 
|
 COMMUNITY GUIDE NEWS CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES RESOURCES
|
CHARLES RICHARDSON   OUR VIEWSBarnes off on right path with initiativesG ov. Roy Barnes has certainly gotten off on a good, bipartisan footing following announcement of his budget priorities and other initiatives. Also, he has met with Republican leaders in an effort to assess their thoughts on his proposals. In fact, one of Barnes' key initiatives calling for independent audits of state departments, has been a long-standing GOP proposal which was most recently adopted by Guy Millner, the unsuccessful candidate for governor. Central to Barnes' budget proposals is the creation of a state umbrella agency to deal with urban transportation problems. While the Atlanta metro area wins the prize for poor planning, the rest of Georgia is not left out of the equation. Middle Georgia's largest single budget-driven transportation item is the Fall Line Freeway, a project which remains a budget priority. Middle and South Georgia are also key elements in terms of mass transit initiatives, largely due to the steady and long-standing efforts of key Democratic senators and representatives. While the emerging Republican party may have some good ideas, it has been Democrats who have actually put projects in the parking lot. Education and a tax cut are also early hallmarks of Barnes' administration. The inclusion of $83 million to help offset property taxes by raising the homestead exemption will be particularly important to older homeowners. Remaining undone are the details, but few legislators are predicting a fatal collision of interests. The exemption was set relatively early in the 1900s, at a time when a few thousand dollars represented not a monthly mortgage payment, but the purchase price for a home. According to one key Republican, however, a great deal of attention will be paid to precisely how the tax rebate will happen. Under certain conceivable schemes, property owners could lose much of their savings to local government budget writers. Barnes must provide a means to offset losses in local tax revenue.
Another Barnes proposal, a minor budget item, is a plan to create an office for health care complaints against insurance companies. Insurance commissioner John Oxendine, who supposedly fields complaints, is miffed at the intrusion. But the fact is, patients are extremely unhappy. If Barnes thinks not enough is being done, so much the better to do it.
Ron Woodgeard/For the editorial board
New mission planned for NewTown? On Monday, NewTown revealed the results of the tourism study commissioned by it and completed by Randall Travel Marketing. While the study's contents were not new - parts had been public for months - the new role alluded to by NewTown representatives has taken some by surprise. Conie Mac Darnell, former manager of the Macon Mall, has been tapped to lead NewTown in its new mission to be revealed March 1. "Lead, follow or get out of the way" is a phrase that may apply here to NewTown's emphasis. Scanning the horizon, NewTown couldn't identify another lead horse, so it has, we think, decided to take up the task itself.
Good. We preach about speaking with one voice as a larger city and county area. Perhaps the same holds true for our downtown hub. We are eagerly awaiting the details of NewTown's new direction.
Charles Richardson/For the editorial board
BACK TO TOP | MTO FRONT PAGE | TODAY'S PERSPECTIVES
All content© Copyright 1999 The Macon Telegraph and may not be republished without permission. Contact Us. |
