taxes may not offset the cost of reduced sales. Some buyers may choose to shop outside a taxing municipality rather than pay the penny more.

Finally, some fear cities will go on an annexation rampage seeking additional sales tax revenue once the MOST is adopted. However, the MOST will have sunset provisions making such a strategy risky and therefore, less likely.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Visit to Germany turns on concerns of war
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

FEB. 11, 2003 -- Germany was our destination for 10 days recently, visiting friends and delving into some first-hand research. We found a country where people were anxious to talk to Americans, with the major topic being the possibility of war.

Our companions on the trip were Nona and J.M. Patterson of Lawrenceville. We were based primarily in the Rhineland city of Mainz, where we had friends. We also inserted two days in Berlin.

We found the Germans we talked with raising large questions about President Bush and his preparations for war. Those we talked wanted more diplomatic negotiations.

There during Secretary of State Colin Powell's address to the United Nations, the wider response was one of skepticism. "No smoking gun," was one response, while another described the efforts to paint Iraq into a corner a "thin attempt."

Came a view from a respected editor: "If you go to war with this information, it will not have convinced many people."

One veteran retired German foreign officer was more gloomy: "I see nothing but war now," he said after the Powell talk. His views were heard from others.

When J.M. and I were headed from Mainz to Bonn along the Rhine on an IC train, and talking to each other, a German lady said to us. "I notice you are Americans," she said, "And wanted to ask you what your feelings were about the possibility of war," she said hesitatingly at first.

J.M., sounding himself like a reporter, asked her back: "What do you think of it?"

Turns out the mother of four was very much against a war, wanting more efforts at peace. One reason: she had two draft age sons, and this talk of war worried her. She was also concerned about the American president, wondering if he was leading the country, as he should.

Even the highest officials in Germany are having difficulty with the American viewpoint, aligning with the French, no doubt to the great consternation of Mr. Bush. Chancellor Schroeder in particular is being difficult, Mr. Bush might say.

Yet the most unusual report out last week showed that the United States has almost the unanimous backing of its handling of the Iraq questions with several of the former Soviet bloc of Eastern European nations.

Isn't it ironic that the United States is having tougher relations with this questions with several key Western European nations, yet the Eastern Europeans, the former Soviet bloc of countries, is backing the U.S. position!

One overwhelming realization: you got the feelings that people throughout Germany were far more concerned about the possibility of war than many in this country. That might be a quirk of geography, for Middle Eastern missiles could fall on Europe easier than they could on the United States.

It may have reflected on how much more Europeans are alert to what we are doing in this country than we are alert to what is happening in their countries.

We didn't go to Germany with any expectations that the war talk would be so prevalent there. But it is.

Returning from Berlin on Saturday, we knew nothing about the Columbia spacecraft tragedy until we arrived back at our base camp. Afterward, we did as many here did: watched CNN while in Germany to get the details of this tragedy. We found Germans most sympathetic about the Columbia tragedy. Their television networks and newspapers devoted heavy emphasis to it, similar to American media.

FEEDBACK
2/11: Rolling story story took him back years

Editor, the Forum:

Thanks for taking me back to my childhood and remembering the thrill of the rolling store coming by our house in rural Crawford County. I would bet that the rolling store was not nearly as large as I remember it. You have done a great job with the Forum.

-- Charlie Hudson, Duluth

2/11: Upset over governor changing rules for students

(Editor's note: this following letter was sent to us after it was also sent to the Georgia governor, Dr. Sonny Perdue. -eeb)

Dear Governor Perdue:

You have breached a contract with the future leaders of the State of Georgia. As stated in the following document from the National Governor's Association, Georgia's Governor's Scholarship program seeks to retain our "best and brightest students". Your proposed actions have put the future of Georgia in jeopardy.

As with any contract, there is an offer and acceptance for the sake of mutual consideration. There are students currently enrolled in Georgia's universities who accepted your offer in the Governor's Scholarship Program in consideration of the stated benefits for their achievement. They have relied upon your offer for all the years of study in completion of their chosen major.

You cannot change the rules in the middle of the game. If you wish to forsake the future of Georgia and decimate the Governor's Scholarship, that's your call, but you cannot pull the plug on the kids already in the program. The State of Georgia has made a commitment to these kids and the minimum of ethical standards demands that this obligation is fulfilled to the completion of the educations of the kids already enrolled.

The immaterial dollars you will save now with your proposed actions against Georgia's "best and brightest students" will entail a future loss which will far outweigh the quick fix you seek.

We have entrusted you with the future of Georgia. Please lead us with vision.

-- Brian Luders, Duluth

2/11: Can't believe jazzercizing for three hours straight

Editor, the Forum:

I can't believe this, but I signed up to do jazzercise for three hours straight. Years ago, pounds ago, I did this for six hours.

But, I want to do this in memory of my late sister-in-law Barbara Brinkman. Every day she is my thoughts and prayers and her influence remains on all of her children and me and John.

And I'm doing this because my cousin-in-law is reaching for remission time and time again from breast cancer and he is going to win this. Yes, I said "he". Men and women can get breast cancer. And it teaches us all the lesson that our time on earth is borrowed so we must make the best of it while we are here.

So, I'm collecting $5 to $10 from as many people as I can reach. You know
how much I would appreciate your help.

Course, you can send more, but you need to do this quickly since we're doing this February 16, this Sunday.

If you can join me in this search for a cure for cancer via the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, send a check payable to:

SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

and mail to:

-- Elaine Fuerst
262 Sunset Hills Drive
Norcross, Ga. 30071