July 30th could be celebrated as the birthday of democracy in America, as the Virginia House of Burgesses became the first legislative body in the New World on July 30, 1619.
Its first law, which, like all of its laws, would have to be approved by the London Company, required tobacco to be sold for at least three shillings per pound. Other laws passed during its first six-day session included prohibitions against gambling, drunkenness, and idleness, and a measure that made Sabbath observance mandatory.
On July 28, 1868, United States Secretary of State William Seward proclaimed that the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution had been ratified and was now part of the Constitution. The first section of the 14th Amendment often forms the basis for litigation and reads:
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Georgia initially rejected the 14th Amendment in 1866, later ratifying it on July 21, 1868 as a condition for readmission.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt made his eighth visit to Warm Springs, Georgia on July 29, 1927.
On July 30, 1931, Georgia Governor Richard B. Russell, Jr. signed legislation merging Milton and Fulton Counties if voters in each county approved a referendum. Fulton had earlier merged with Campbell County, to the south.
Congress passed legislation establishing the National Aeronautic and Space Admininistration (NASA) on July 29, 1958.
Actor Laurence Fishburn was born in Augusta, Georgia on July 30, 1961.
President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed legislation creating Medicare, for seniors, and Medicaid for some low-income people on July 30, 1965.
The Doors’ “Light My Fire” became their first #1 hit on July 29, 1967.
On July 28, 1978, Animal House was released, instantly becoming one of the greatest films of all time. In case you’ve never seen the film, there is a tiny little bit of adult language in the following clip.
Carl Lewis won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the long jump at the Atlanta Olympics on July 29, 1996.
On July 28, 1994, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating “The General” locomotive, which was stolen in 1862 during the Great Locomotive Chase. Today, The General may be viewed at The Southern Museum in Kennesaw.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Gwinnett County Commissioners approved the project list for the county portion of a projected $950 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).
The county is set to receive $748.2 million of the $950 million expected to be raised by the SPLOST, but officials plan conservatively in case revenues come up short. That means they are budgeting for receiving $673.4 million to be on the safe side.
“This is a well-thought-out list of projects that addresses some of our more pressing needs in a way that is fair to everyone in the County,” Gwinnett County Chairman Charlotte Nash said in a statement. “I commend the members of the selection committees and their dedication toward making Gwinnett County a great place to live and do business.
“These projects improve everyone’s quality of life, and without the SPLOST, they would be difficult to impossible to accomplish without borrowing money.”
The majority of the county’s portion of the SPLOST — 65 percent of it to be exact — will be spent on transportation related projects that were split up into Tier 1 and Tier 2 lists. That equates to about $437.7 million for transportation-related projects.
Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards says his name shouldn’t have been on the list of endorsements released by Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s campaign for Governor.
Kemp’s campaign listed Edwards’ name last week among a long list of endorsements it said it had received from mayors and city councilmen from around Georgia. That was because the campaign was under the impression that it had his support after Edwards and Kemp ran into each other last month.
The Sugar Hill mayor disputed that claim this week, however, saying he hasn’t decided who he will endorse in next year’s governor’s race. Kemp is one of four Republicans seeking the post.
“I met Mr. Kemp in late June for the first time in Savannah while at a local government conference,” Edwards told the Daily Post in an email. “Although I will support a Republican candidate, I have not had a chance to officially endorse any candidate yet.”
Gainesville is considering rewriting its alcohol ordinance.
Gainesville’s liquor laws could be getting an update to allow downtown diners to carry alcohol outdoors and lift restrictions on breweries.
The city is considering changing its alcohol code to track with state law.
“State law changed this past year addressing breweries and brewpubs so that they can sell the product they make on-site and also allow people to … take it home with them,” City Manager Bryan Lackey told the Gainesville City Council during its Thursday work session.
The Bartow County Board of Education voted 3-2 to tentatively adopt a 19.2 mills property tax millage rate.
At a called meeting before the regular monthly meeting, the board voted 3-2, with members Derek Keeney and Fred Kittle opposed, to approve Superintendent Dr. John Harper’s recommendation to tentatively keep the millage rate at 19.2 mills rather than lowering it to the rollback rate of 18.713 mills.
Harper said the school system couldn’t afford to adopt the rollback rate with all the budget increases being passed on to it by the state, namely in the Teacher Retirement System and classified insurance costs.
In 2015, the school district was responsible for contributing 13.15 percent to TRS, he said. For fiscal year 2016, the rate increased to 14.27 percent, costing the system $9,852,745. For FY 2018, the rate jumped again to 16.81 percent, a cost of $11.5 million.
Keeney said by not rolling back the millage rate, the board is asking the county’s property owners to give it an additional estimated $1.6 million next year.
“For the majority of us, most of us sitting in this room, the additional tax burden isn’t that significant for us,” he said. “We won’t even notice the money moving out of our pocket. However, we’ve got many of our students and their families and our neighbors that would be significantly impacted by this tax burden. They’re having to make hard decisions today. So those most in need of relief from the government entity will be those most impacted.”
Dr. Tom Smiley was appointed Chair of the Hall County Board of Elections.
Smiley’s appointment was approved 4-1 with District 4 Commissioner Jeff Stowe being the only opposition. Stowe said while he respected Smiley, he felt that commissioners should have taken more time to examine his appointment.
“Tom’s a personal friend of mine. I’ve known him a long time. I think he’s an upstanding person,” Stowe said. “My only reason for voting against Tom would be just to table it and explore what other options are out there.”
Stowe’s comment came after two audience members, including one member of the Board of Elections, Kimberly Copeland, said they felt Smiley’s public stances on political issues made him unable to be non-partisan. Smiley is the Senior Pastor of Lakewood Baptist Church and is a regular co-host of WDUN’s “Morning Talk.”
The Augusta Historic Preservation Commission denied a permit to demolish an historic church.
Tybee Island Public Safety Committee members want to discourage fireworks on the island.
The widespread use of consumer fireworks during the recent July 4 holiday has ignited an effort on the part of Tybee Island officials to get restrictions in place before the next big celebration rolls around.
During a discussion of the issue Thursday, members of Tybee’s public safety committee said they’re looking at every avenue available in an ordinance proposed to ramp up restrictions after the consumer use of fireworks during this year’s holiday far exceeded anything the city has seen in the past.
City Manager Shawn Gillen said the public’s use of the explosives on Tybee’s beaches before the island’s official fireworks show caused concerns about public safety. In addition, Tybee Island Councilwoman Wanda Doyle, the chair of the public safety committee, said many of the people who were shooting fireworks off across the island did so well past the time limits imposed on their use by Georgia law.
“It was enough to make me uncomfortable,” Gillen said. “A crowded beach, drinking and explosives —it’s not a good mix.”
A crowded beach, drinking, and explosives sounds like the beginning of a Hunter S. Thompson novel. Or maybe a short story.
Savannah Under Construction is a new webpage designed to help the public keep track of public construction projects.
The goal of the Savannah Under Construction website is to increase the city’s transparency and accountability with the public, said Management Services Coordinator Daphanie Williams.
“This is definitely a collaborative effort among city employees,” Williams said. “I’m happy to say that our IT staff designed the website in house so there was no external costs to the city.”
Click here to check out the interactive map.
Hancock County public schools will be removed from the “under review” list by SACS, the regional school accrediting agency.
County Officials Gone Wild
Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter wants to drag out the embarrassing headlines about his ethics charges appeal the decision of his fellow commissioners.
A specially empanelled ethics board recommended the Board of Commissioners issue a written reprimand against Hunter because of controversial comments he made on Facebook, including calling U.S. Rep. John Lewis a “racist pig” and referring to Democrats as “Demonrats” and “Libtards.” Hunter’s fellow commissioners agreed and issued the reprimand last month.
Hunter’s attorney, Dwight Thomas, is appealing Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Melodie Snell Conner’s decision to throw out his legal challenge to the constitutionality of the county’s ethics ordinance and ethics board. He wants to take the case to the Georgia Supreme Court, according to a notice of appeal.
In her ruling last month, Conner said she was throwing out Hunter’s legal challenge because she did not see the ethics board, or the ethics ordinance that created it, as violating the state’s constitution.
DeKalb County Sheriff Jeff Mann pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of prohibited activity.
Mann, accused of exposing himself to a stranger who turned out to be a cop and then fleeing, was initially booked with charges of indecency and obstruction May 6. Under a deal reached with prosecutors Thursday, the indecency charge was dropped. Mann instead pleaded guilty to prohibited conduct that night in Piedmont Park, as well as the original obstruction count.
He was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and perform 80 hours of community service, which he already completed this month by volunteering for Hosea Feed the Hungry. He was also banished from all city of Atlanta parks for six months.
Mann’s guilty plea won’t have an immediate effect on his job as the county’s top law enforcement officer. Since he was re-elected to a four-year term in November, the sheriff will retain his position unless his license is revoked or voters petition to recall him from office.
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