Rick Badie: Sun’s Setting on Gwinnett Commission
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AJC blogger Rick Badie has tapped into the same sentiment that we are hearing from TalkGwinnett readers—the Commission has lost the confidence of mainstream Gwinnett residents. Badie takes the sentiment to its sad but, unfortunately, logical conclusion: perhaps this Commission should look for employment elsewhere.
Well, here’s some advice for both [Commissioners Bert Nasuti and Kevin Kenerly, up for reelection in 2010], at least as it relates to seeking office. Don’t. Allow me to borrow a few sports clichés. Gentlemen it’s high time to “throw in the towel,” to “hang up the glove,” to “stop suiting up,” to “walk away from the game.”
The reasons are many, in our opinion—multi-million dollar cost overruns and the perception of a hidden deal in the construction of the Gwinnett minor league stadium; the mere consideration of a mandatory trash plan that limited choices and increased costs but, even worse, delegated the Commission’s authority to an entity (Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Services) with questionable motives.
Much of the county residents’ discontent can be traced to the actions of Gwinnett’s only full-time elected Commissioner, Chairman Charles Bannister.
The aging former state legislator managed the preparation of a budget that required a 30% tax increase to balance… and then proposed $19 million in additional spending which included $1.1 million for a “Go Green Initiative” and $250,000 for a “light rail study.”
When taxpayers revolted against the 3-mill increase, Bannister responded with threats to cut public safety personnel, close fire stations and eliminate EMS services. He essentially blamed the taxpayers for the cuts, when reasonable Gwinnettians would have accepted a much smaller tax hike if required to maintain public safety service levels. Bannister apparently never even considered the idea.
Bannister has also been the driving force behind several recent questionable land deals in which the Commission paid in excess of appraised value for unneeded land; some to buy its way out of lawsuits filed by developers after the Commission rejected their higher-density proposals. The dollars that Bannister is spending are SPLOST (sales tax) dollars that were earmarked for other projects.
According to GJAC insiders, Bannister has become much more aggressive in pushing land buys from his political supporters since his reelection and the election of Shirley Lasseter in District 1. Lasseter has been Bannister’s sure vote on every questionable deal.
Sadly, we are stuck with Bannister for 3-1/2 more years. For now, we are left to find our allies where we can—like Commissioner Mike Beaudreau in District 3– and work together to push the Commission in the right direction. In 2010, District 4 voters will have the opportunity to make Kevin Kenerly’s fourth term his last and restore some common sense to county government.
Rick Badie: Sun’s setting on Gwinnett commission | ajc.com
Would Lorraine Green have been a better choice than Bannister? YOU BET SHE WOULD HAVE!
Gwinnett’s Growth Cartel funneled nearly $1 million into Bannister’s campaign coffers– which he then used to pummel Green incessantly with outrageous misrepresentations– BECAUSE Green was the better choice.
One of the purchases in question in the AJC article was in green’s district. The purchase benefited a political supporter and former commission chairman Wayne Mason who has a history getting things done that were not in the best interest of the citizens of Gwinnett. Mason’s support may well have cost her the election not discounting that lose cannon who published outrageous claims against her relating to this purchase which Bannister opposed.