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Norcross
architect tells why he likes proposal for "fair tax"
By Bob Foreman
Special to GwinnettForum.com
(Editor's Note: while we do not agree with the
Fair Tax, it's a concept worthy of discussing in a Forum such
as this. Bob Foreman has been a licensed architect for 35 years
and is in his 22st year as senior principal in the Norcross-based
firm Foreman Seeley Fountain - Architecture.-eeb)
OCT. 20, 2006 -- The income tax system effectively controls many
aspects of our personal lives and our businesses in this country.
Real estate transactions, business decisions, purchases of property,
buildings, equipment and furniture all hinge on the dictates of
the income tax system. An enormous amount of money is spent every
year on accountants, lawyers and financial advisors to prepare tax
returns and tell us how to arrange our finances so as to avoid paying
too much income tax. Our government uses the tax system to control
our actions and as a way for politicians to maintain their power.
Foreman |
I believe we will all be better off if the current income tax system
is replaced with the Fair Tax ---- a type of national sales tax.
Instead of having to pay advisors to help us understand the tax
consequences of every business decision, we could simply decide
based on actual business need. Individuals could make economic decisions
based on what is best for them and not on the tax implications.
Without an income tax, our nation will become more competitive
internationally. Our overseas business will increase because our
products and services will no longer have the built-in tax costs.
Our country will have an automatic economic advantage. The Fair
Tax will give people an incentive to save their money because taxes
will only be paid on spending, not on savings. Income from savings
and investments will not be taxed, unless it is spent.
There is currently a huge underground cash economy in this country,
much of which escapes taxation. It is not just low wage labor. The
Fair Tax will collect tax from everyone, poor or rich. Everyone
will receive a monthly rebate to cover the cost of the tax on the
basic necessities. There will be no more cheating on income tax
by anyone.
The Fair Tax should replace all income tax and payroll tax. In
spite of what most people think, businesses and corporations do
not pay taxes. Individuals pay all the taxes because businesses
pass their taxes on to their customers, employees and owners. Taxes
on businesses have been a way that the true cost of taxes has been
hidden from the American people. Most people have no clue about
how much of the price of goods and services is built in tax. The
Fair Tax will not hide the truth. Best of all the Fair Tax will
be voluntary in that each person will decide for themselves how
much to spend (and pay tax on) and how much to save (and not pay
tax on).
The Fair Tax will transform our economy for the better as well
as rescue the Social Security and Medicare systems. It will encourage
people to save for retirement, for education and other purposes.
Therefore, it will stimulate new investments which will in turn
stimulate the economy. It will return political power back to the
people. The Fair Tax will be good for individuals, good for business,
good for the economy, good for international trade and be fair to
all. The only people who will not like it are accountants, tax lawyers
and politicians. For more information go to www.fairtax.org.
Volunteer hours abound in helping provide
many local facilities
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
OCT. 20, 2006 -- So many in Gwinnett County think many of what
we now look upon as institutions have been there forever. They never
consider the thinking, the sweat, the hard work and the foresight
that brought these facilities to bear.
Brack |
It's real property that I'm thinking today, the nuts-and-bolts
and lumber-and-sheet rock and steel and concrete in buildings around
the county.
No, not those of government. Those permanent facilities put up
by the hard work of civic clubs and other associations, many of
them non-profit.
Just recently, another of our stellar institutions completed its
major fund raiser for the year: the 54th Gwinnett Fair. From its
first fair in modern times back in the early 1950s with a few thousand
in attendance, to today's modern fair in great facilities with more
than 202,000 in attendance, the fair has constantly grown.
The success of the fair can be seen in its sprawling 82 acre Fairgrounds
and permanent structures and other improvements all around it. Each
year the Fair take its proceeds, and invests into improvements.
For this year, President and CEO J.W. Benefield says that the Fair
cleared over $300,000, a financial record, and will use the funds
for several major improvements. "We could spend that in two
big jobs we need to do," Benefield says.
Benefield cited the family-orientation of the Fair. "We have
people of all sort, white, black, Hispanic, attending, and it's
a family affair. The kids love it, and urge their parents to bring
them back each year, we are pleased to say."
Fair Manager Dale Thurman says among the needs that the Fair Board
is prioritizing:
a. Its main building needs air conditioning, which will give
the Fair the ability to use the facility more in summer. Altogether
it measures 23,200 square feet.
b. More paving is needed to eliminate the mud which results after
rain.
c. There are constant electrical updates needed, as vendors require
more power for their appliances and trailers.
d. Fencing needs improving. More landscaping is also on the agenda.
Some people think of the Fair as merely a fall event. But the Gwinnett
Fairgrounds were used more than 200 event days last year, from children's
clothing sales, to an Indian festival, gun shows, ham radio events,
corporate events and annually, the Relay for Life.
Yet the biggest fundraiser is the annual Fair, thought to be the
second largest in Georgia after the Georgia State Fair in Perry.
People pouring through the gates help fund more improvements each
year.
* * * * *
Another example of a community event funding infrastructure can
be seen in the results of the Duluth Fall Festival. More than $100,000
from this year's Festival will help pay down the Fall Festival's
part of the Festival Center building. Kathryn Willis, one of the
key figures behind the festival, says that the original Fall Festival
$1 million part of the building debt will be down to $250,000 after
this year's portion is applied. Look for Fall Festivals to have
the building which they help erect free and clear soon!
* * * * *
Next time you go by, for example, the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds,
or the Festival Center in Duluth, and similar community-funded structures
in Gwinnett, realize the tremendous time and effort of volunteers
and civic activists that went into helping pay for these facilities…..for
all of us in Gwinnett.
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is Norcross Station,
located on Peachtree Street in downtown Norcross. Come enjoy meals
cooked as you remember them from your mother's table, tasty items,
with generous portions. There's a family atmosphere, with a railroad
motif in this converted former rail station. We're in the middle
of Norcross, easy to get to, and open Monday-Saturday for lunch
and dinner. No reservations required. Check out our web site at
www.NorcrossStation.com.
10/20: The true meaning
of the abbreviation, "ATM"
The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:
10/20: Many in Gwinnett
without adequate health insurance
Editor, the Forum:
Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, Inc. continues to show
compassion for Gwinnett County's uninsured families by providing
quality medical care to those who need it most. Through our medical,
dental and optometry services, we have seen many lives changed for
the better.
Today, you can make an immediate difference in the life of a neighbor,
family member, friend, co-worker, or employee. We invite you to
support the 2006 Beacon of Light Fundraising Banquet and Silent
Auction by purchasing tickets to this event. It brings together
business and community leaders to build a better Gwinnett County.
Expected to attend are individuals representing Gwinnett's diverse
medical, academic, religious, corporate and nonprofit communities.
The event is November 10 at Perimeter Church in Duluth beginning at
7 p.m. Tickets are $50 each. You can "reserve" your ticket
by calling me at (678) 770-7028 or by sending me an email at curtis@goodsamhc.org.
Remember, space is limited so reserve your tickets today!
-- Curt Tyler, Lilburn, executive director, Good Samaritan
Health Center of Gwinnett, Inc.
Stephens
to head county planning-development department
Stephens |
Glenn P. Stephens will succeed Michael Williams as the new director
of Planning and Development. Stephens' effective date will be November
1. Williams, who is retiring in January, will continue to tie up
several projects that are already underway, such as the plan review
and permitting efficiency study, says County Administrator Jock
Connell.
The appointment is a promotion for Stephens, who is a Senior Assistant
Attorney for Gwinnett County specializing in land use and zoning
law and litigation. His 19 years of experience includes some private
practice, but the vast majority of his expertise comes from representing
the DeKalb and Gwinnett County governments and several area municipalities.
Stephens steps in while the department is in the midst of a major
update of the Comprehensive Plan, a document that will plot a path
for the county's growth over the next 20-plus years.
Stephens is a graduate of Mercer University with a degree in political
science and holds a J.D. from the Walter F. George School of Law
of Mercer University in 1987. Stephens and his wife Carole have
lived in Snellville since 1991. They have two sons.
Snellville to get new
stand-alone tag office soon
There is a new Snellville Tag Office to open at 2845 Lenora Church
Road. The new facility replaces the former Tag Office location on
Oak Road, says Tax Commissioner Katherine Sherrington. The opening
ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 21.
The new Snellville facility is Gwinnett County's first stand-alone
Tag Office. The new location has additional customer parking and
offers drive-through services for tag renewals.
The Tax Commissioner opened the original Snellville Tag Office
location in January 1988. Since that time, vehicle tag and title
sales have risen each year at the Snellville location from just
48,000 in 1988 to over 162,000 in 2005. Along with using multiple
tag office locations throughout the county, customers can renew
their tags over the Internet at www.Gwinnett-Tag.com
or over the telephone at (770) 822-8818.
J.M.
Tull YMCA marks 20 years of operation in Gwinnett
The J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA recently marked 20 years of
operation. It was October 16th, 1986 that the doors to Gwinnett's
first YMCA facility.
YMCA programs came to Gwinnett County in 1977, but there was no
facility. The YMCA brought soccer to the county and provided summer
day camp programs for many years prior to building the facility
on Sugarloaf Parkway.
From 22 acres of land donation by Robert Fowler and donations from
the community, the doors to the new YMCA began in 1986. A major
gift of $500,000 was contributed by the Tull Foundation, and local
leaders were committed to the recreational, family activities for
local residents. In 20 years, the YMCA expanded nine times to reach
the 60,000-square-foot facility that it is today.
The YMCA is open to and serves all. Financial assistance is available,
based on need. The Partner With Youth annual campaign raises money
in the community for residents experiencing job loss, long-term
illness or death or other financial hardship.
In the last five years, the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA has
provided more than $500,000 in financial assistance for Y programs
and services. If you know someone who may benefit from Y programs
or membership, contact the YMCA at 770-963-1313 or tgy@ymcaatlanta.org.
Suwanee wins several
state and national awards
The City of Suwanee picked up multiple national and state awards
last week. This small city of 14,500 was recognized for outstanding
fund-raising events, creative promotional items, and its community
newsletter.
At the City-County Communications and Marketing Association's (3CMA)
annual conference in Dallas last week, Suwanee was deemed tops in
the nation (among local government agencies with populations up
to 106,000). It also won a Savvy Award for its "Art on a Limb"
program in the Most Creative Activity With Least Dollars Spent category.
Art on a Limb is a month-long initiative that celebrates and brings
attention to the arts as well as the four-mile Suwanee Creek Greenway.
3CMA also presented the City of Suwanee with a Silver Circle Award
(second place) for Best Use of a Promotional Item, also for Art
on a Limb. Suwanee's newsletter, CrossRoads, was recognized with
an Award of Excellence (third place) among local governments with
populations up to 46,000.
At the annual Georgia Downtown Conference in Valdosta last week,
two of Suwanee's fund-raising efforts were recognized for outstanding
achievement by the Georgia Downtown Association and the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs/Office of Downtown Development.
The Better Parks Campaign, which featured a "fun-raising"
auction event, the Suwanee Soiree, as well as sponsorship of Town
Center Park fixtures including benches and lamp posts, won for Most
Creative Fundraising. The Better Parks Campaign raised more than
$150,000 for Suwanee's interactive water fountain.
Suwanee's Big Splash, the grand opening of the interactive fountain
at Town Center Park this summer, which also doubled as a fund-raiser
for Long Beach, Miss. won for Best Downtown Special Event. The June
17 event brought in more than $25,000 to help Long Beach recover
from Hurricane Katrina.
Duluth's Bunten Road
Park to use reuse water for irrigation
The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners and the City of Duluth have
signed an agreement for the county to provide irrigation water for
the city's 45-acre Bunten Road Park on the northeast side of Duluth.
The county will provide highly treated, non-potable reuse water
from the state-of-the-art F. Wayne Hill Water Reclamation Plant.
It will be used to water landscaped areas and athletic fields at
the popular park.
Reuse water has been used for similar purposes at the county's
Pinckneyville Park since 2004 and at two golf courses in Suwanee.
Such uses are strongly recommended in the 50-Year Master Plan for
Gwinnett's water supply. "This helps reduce the demand for
fully-treated drinking water," according to Frank Stephens,
Gwinnett's Water Resources Director. He explained that "Impurities,
harmful organisms and bacteria have been removed at the treatment
plant." Georgia's statewide water plan emphasizes conservation
and reuse. In 2006, Gwinnett County has already reduced its demand
on Lake Lanier supplies by 135 million gallons through its reuse
program.
An existing eight-inch iron pipeline along Old Peachtree Road and
Bunten Road will deliver the reuse water to the park. For the first
five years, the city will pay 75 cents per thousand gallons used.
During the second five years, the charge will adjust annually under
terms of the contract. After 10 years, the city will pay the standard,
non-potable reuse water rate in effect at that time.
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- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
Georgia
Museum of Art creation of New York lawyer
The Georgia
Museum of Art, on the campus of the University of Georgia, in
Athens is both an academic museum and the official art museum of
the state of Georgia. The permanent collection consists of American
paintings, primarily 19th and 20th century; American, European,
and Asian works on paper; the Samuel H. Kress Study Collection of
Italian Renaissance paintings; and growing collections of southern
decorative arts and Asian art.
From the time it was opened to the public in 1948 in the basement
of an old library on the university's historic north campus, the
museum has grown consistently both in the size of its collection
and in the size of its facilities. Today the museum occupies a contemporary
building in the Performing and Visual Arts Complex on the university's
burgeoning east campus. There, 52,000 square feet house more than
8,000 objects in the museum's permanent collection-a dramatic leap
from the core of 100 paintings donated by the museum's founder,
Alfred Heber Holbrook.
Much of the museum's collection of American paintings was donated
by Holbrook, in memory of his first wife, Eva Underhill Holbrook.
Included in this collection are works by such luminaries as Frank
Weston Benson, William Merritt Chase, Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove,
Georgia O'Keeffe, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Jacob Lawrence,
and Theodore Robinson. Over the years it has been impossible to
separate the history of the museum from the story of Holbrook's
generosity.
Holbrook retired from an active New York law practice at the age
of 70. He began a personal quest to learn about the world of art,
an interest piqued by his passion for visiting museums. In his retirement
he was determined to study art in a gentle southern climate. A trip
to Athens in the mid-1940s led to his introduction to Lamar Dodd,
head of the university's art department. Instantly, the two began
a friendship, sharing a joint vision of enriching the visual arts
environment in Georgia. The Georgia Museum of Art was founded in
1945, and Holbrook became its first director and one of the university's
and the state's most beloved citizens. Holbrook continued to serve
as the museum's director past his 90th birthday.
Former president reflects
on how his generation helped us
"Posterity -- you will never know how much it has cost my
generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use
of it."
-- John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States.
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
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Forum for future publication.
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is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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