YouTube: Are Your Children Watching Porn Online?
Sun, 06/21/09 – 22:15 | No Comment

To answer the question honestly, most parents would reply, “I have no clue.” If you fall into that category, it is past time for you to rethink your strategy for protecting your children online.
A new …

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County`s Logic Fails the `Angry Taxpayer` Test
Tue, 06/16/09 – 10:40 | No Comment

Hidden taxesThe battle centers, of course, around tax revenue… who gets your tax dollars if you live within a city’s limits, the county or the city. If the county’s position in the ongoing dispute over service delivery and tax rates doesn’t make sense to you, join the crowd.

If you start a business or apply for a rezoning within a city, you pay the related fees to the municipality instead of to the county. It is, of course, the city that regulates the activity and not the county, so it makes sense that the fees paid to finance the service should go to the agency that provides the service.

Mike Comer, Gwinnett County deputy administrator, said the impasse centers around money — about $50 million.

Unincorporated residents, he said, pay certain fees, such as insurance premium taxes, liquor licenses and business permits, to the county that help cover the cost of services. City residents, he said, pay the same fees, but they go into city coffers.

Because of this, the county argues, city residents must make up the difference through a higher county property tax rate.

“It’s not a lot of money,” Comer said, “but apparently it’s enough to fuss about.”

The county argues that it “loses” approximately $50 million a year in fees and tax revenue to the cities. It proposes to make up the “loss” by charging city residents a higher property tax rate.

Yeah, now you’re scratching your head, aren’t you? Read the full story »

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Taxpayers Paid for Sugar Hill`s Accolades
Fri, 06/12/09 – 18:44 | No Comment
Taxpayers Paid for Sugar Hill`s Accolades

WSB-TV featured the north Gwinnett city of Sugar Hill on its 5pm and 6pm news this evening. Reporter Manuel Bojorquez interviewed several city leaders including Mayor Gary Pirkle about the city’s current financial status. It was …

Emory`s Effort to Stymie Competition Causing Me Chest Pains
Fri, 06/5/09 – 8:40 | No Comment
Emory`s Effort to Stymie Competition Causing Me Chest Pains

Emory Healthcare CEO John Fox, in arguing against a proposal by Gwinnett Medical Center to perform open-heart surgery “in house,” writes that “avoiding unnecessary duplication of services” actually reduces medical costs for consumers.
That, of course, …

Peas In a Pod: Oxendine and Bannister
Wed, 06/3/09 – 9:11 | No Comment
Peas In a Pod: Oxendine and Bannister

AJC Political blogger Jim Galloway wrote over the weekend that Insurance Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine was one of the people who urged Chairman Charles Bannister to “come to terms with angry Gwinnett voters” …

Gwinnett County Shines At All-Metro High School Track & Field
Mon, 06/1/09 – 19:27 | Comments Off
Gwinnett County Shines At All-Metro High School Track & Field

A slew of athletes and coaches from Gwinnett County dominated the festivities at the Atlanta Track Club All-Metro Track and Field Banquet last week.  Brookwood, Collins Hill, Grayson, Mill Creek and Parkview were all well …

Out of Control: Bannister Proposes Another Outrageous Land Deal
Sun, 05/31/09 – 23:51 | 2 Comments
Out of Control: Bannister Proposes Another Outrageous Land Deal

A land deal even more disgusting than the recent “double appraised value” Palm Creek purchase is on Tuesday’s Commission agenda, along with the tax hike vote. If Chairman Charles Bannister gets his way, the county will again use public monies to buy land that it does not need, and at significantly higher than appraised value.

Public Responds to Tax Increase
Wed, 05/27/09 – 12:41 | One Comment
Public Responds to Tax Increase

It was an amazing turnout at the two public hearings Gwinnett County held on the proposed property tax increase.  If the County did not know where the citizens stood on this issue they certainly do …

Gwinnett Buys Land at Twice the Appraised Value
Tue, 05/26/09 – 22:14 | One Comment
Gwinnett Buys Land at Twice the Appraised Value

Required Reading… The AJC does the background on the recent purchase of land at twice its appraised value from Bannister buddy J.C. White:
When it buys land, Gwinnett County usually sticks close to the price recommended …

Gwinnett`s Own `Pay to Play`
Sun, 05/24/09 – 21:53 | One Comment
Gwinnett`s Own `Pay to Play`

Check out the AJC article linked below for a detailed look at the recent rezoning applications for waste transfer stations and the connections that some County Commissioners have to the applicants. The paper’s new investigative …

Just Say ‘No’ to a Property Tax Increase…
Sat, 05/23/09 – 20:45 | One Comment
Just Say ‘No’ to a Property Tax Increase…

… and let’s see what happens.
Many of us have laughed at the situation in California.  And with good reason – the government is threatening to cut school teachers, let criminals out on the street …

County Puts a Number on Tax Increase
Sat, 05/23/09 – 10:52 | Comments Off
County Puts a Number on Tax Increase

Gwinnett officials have finally put a number on the much anticipated (or dreaded?) property tax increase. Public hearings have been scheduled to weather your anger over a millage increase of 2.87 mills (maybe more if …

Evermore Never More
Wed, 05/20/09 – 8:00 | 4 Comments
Evermore Never More

The days of the Evermore Community Improvement District being the most successful and effective CID in the county are numbered, after a ruling by Gwinnett Superior Court Judge Billy Ray. The successful recall of two …

WoodyBass.com: Is the Catholic Church partially to blame for abortion and HIV/AIDS rates?
Mon, 05/18/09 – 8:02 | One Comment
WoodyBass.com: Is the Catholic Church partially to blame for abortion and HIV/AIDS rates?

The premise of Norcross blogger Woody Bass’ article is that the Catholic church, with its opposition to birth control, is contributing to increases in the abortion rate and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Woody argues that, …