Having talked to a few folks regarding the random note in David Poythress's weekly campaign update that stated that Athens-Clarke County District One Commissioner Doug Lowry told the gubernatorial candidate that the Unified Government might have to transfer money from the General Fund to the Clarke County Board of Education if the latter can't meet its budgetary needs, I've detected two strong sentiments ...
- It's not being discussed and, even if it was, it would require some legal hoop jumping given the separation of the two entities;
- There's a consensus that Poythress is fundamentally mistaken on this, not Lowry.
I'm waiting to hear back from Lowry to get his version of their conversation.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Money transferrals
Some interesting news focused on Athens-Clarke County coming from David Poythress's weekly campaign update ...
Earlier in the day, Elizabeth and I had the opportunity to visit Doug Lowery, Athens-Clarke County District 1 Commissioner. We spent nearly an hour talking about local issues and how the current state leadership has slowly taken local control away from cities and municipalities. Commissioner Lowery lamented the probability of having to rely on the Unified government’s general fund to assist the Athens-Clarke County school system with possible budget shortfalls--property owners are currently being taxed at the highest allowable millage rate, which won’t produce enough revenue to make up for the state cuts to education.
Earlier in the day, Elizabeth and I had the opportunity to visit Doug Lowery, Athens-Clarke County District 1 Commissioner. We spent nearly an hour talking about local issues and how the current state leadership has slowly taken local control away from cities and municipalities. Commissioner Lowery lamented the probability of having to rely on the Unified government’s general fund to assist the Athens-Clarke County school system with possible budget shortfalls--property owners are currently being taxed at the highest allowable millage rate, which won’t produce enough revenue to make up for the state cuts to education.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Long time coming
While I'm not entirely in favor of a dramatic loosening of our water restrictions, this is some incredibly welcome news. To think that we were roughly a month away from running out of water just a year-and-a-half ago to see all our reservoirs full or above-pool levels is amazing.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Unrelated
I've been trying to catch up on some movies the past few weeks, and while I had thought that 3:10 to Yuma would rank as the best one I had seen, Tim graciously introduced me to Hot Rod. I don't think I'm being overdramatic when I suggest that the compilation to Europe's Rock The Night ranks alongside the 'Saying Grace' scene from Talledega Nights as one of the greatest collection of scenes in cinematic history.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The drama continues
A little more on the parking drama, but the plot thickens.
Apparently the original one-hour limits on downtown parking weren't some concoction from the minds of the Athens-Clarke County Commissioners, but based on the recommendations and done with the blessings of the Athens Downtown Development Authority, which represents downtown businesses (along with another organization).
This was pointed out to me by a few sources just as I was reading this week's City Dope in Flagpole, which said this ...
... Turns out, downtown business and property owners now say they were not consulted on the matter, and they disagree with the ordinance passed this month that would keep one-hour parking meters on Clayton and Broad streets. Commissioner Mike Hamby, who sits on the Athens Downtown Development Authority board, says he’ll move to have the item reconsidered and tweaked at the Apr. 7 Commission meeting, making two-hour meters the blanket standard. Some downtowners also want the David Lynn-proposed $10 and $15 fees reexamined, but that appears unlikely. Just FYI.
This whole thing seems mighty muddled, doesn't it? First, we have a collection of downtown business owners grandstanding over an unnecessary petition that merely requests something the commission had already told said owners they were willing to do anyway. Second, if the ADDA was content with the original proposal regarding the one-hour limit - and had even, as has been reported widely, that they offered recommendations on fines and limits to the commission - then the argument that they weren't consulted seems, well, kinda wrong.
Apparently the original one-hour limits on downtown parking weren't some concoction from the minds of the Athens-Clarke County Commissioners, but based on the recommendations and done with the blessings of the Athens Downtown Development Authority, which represents downtown businesses (along with another organization).
This was pointed out to me by a few sources just as I was reading this week's City Dope in Flagpole, which said this ...
... Turns out, downtown business and property owners now say they were not consulted on the matter, and they disagree with the ordinance passed this month that would keep one-hour parking meters on Clayton and Broad streets. Commissioner Mike Hamby, who sits on the Athens Downtown Development Authority board, says he’ll move to have the item reconsidered and tweaked at the Apr. 7 Commission meeting, making two-hour meters the blanket standard. Some downtowners also want the David Lynn-proposed $10 and $15 fees reexamined, but that appears unlikely. Just FYI.
This whole thing seems mighty muddled, doesn't it? First, we have a collection of downtown business owners grandstanding over an unnecessary petition that merely requests something the commission had already told said owners they were willing to do anyway. Second, if the ADDA was content with the original proposal regarding the one-hour limit - and had even, as has been reported widely, that they offered recommendations on fines and limits to the commission - then the argument that they weren't consulted seems, well, kinda wrong.
We're all on board
It's nice that Leon Galis supports the unnecessary petition from the downtown business community because so does the Athens-Clarke County Commission.
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