Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 6, 2024

On August 6, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia began debating the first draft of the Constitution of the United States.

On August 6, 1958 the wagon train carrying gold from Dahlonega to gild the State Capitol dome reached Atlanta, where city officials were not prepared to receive them. The caravan bearing 43 ounces of Dahlonega gold to be used in covering the Georgia State Capitol dome reached the Capitol and delivered it to Governor Marvin Griffin on August 7, 1958.

On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act; Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in attendance and was given one of the pens Johnson used to sign the Act. Here is an auction for one of the pens used in the VRA signing. And another pen auction.

USA Today looks at the history of the Voting Rights Act and the role black women played in its passage.

“Men always got the attention, but the ones who were really organizing it and were really making it work were women,” [author Lynn] Olson said. “And that was true going back to the time of the time of abolitionists.”

When Boynton Robinson’s husband died in 1963, she used his memorial service at Tabernacle Baptist Church as the first mass meeting for voting rights in Selma.

“Mrs. Boynton [Robinson] really was the organizer of this and I think the person who actually wrote the letter that invited Dr. King and SCLC to come to Selma to help them with the voting rights movement,” Dawson said.

John Hughes, director of every meaningful teen angst movie of the 1980s (except Say Anything and Better Off Dead) died on August 6, 2009.

Molly Ringwald wrote in The New Yorker about working as a young woman with John Hughes.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Vice President Kamala Harris (D-California) postponed her campaign trip to Savannah, according to the Savannah Morning News via the Augusta Chronicle.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign stop in Savannah has been postponed due to Tropical Storm Debby, according to the campaign.

Harris and her future running mate, who she is expected to announce Tuesday, were set to begin a five-day tour of the seven battleground states likely to decide the Nov. 5 election. As of Wednesday, the tour was expected to include stops in Philadelphia, western Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C., Savannah, Phoenix and Las Vegas, according to the campaign.

Harris’ return to Georgia, a key battleground state, was scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 9, just a few days after her rally last week in Atlanta, and just months after a stop in Savannah where she appeared as part of a nationwide ‘Fight for Reproductive Freedom’ tour in February.

However, as Savannah residents brace for Tropical Storm Debby, closing schools and government offices and cancelling sporting events, the Harris campaign event has become yet another casualty of the storm.

A new date for the Savannah campaign rally has yet to be announced.

Governor Brian Kemp’s office released information about the state’s storm preparation.

Governor Brian P. Kemp instructed Director Chris Stallings and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) staff to activate the State Operations Center (SOC) over the weekend to monitor and prepare for any impact caused by Tropical Storm Debby. Partners from all relevant state response agencies are closely monitoring the storm as it moves across Georgia today and tomorrow.

“Working closely with state agencies, local leaders and emergency response teams, Georgia is preparing for whatever Tropical Storm Debby may bring and its aftermath,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “As the week progresses, we will continue monitoring the storm’s path and impact to meet the needs of Georgians affected by this major storm system. I want to thank Director Stallings, his team, and all response agency personnel who are working around the clock to help keep their fellow Georgians safe during this weather event.”

Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Florida this morning and is now a strong tropical storm over South-Central Georgia. Bands of heavy rainfall and gusty winds will further expand over southeastern Georgia today. Forecasts project 10 to 15 inches of rainfall accumulation, gusty winds of 40-50 mph, and possible tornadoes in South-Central and Southeast Georgia this afternoon, this evening, and into tomorrow. Should Tropical Storm Debby slow further and stall off the Georgia coast, it could create a life-threatening flooding event in Southeast Georgia this week. Forecast rainfall totals in Southeast Georgia, particularly within 50 miles of Savannah, are 12 to 18 inches, with higher totals possible. Coastal inundation from 2-4 feet of storm surge will also be possible during high tide cycles tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Working with Georgia Power and EMCs, the state is preparing for potential power outages across South-Central and Southeast Georgia over the next few days, as well.

“The main concern for our south-central and southeastern counties is flooding. Several communities in that region have never experienced the amount of rainfall Tropical Storm Debby will bring,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings. “We encourage all residents and visitors in those areas to follow the instructions of local officials. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.”

Governor Kemp and GEMA/HS are closely monitoring the status and path of Tropical Storm Debby and will provide updates as the system progresses. Georgians in the path of Debby should take appropriate action based on their location. Residents who are in vulnerable housing situations, including those in low-lying areas or at-risk floodplains, should consider relocating temporarily to higher ground. All of South Georgia should pay close attention to guidance from trusted sources and review emergency plans with their families. Residents are encouraged to review their emergency plans and supply their ready kits with a a minimum of three day supply of food and water for each family member. Visit https://gema.georgia.gov/floods-and-flash-floods for more information on how to be prepared.

For a full list of actions the governor and state agencies have already taken to prepare for Tropical Storm Debby’s impact, see below.

Full State Preparation and Action Update:

Office of the Governor: Governor Kemp declared a state of emergency on Saturday, August 3. The declaration makes state resources available to local governments and entities within the storm’s potential impact area. On Monday, August 5, the Governor issued an additional executive order enabling the Georgia National Guard to deploy up to 2,000 national guardsmen to aid in storm response, should they be needed. Note: no guard servicemembers have been activated at this time, this decision will be made if and only if they are deemed necessary.

Governor Kemp also submitted a letter today to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting a pre-impact emergency declaration from the federal government to provide public assistance protective measures and direct federal aid to assist in storm preparation and response efforts. The last time Governor Kemp made such a pre-impact request was for Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

GEMA/HS: GEMA/HS is at a Level 1 full-scale activation. The state is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Debby’s forecast and working with federal and local partners to determine best steps to keep Georgians safe. GEMA/HS Logistics has deployed sandbags for protection of property and life-sustaining equipment as needed to south and southeastern Georgia counties. Air Operations has staged crews and resources with rescue capabilities in strategic locations. The American Red Cross has stood up shelters, which GEMA/HS is heavily supporting, in various locations in affected areas. GEMA/HS will also provide additional information and updates via social media (@GeorgiaEMAHS) and the website (gema.georgia.gov).

Department of Natural Resources (DNR):

• DNR’s incident command (IC) is now fully operational and its post at Little Ocmulgee State Park in McRae is in the process of staging teams outfitted with heavy equipment, boats, chainsaws and ATVs.
• DNR will deploy 23 vessels and 50 personnel to assist with water rescues.
• 12 debris removal teams will be deployed with a skid steer or tractor per team along with two operating chainsaws to help clear roadways. To assist debris removal teams, DNR will also deploy 48 personnel members. Eight strike force teams and two task force teams will be in the first deployment.
• DNR’s State Parks & Historic Sites Division is preparing to take in displaced people and pets, including horses.
• DNR state parks outside of the path of the storm are open and available to evacuees. For current information on park availability, including equestrian facilities, visit gastateparks.org/Alerts or call 1-800-864-7275

Department of Public Safety (DPS): In addition to assisting with evacuation, roadway security, and emergency response, DPS’s Initial Response Team (IRT) has been identified and is ready to deploy. The Governor’s emergency declaration authorizes the Motor Carrier Compliance Division to allow commercial motor vehicles involved in hurricane response efforts to bypass weigh/inspection stations so they can quickly transport supplies and resources to and through the state.

Department of Agriculture: The Georgia Department of Agriculture has opened the Georgia National Fairgrounds for evacuated animals and has 200 horse stalls available. Animal Search and Rescue is scheduled to arrive on Thursday.

Georgia Ports Authority (GPA): The GPA leadership team met this morning to discuss the latest storm track and the impact to its employees. Per Pilot and US Coast Guard directives, all vessel operations have now ceased at both the Brunswick and Savannah terminals. All vessels have departed Brunswick and only one remains at the Garden City Terminal. Both ports will be closed Tuesday.

About the State Operations Center

Currently activated at level one, the State Operations Center is a Multi-Agency Coordination Center used by state, federal, local, and volunteer agencies, as well as private sector organizations, to respond to disasters or emergencies that require a coordinated state response. It also includes the state’s 24-hour warning system.

Learn more at: https://gema.georgia.gov/what-we-do/response

The Biden Harris Administration announced a state of emergency declaration, according to 13WMAZ.

As southeast Georgia is pummeled with heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby, the White House authorized federal emergency funds Monday to help Georgia localities cover the costs caused by Tropical Storm Debby.

The emergency declaration, which President Joe Biden signed off on Monday evening, opens up federal emergency aid to roughly 55 counties.

While most of the counties are in southeast Georgia, there are 12 Central Georgia counties included in the declaration.

According to the White House, the Central Georgia counties eligible to receive funds from FEMA include Laurens, Ben Hill, Dodge, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Johnson,  Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wheeler and Wilcox counties.

The City of Valdosta announced yesterday that offices will be closed today, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

This closure includes the cancellation of the scheduled work session and called meeting previously announced for Tuesday. Essential workers will continue to report as needed to ensure critical services are maintained, the city said.

“The safety of our residents and employees is our top priority,” the city said in a press release. “We encourage everyone to take necessary precautions and stay informed through local weather updates.”

Those local governments can request the federal government cover 75% of the “eligible costs” associated with the response to Hurricane and Tropical Storm Debby. The law authorizes up to $5 million in aid for a single disaster.

The emergency declaration also opens up federal logistical assistance “to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe,” the White House said in their press release.

For a full list of Georgia counties put under a disaster declaration, you can click here.

Biden had issued an emergency declaration on Sunday for Florida ahead of Hurricane Debby making landfall. In addition to Georgia, Biden also authorized federal emergency funds for a number of South Carolina counties on Monday as well.

Georgia also freed up considerable resources to help its counties hit by the storm, too

On Monday, Gov. Kemp authorized 2,000 Georgia National Guard troops to step in to help with the response to Tropical Storm Debby.

That’s on top of other state resources in Kemp’s original executive order.

Pembroke Mayor Tiffany Zeigler issued a curfew through Friday, according to WTOC.

Curfew will be implemented from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., effective immediately, until Friday, August 9.

Mayor Zeigler is asking residents to remain at home.

The city will be meeting at 4 p.m. to pray for the community, emergency management personnel, staff, and residents.

Tift County schools are reopening today, according to the Tifton Gazette.

Colquitt County schools remain closed today, according to the Moultrie Observer.

The system plans to resume normal school hours on Wednesday, the announcement said.

Former President Donald Trump praised three members of the Georgia State Election Board, according to the AJC.

“They’re on fire. They’re doing a great job, three members: Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares and Janelle King,” Trump said. “Three people are all pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.”

Those three Republicans attempted to approve election rules during a hastily called meeting last month without the board’s other two members — Republican Chairman John Fervier and Democrat Sara Tindall Ghazal. The board later voted unanimously to redo its votes following a lawsuit alleging the meeting violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act.

The meeting Tuesday is expected to attract hundreds of Republican voters who pack State Election Board meetings to cheer and boo proposals as they demand action ahead of this year’s presidential contest.

As Trump continues to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen, Republican voters have responded by swarming State Election Board meetings with complaints about Georgia’s elections. The board has previously dismissed many allegations from the 2020 election, including cases of drop box ballot-stuffing and ineligible voters.

“The Trump-aligned Georgia election board members are working to change the state’s election rules with less than 100 days until the election,” Fair Fight Action spokesman Max Flugrath said on X. “Here in Georgia, we’re watching as Trump and his allies prepare to sabotage the 2024 election by changing the rules around certification election results.”

Other rule proposals under consideration would give greater access to election observers, require election workers to hand-count the number of ballots after polls closed to ensure accuracy, and conduct recounts by hand instead of machine.

The board is also reviving one of the last investigations of the 2020 election: a case alleging that Fulton County double-counted over 3,000 ballots during a recount.

The Cobb County Board of Elections rejected a slate of voter qualification challenges, according to the AJC.

In a meeting Saturday, the Cobb board dismissed an attempt to cancel the registrations of 2,472 voters challenged by Cobb County activist Eugene Williams using software from the private firm EagleAI to identify Georgia voters who may have moved.

The law, which took effect July 1, upholds challenges if there is evidence that a voter has died or moved, registers in a new jurisdiction, or registered at a nonresidential address. SB 189 is one of several laws the General Assembly passed after Donald Trump and his supporters questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election even though numerous investigations by state and federal officials and Trump’s own campaign found no evidence of enough fraud to affect the outcome.

Another election law passed in 2021 allows activists to challenge an unlimited number of voters who appear to have moved. Since the beginning of 2020, activists in the state have filed more than 350,000 challenges, the vast majority of which were dismissed by county election boards.

The challenges were assisted by EagleAI, a Republican-backed startup that has marketed its software to state and local governments as a way to clean voter rolls of potentially ineligible voters, but voting rights groups worry it will be used to cancel registrations of legitimate voters.

The Cobb election board cited errors in the EagleAI and other third-party sourced data Williams presented, voting 4-1 to dismiss all but four of the challenges, with Republican-appointed board member Debbie Fisher in opposition.

The four canceled registrations were removed before the hearing, and an additional 88 on Williams’ list were already scheduled to be removed by routine maintenance‚ election director Tate Fall said.

The opening of a Trump campaign office in Valdosta broke out in fisticuffs, according to the AJC.

An altercation broke out at a recent Donald Trump campaign office opening in Valdosta when a conservative activist confronted a Republican state legislator who sponsored changes to the state’s election laws, according to interviews and a police report.

The scuffle took place near the end of the campaign’s office opening on July 29, an otherwise celebratory event that drew dozens of attendees and several Republican state legislators. No charges were filed, though authorities say the confrontation turned physical.

State Rep. John LaHood, R-Valdosta, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that after he finished speaking he went to mingle with the crowd when activist Sam Carnline of Cairo confronted him with his concerns that a series of election-related measures weren’t strong enough.

LaHood said he engaged in a “passionate discussion” with Carnline, who wore a T-shirt advocating for paper ballots, until his wife walked up and they both decided to leave. At that point, authorities say the intensity escalated.

According to the Valdosta Police Department report obtained by the AJC, one of the attendees who intervened was Brandon Phillips, a veteran Republican operative who is now the top aide to U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson.

“Brandon Phillips got in the middle of the conversation because he didn’t like the questions he was asking,” the police wrote of Carnline. “Words were exchanged between he and Brandon, because he was upset that Brandon spit in his face.”

Phillips told authorities he didn’t spit in Carnline’s face and that Carnline pushed him to the ground during the confrontation. LaHood and several other attendees said they saw Carnline punch Phillips at least twice.

“I informed Brandon that he instigated the incident by spitting on Carnline,” the officer wrote in the report. “Both parties agreed to separate and go their separate ways with no further law enforcement action needed.”

Phillips told the AJC he intervened because he didn’t want the fight to escalate.

“They say politics can be a contact sport, and sometimes it is,” Phillips said. “I certainly don’t mind defending any volunteers or officials who are trying to contribute in a positive way toward a Trump victory from outside agitators with the opposite agenda.”

One of the witnesses was Dennis Futch of Moultrie, a veteran Republican activist. He told the AJC that he didn’t see Phillips spit, but that if he did it was inadvertent because they were both shouting. He said he saw Carnline shove or hit Phillips twice.

“I’m proud of Brandon because Brandon didn’t lay one finger on Sam Carnline. It wasn’t a fight. This was Sam trying to be a bully,” Futch said. “There’s no place for violence for either party.”

The fight was broken up by state Rep. Chas Cannon, a Moultrie Republican who is a U.S. Army veteran. He said he didn’t see Phillips spit at anyone but that he saw Carnline repeatedly attempt to shove Phillips.

“It was a heated conversation, and I didn’t think it was appropriate at an event like that. They were arguing with one another, and they went their separate ways,” Cannon said. “Passions run hot, but we need to work out our differences by talking it out.”

The Georgia Supreme Court recommended that Middle Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Robert S. Reeves be suspended, according to WRDW.

The Georgia Supreme Court is recommending a 30-day suspension and a public formal reprimand of Judge Robert Reeves published in local legal paper.

He also won’t seek re-election after 2026.

The formal charges were filed on Nov. 16, 2022, alleging he violated the code of judicial conduct.

One of the incidents, from 2021, occurred while Reeves was talking to attendees and a man started to leave the courtroom. Reeves then made this comment to the man: “Sir, you’re walking and I’m telling you to be still. Are you really that retarded?” It happened in open court with members of the public, members of the bar and other court personnel present.

From at least 2016 through 2022, Reeves allegedly engaged in a pattern of improper behavior that, at a minimum, gave the appearance of constituting sexual harassment and/or bias based upon the gender of various females involved in the Middle Judicial Circuit court system.

The documents allege that included inappropriate contact with lawyers and stating they should wear bathrobes and bathing suits during virtual hearings.

Another charge is that he participated in a promotional video with The Sunshine House, which regularly has employees testify in the Superior Court of the Middle Judicial Circuit in cases involving child sexual and physical abuse.

In conclusion, the director of the commission wrote to seek disciplinary action for the above-stated violations of the code of judicial conduct.

A few months later in May of 2023, Reeves filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him. He claims the formal charges fail to state a claim for discipline for habitual intemperance. Reeves also writes that most of the formal charges allege non-judicial conduct and therefore fail to state a claim for discipline for willful misconduct in office.

Two months later in June 2023, Reeves’ motion to dismiss the case against him was denied by the commission. The director writes it’s because the allegations contained in the formal charges, when taken as true, constitute violations of the code of judicial conduct and warrant discipline.

Gwinnett County School leaders continue to object to State School Superintendent Richard Woods’s denial of AP status for an African-American studies course, according to the AJC.

Several Gwinnett County elected leaders continued to push for the inclusion of Advanced Placement African American Studies in the days before the start of a new academic year, but classes began Monday without the course on any schedules.

Officials have mainly focused their ire on state School Superintendent Richard Woods and the state’s 2022 divisive concepts law. Woods said last week that parts of the course “did violate the law” and he gave that as his rationale for not approving the course. A spokeswoman for his office said Woods has consulted state Attorney General Chris Carr for his interpretation.

“This law basically bans the teaching of what some view as ‘divisive’ concepts that may make some people feel ‘personal distress’ if they learn it,” Rep. Jasmine Clark, D-Lilburn, said on social media. “This ill-conceived law always threatened to undermine the accurate teaching of Black history and we are seeing its implementation do just that.”

Some Gwinnett school board members have also pushed for a change.

Board Vice Chair Karen Watkins said in a letter to Woods that the law “may inadvertently narrow students’ understanding of the world and diminish their ability to engage with it thoughtfully and respectfully.”

Gwinnett’s main reason for not offering the course is concern over crediting students for the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships. If the course is not coded as an AP class, the district has said, then they have no way to ensure students get the associated grade boost that comes with college-level courses. Other metro Atlanta districts have decided to offer the course despite that concern going unanswered.

Along with getting an answer about crediting, Gwinnett is pushing for statewide approval of the course. Classes started Monday, so it is unclear if the district could change schedules to offer it. While students may be able to shift schedules during the first few days of school, altering teaching assignments would be more complicated.

Laura Khurana’s petition to qualify as an independent candidate for Glynn County Commission Post 2 (at-large) was rejected and she will appeal, according to The Brunswick News.

The validity of Khurana’s petition was questioned after more than 1,000 signatures were rejected to challenge incumbent Republican Walter Rafolski, who is unopposed for the post.

Khurana said she is about 250 signatures short of getting her petition approved.

She plans to file her appeal in Glynn County Superior Court as soon as the courts reopen after the remnants of Hurricane Debby clear the area, and she believes she has a good chance to win.

She needed at least 3,098 signatures from registered voters to qualify and she submitted an estimated 3,600 signatures by the July 9 deadline. But 1,079 of those who filled out the petition in support of Khurana were incomplete, bringing into question the validity of her petition to run in the November general election.

Some signatures were rejected because they were not registered to vote in Glynn County. Others printed and wrote their names so illegibly that they could not be read. Some printed their names but failed to sign their name in another part of the petition or used a post office box instead of a physical address.

Khurana said every person who circulated petitions in support of her bid to qualify as an independent candidate had to sign an affidavit confirming their validity.

She made it clear to people who signed the petition that this was just to support her bid to run for the post, not a vote for her.

Christina Redden, deputy elections supervisor, said once the appeal is filed, a decision will be made quickly.

“I believe the judge has five days to call a hearing,” she said. “It’s supposed to be a fast process.”

The NAACP is challenging the Georgia Secretary of State’s voter registration cancellation website, according to the Albany Herald.

The NAACP and Georgia State Conference of the NAACP have released a joint statement expressing concern regarding the recent decision by the Georgia Secretary of State to implement changes to the digital voter registration cancellation process. The decision, which provides individual citizens the ability to cancel any other individual’s voter registration digitally, poses a significant threat to voter access and participation across the state.

NAACP President & CEO, Derrick Johnson released the following statement demanding a reversal.

“Make no mistake, this decision is a direct attempt to stifle the voices of Georgia’s most powerful, and historically disenfranchised voters,” Johnson said. “Let’s not forget that this is the same state Donald Trump attempted to steal nearly 12,000 votes from. We didn’t stand for it then, and we won’t stand for it now.”

“The NAACP demands that Secretary (Brad) Raffensperger immediately reverse this process that is in direct violation of our fundamental right to vote. Whether it’s collective advocacy or taking it to the courtroom, we remain committed to exploring all pathways to right this wrong. Black voters are not backing down, and the NAACP is all in on ensuring our community has access to the ballot box in November.”

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy; any action that impedes this fundamental right is a direct attack on our nation’s core values,” Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs said. “The recent changes on the web portal allowing digital cancellation of voter registrations are not just a step backward but a leap into disenfranchisement for many Georgians. History has taught us that any obstacle to ballot access directly impacts black, and other vulnerable communities. Our state should be working to make voting more accessible, not more difficult.”

“The Georgia NAACP stands firmly against any measure that restricts voter access and undermines the democratic process.”

From Atlanta News First via WALB:

A cybersecurity researcher was able to file a cancellation request of his own voter registration without entering validating information.

Jason Parker discovered a loophole in the Georgia Secretary of State’s new voter registration cancellation website. While filing a legitimate cancellation because he’s moving out of state, Parker was able to bypass the requirement to enter his driver’s license number or the last four digits of his social security number.

“You do still need name, county, and birth date, just to be clear,” Parker said in a demonstration video he sent to Atlanta News First Investigates and ProPublica.

Parker used a relatively simple technique to inspect the website’s code. He highlighted the portion of code that creates the driver’s license number box. “I’m going to hit ‘delete’ and just delete it. And then I’m going to click ‘submit.’ And my registration has been canceled. It’s as easy as that,” Parker concluded in the demonstration.

A pop-up dialogue said Parker’s cancellation request was successful and would be processed by his county election’s office.

Before publishing this story, Atlanta News First Investigates and ProPublica alerted the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office Monday morning, August 5, 2024.

The Georgia voter cancellation website has been live for only about a week, and Secretary of State officials said they’d already foiled multiple attempts from strangers to cancel the registrations of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) and Georgia’s secretary of state himself, Brad Raffensperger.

While the agency moved swiftly to address the potential security flaw in its website that allows any user to bypass the validation requirement, officials insisted the form created by the system would be missing vital information. Without that information, county elections officials would not cancel the registration and would send the registered voter a notice that the request was denied.

“Incomplete paper and online applications will not be accepted,” said Blake Evans, Georgia’s elections director. “We have updated the process to include an error message, letting the individual know their submission is incomplete and will not be processed.”

Warner Robins has levied an additional 10-mill property tax on “blighted” properties, according to 13WMAZ.

Warner Robins council members agreed on a new ordinance they hope gets people’s attention. It’s called a blight tax and it’s aimed at ridding the city of eye sores.

With work from the task force, mayor, and council the city adopted a blight tax.

“Individuals with blighted properties that are unoccupied will receive 10 additional mills for their tax rate,” Mayor LaRhonda Patrick said during the council meeting.

Hatcher says this is a last resort, when other efforts fail.

“I’m glad that it’s as much as it is, because someone will look at the property tax that’s $2,000, now it’s $20,000 if they don’t comply,” he said

According to the new ordinance, before a building is taxed,  a city officer or at least five residents have to submit a complaint.

“Start turning them in. This is how we get them cleaned up,” Patrick said.

The ordinance goes on to say that the property owner will get a written notice. They will have 30 days from that notice to schedule a hearing at the municipal court. After further inspection from the city, the court judge will make the final decision.

Hatcher says the blight task force has other recommendations they’d like to see, like starting  a recorders court, which focuses on property code violations. He says they’d also like to see the city hire more code enforcement officers.

The City of Dalton will commence photo speed enforcement, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.

“The cameras are not in operation yet and we aren’t particularly close to these going live, apparently,” said city of Dalton Communications Director Bruce Frazier. “We do not have a set date when the cameras will be going active, maybe by the end of the month, but it just depends on when the company is able to get the work done.”

When the cameras do begin operation, there will be a 30-day grace period in which speeders get only a warning.

In February, City Council members approved a two-year contract with Blue Line Solutions, which provides speed enforcement cameras for cities and counties across the nation, to provide and maintain the enforcement system. That contract says the city will receive “65% of all paid Notices of Liability” and Blue Line Solutions’ “portion shall be 35% of all paid Notices of Liability.”

At that time, Police Chief Cliff Cason said he did not have enough officers to enforce the school zone speed limits “the way we would like to.”

“This will not run in the summertime,” he said. “It will not run during break periods from school, snow days or if we have some type of school cancellation. It does not run overnight.”

[Ryan Moore, regional sales manager for Blue Line Solutions] said under state law a vehicle must be doing at least 11 mph over the speed limit for automatic speed enforcement to issue a citation. He said the majority of speeding cars were doing at least 14 mph over the speed limit and 457 were doing at least 20 mph over the speed limit.

Cason said no citations will be issued unless they are reviewed and approved by police department personnel.