The All-Star Game was held in Atlanta on July 25, 1972, with the National League winning 4-3 in ten innings.
On July 25, 1974, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of United States v. Nixon that executive privilege did not allow the White House to refuse to turn over audio recordings that had been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Secretary of State Brian Kemp‘s office sent more than 380,000 notices to voters who submitted a National Change of Address form but did not change their voter registration address.
The action in many ways is routine, while also an important part of the elections process. It ensures an accurate and current voter registration list, a central goal for every state in the nation and required under federal law.
Every other year, Georgia uses information received from the U.S. Postal Service and compares the list of people who submitted a change of address form (often called a National Change of Address or NCOA notice) with the state’s overall list of registered voters.
It then creates a list of voters in each county of those who haven’t updated their registration record to reflect a new address. It also pre-prints mailers such as the one received by Gordon. The county then pays for postage and sends those mailers to people on the list asking them to confirm their address or where they live now.
Voters who receive them are told they have 30 days to respond, either to confirm their address or to indicate their new one, and risk being moved to the state’s “inactive” registration list if they don’t. What the mailers don’t say is that so-called “inactive” voters are still legally registered to vote in Georgia, have full access to the ballot and can vote as usual.
Some advocates have decried the process as a calculated attempt to weed voters out of the process. But election officials say they have absolutely no intent of doing that and are following the law.
“It’s not a purge,” DeKalb Elections Director Maxine Daniels said.
“Accurate voter rolls are critical to election security,” said Candice Broce, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State’s Office. “We have a statutory obligation to keep the rolls up to date, and regular list maintenance works to preserve the integrity of our electoral system.”
Cobb County Commissioners will vote tonight on raising the property tax millage rate.
Today’s 7 p.m. commission meeting will include the third and final public hearing on the tax proposal prior to commissioners’ vote on it. The public hearing comes after Boyce held four town halls in recent weeks to explain his proposal. The most recent two held were Monday night at the North Cobb Senior Center and Saturday morning’s meeting at the Thompson Community Center in Mableton, at which Commissioner Lisa Cupid was in attendance.
“There’s a lot of frustration on people’s (property) assessments going up, and also seeing the millage rate go up, and I think people are still frustrated about the Braves stadium, and that that wasn’t the panacea to keep everybody’s taxes the same or to lower them,” Cupid said Monday. “People are just frustrated, and I think that’s coupled with people still wanting to see more for their money, so there are some statements of support on us raising the millage, but more of a desire to see that return (on investment).”
Boyce’s tax proposal is not a done deal, as commissioners have been split on the measure. While Commissioner Bob Weatherford said he is in support of the proposal, Commissioner Bob Ott says he would vote against the millage proposal as it currently stands as he believes the commission’s support of the parks bond does not justify the millage increase.
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell previously said she continues to ask the board to consider “a reasonable compromise” by lowering the general fund millage back to its 2010 rate of 6.82 mills, which would amount to a slight tax decrease of 0.07 mills.
Cupid, however, would not commit to a “yes” or “no” Monday afternoon.
Cobb Commissioners are also expected to vote on a “blight tax.”
The Thomas County Commission is considering lowering property tax rates for the fourth year in a row.
Decatur County in Southwest Georgia will receive the rollout of new broadband internet from AT&T.
Hall County Board of Education members approved a policy that will allow the district’s safety and security assistant to carry a gun on school grounds.
The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association named Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese Sheriff of the Year.
Last year, Terry Deese faced the most challenging and heartbreaking 12 months of his nearly 35 years with the Peach County Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s really bittersweet,” Deese said of receiving the distinction. “I’ve grown up in the sheriff’s office, so it’s really an honor for my fellow sheriffs to vote for me to receive that award.
“The reason for winning that award is still kind of rough.”
On Nov. 6, Deputy Daryl Smallwood and Sgt. Patrick Sondron were fatally wounded in an encounter with Ralph Stanley Elrod Jr. outside his home.
“Sheriff Deese was at the forefront of the tragic event, directing the men and women, relaying important information, giving a handshake and a hug there, dealing with media questions,” wrote Peach County prosecutor Cindy Adams in her nomination letter. “And through it all, he was delivering a sense of strength and calm to all those around him.
“Everyone focused on their jobs because their leader led.”
The Sierra Club announced it will sue Georgia Power over coal ash retention ponds.
A Georgia Power plan to clean up toxic coal ash at 11 coal-burning power plants around the state, including sites in Chatham and Effingham counties, isn’t good enough, the Sierra Club says.
Georgia Power’s dewatering activities are already resulting in unauthorized and toxic point source discharges to Georgia state waters,” said Stephen Stetson, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Georgia. “The company’s plan to dewater the rest of its coal ash impoundments will inevitably cause more violations.”
Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal at power plants. Coal ash gained nationwide attention after enormous spills from ponds in Tennessee in 2008 and North Carolina in 2014 polluted nearby waterways.
“Georgia Power is in full compliance with all environmental regulations, which are enforced by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and we will vigorously defend against any allegation to the contrary,” Georgia Power spokesman Jacob Hawkins said in response to the notice. “Throughout our ash pond closure process, we are going above and beyond regulatory requirements to protect Georgia’s water quality.”
Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson’s Commission on the New Government Center and Judicial Building surveyed citizens online about whether the old government building should be retained.
Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry may receive a 40% raise from $250k to $350k per year.
2018 Elections
Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) endorsed David Shafer for Lieutenant Governor in 2018.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced his endorsement of Shafer to supporters on social media and in an email Monday. The 2016 presidential candidate praised the Duluth-based state senator for his commitment to Republican ideals and for how he’s done so far in the race, including leading the Republican field in fundraising and winning GOP straw polls.
“David is an unapologetic conservative and has a strong record of fighting for greater opportunity and more prosperity for all of Georgia from his time serving in the state senate,” Cruz said. “He has also demonstrated his support among Georgia grassroots Republicans in this race by convincingly winning the straw poll conducted at the Georgia Republican Convention.
“I urge all Georgia Republicans to join me today in supporting David’s campaign to be your next lieutenant governor.”
“I am grateful to Ted Cruz for this endorsement,” Shafer said. “Hundreds of Cruz supporters from virtually every part of Georgia have responded to his endorsement by volunteering to help the campaign.”
Cruz also had an organized team of backers in Gwinnett in late 2015 and during the primary season last year.
“Ted Cruz has a strong grass roots following in Georgia and his endorsement gives Shafer an army of volunteers,” said state Sen. P.K. Martin, R-Lawrenceville.
Shane T. Hazel is running for Congress in the 7th District, challenging incumbent Republican Rob Woodall in the GOP Primary. From his campaign website:
Shane is a United States Marine Corps Veteran, he lives in Cumming with his wife Meredith, and their three children; Jackson 6, Henry 4 & Sawyer 3.
“The Oath I swore to uphold the Constitution is something I take seriously. Democrats and establishment Republicans, a.k.a. ‘The Swamp,’ have turned a blind eye to the values and principles you and I hold dear. It’s important that we return back to the proper role of government; protecting and defending Life, Liberty & Property, that’s our foundation.”
HEALTHCARE
Repeal, not replace. No legislation in recent memory defies the principles of the free-market more than Obamacare. Not only does it violate the United States Constutution, it has wreaked havoc upon Georgia families and Georgia businesses through skyrocketing premiums. The most efficient path to lower-cost, and high-quality healthcare is to open the industry to free-market forces. Insurance should be available across state lines, and healthcare providers should be able to focus on the patient/doctor relationship instead of over regulation.TAXES
Taxes are too high and the tax code is too complicated. Taxes should be reduced or eliminated, starting with repealing the income tax and abolishing the IRS, replacing them with a simpler, flatter & fairer tax system. High taxes and huge bureaucracies like the IRS stifle innovation, prevent saving, destroy production, and discourage investment. Every Georgian is entitled to the fruits of their labor.
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp visited Augusta to campaign.
Republicans from around the area gathered at the Columbia County Library to hear what the Athens native had to say about business, infrastructure and voter I.D. laws.
“I’ve got a record of fighting, and not just fighting but winning, on the issues that I simply told everyone that I would do,” Kemp said . “I’m truly making government smaller and more efficient. I won’t belabor all we’ve done in the Secretary of State’s office to do that, but I’m going to take that same record into the governor’s office.”
“If people in rural areas are doing better and have more money in their pocket, they’re going to be coming to the CSRA to go to the ball game, go to the movie theater, whatever it is that may not be in their local community,” Kemp said.” I think that helps build the whole state’s economy.”
He followed up his rally at the Columbia County Library with an appearance at a CSRA Republican Women’s meeting at the Jones Creek clubhouse before returning to Atlanta. He plans to return to the area several times before the 2018 election.
“This is a huge block of votes,” Kemp said. “I’ve got a lot of friends here as you can see by the crowd today. There are a lot of great things here going on and I want to be a governor that helps continue to foster that environment.”
Francys Johnson resigned as President of the Georgia NAACP and is exploring a run for Congress in the 12th District.
Johnson, 38, a civil rights attorney and pastor from Statesboro, has been rumored as a possible challenger to Congressman Rick Allen (R-Augusta) in the 2018 midterms.
“Our nation is in crisis. This moment calls for every head, heart and hand to engage the work of ensuring that all the promises of our democracy are fulfilled,” Johnson said. “The upcoming election in 16 months carries consequences unlike any other midterm in our lifetime. This election will either reinforce and sustain the path we’re on — or change it. I promise no one will work harder to turn this momentum for change into a reality.”
Although Johnson hasn’t confirmed that he is running for Congress, NAACP rules require officers to step down to run for public office.
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