Gwinnett Buzz

EDIT (2 March 10): I stated below that the audience could not address the commission during the meeting.  I am watching the meeting right now and the audience does have the opportunity to address the board.  The first two speakers are grilling the commissioners - way to go!

Just when you thought it was safe to take your garbage to the curb, there stands the Gwinnett County Commission waiting at the end of your driveway to “help” you take out your garbage.  That’s right - socialized garbage is back. Tomorrow, the board will consider a new version of the ordinance that looks almost identical to the old version.  What does that tell us?  The Gwinnett County Commission did not listen to a word that was said to them - loudly and clearly - at the various meetings and hearings in the last 15 months.  They have effectively brushed you aside and will do exactly what they intended to do all along - micromanage your life!

The most substantial difference between the previous ordinance and the current iteration is of little real importance to the average citizen: Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful will not be administering the program.  Whew!  That makes me feel so much better knowing that someone else will deny my economic freedom and tell me I am not capable of handing my own affairs.  At the end of the day, the county will still mandate that you must have garbage service.  The county will still tell you what company you must have as your garbage hauler.  They will still bill you for the service as part of your tax bill.  The only substantive item that appears to be different is that recycling is not mandatory.  Exactly how is this different than the socialistic program the board attempted to foist upon us last year?  In a nutshell- IT’S NOT!

Our commissioners are thumbing their noses at us.  They are saying we listened and we ignored virtually everything you told us.  Why?  Because we are politcians and we know how to live your life better than you do!  And these are supposed to be five REPUBLICANS, one of whom may want to go to Washington as a Congressman!

Unfortunately, this will ordinance will pass because this commission is not accountable to you.  Two members of the board, District 2 Commissioner Bert Nasuti and District 4 Commissioner Kevin Kenerly, are not running for reelection.  They can vote for the ordinance and not have to worry about facing the music from the voters.  That means there only needs to be one other vote to pass socialized garbage.  If Commission Chairman Charles Bannister has already decided not to seek a third term in 2012, he would be just as unaccountable as Nasuti and Kenerly.  I suspect he will not run again, but only he knows for sure.  The other likely source for the third vote is Mike Beaudreau.  Whether he runs for Congress or not, Beaudreau will likely run for a higher office in 2012 given that his interest in Congressman John Linder’s congressional seat confirms my suspicions that Beaudreau is aiming politically higher than the county commission.  Granted, running for any office from within Gwinnett would force him to face voters in some way should he vote for socialized garbage. However, if his next race is for a different office, that would provide some insulation from voter angst over socialized garbage.  That leaves Shirley Lasseter who likely will run for relection in 2012.  With a third vote coming from Bannister or Beaudreau, Lasseter would be afforded political cover by being able to vote against the ordinance knowing that it will still pass.  (To be fair to Lasseter, the original socialized garbage ordinance was passed before she joined the Commission.  Thus, she may truly be opposed to the measure.)

The board will vote on this unAmerican ordinance tomorrow.  Conveniently, these sessions do not allow the public to address the commission, so you will not have the opportunity to remind the board that their support of socialized garbage is unacceptable.  Ironically, that is very appropriate given that they chose to ignore you when you did have the opportunity to speak.  Who needs Democrats when you have Republicans like this bunch?

In a letter posted on the Gwinnett County homepage (thanks to Buzz reader ceej for posting this link in a comment to an earlier post), Commission Chairman Charles Bannister outlines some of the budget cuts the board will be considering next week.  Bannister highlights cuts to public safety funding and the associated reductions in force levels.  Gwinnett County Fire Chief Steve Rolader, referencing the cuts for the fire department, worries about the impact on protection for the public:

“With a reduction in force, it could impact our response times,” he said. “It concerns us.”

Now, I must be fair and note that I am not clear that the commission would be cutting force levels as opposed to simply not growing them per the previous plan.  (This is a common tactic in Washington where Congress will refer to a reduction in planned growth as a “cut.”)  However, by holding staffing levels constant while the county’s population continues to grow, the number of firefighters per capita will fall.  This logic alone lends credence to Rolader’s concerns.

Aren’t you glad that we have that nice, new minor league baseball stadium?  If your house burns down because the fire department is unable to respond quickly enough, at least you can console yourself while taking in a Government-funded Gwinnett Braves game at Gwinnett Taxpayers’ Stadium.  Yes, I keep bringing up the stadium.  The people of Gwinnett should not be allowed to forget about the abysmal stewardship of our tax dollars represented by that facility.  The stadium looked like a bad deal when it was proposed.  GIven our current fiscal situation, the stadium deal looks like perhaps the biggest example of governmental mismanagement in the history of Gwinnett County.

Remember this during primary season next summer, folks!

The AJC has an excellent article chronicling the Gwinnett Braves stadium history over the last year.  The article does a good job of outlining why this deal was bad for Gwinnett County taxpayers: cost overruns, weakening county tax revenues due to the recession, and inability to sell the stadium naming rights in the current economic environment.  All this while the county was slashing its budget, cutting jobs, and “[postponing] adding 88 positions for public safety and the courts.”

Despite an overwhelming case that, financially, this was a worse deal in retrospect than it was initially, the commission stubbornly clings to the position that the county should have undertaken the project.

“Our board was completely unanimous on baseball Jan. 15 of last year, and I think our board will be completely unanimous on baseball today,” said Commissioner Bert Nasuti, the project’s chief proponent.

Gwinnett Board of Commissioners Chairman Charles Bannister, Commissioner Kevin Kenerly and Nasuti said they would have voted for financing the stadium last year even if they had known what they know now about the economy and the county’s finances.

“I think we would have voted for it,” Bannister said. “It would have been much cleaner — perhaps prettier — publicwise if all the dollars had been in the accounting upfront.”

What incredible arrogance to say that, even had they known then what they know now, they would have still proceeded.  What we know now is that, if the stadium revenue projections remain down, the stadium threatens to place a greater burden on taxpayer wallets.

Nasuti believes that the stadium will boost “boost Gwinnett’s economy.”  He also made a valid point about economic development.

“You don’t shut down economic development opportunities when times are bad,” Nasuti said. “That is when you look at economic development opportunities.”

Nasuti is absolutely correct that smart managers pursue opportunities in hard times.  However, let the private sector make that decision, not government.  We elect Republicans because we want limited government, lower taxes and a positive environment for business.  I do not call making sweetheart deals for a professional sports franchise to be an example of limited government even the deal improves the business environment.  Over the life of the contract, the Braves will pay an average annual rent to Gwinnett County of $365,000 per year.  On top of that, the team keeps half of the parking revenue, all ticket revenue except for  $1 per ticket($400,000 minimum to the county), and a share of the stadium naming rights income.  This for an organization that just signed pitcher Derek Lowe for $60 million over four years.

I know I will never find the perfect elected official with whom I will agree all the time.  However, over the last year, the Gwinnett commission has begun to develop quite a track record of poor management of county government.  Socialized garbage.  Gwinnett Braves stadium.  North Georgia retreat to figure out how to save money.  The hole they are digging is already pretty deep.  Fortunately for them, the next election is still nearly two years away.  They have time to turn things around, but to climb out of this hole, they need to stop digging and starting putting the Gwinnett residents and taxpayers first in what they do.

That is what Charles Bannister is reported to have said after hearing citizen complaints about socialized garbage last night.  Because of various interuptions while I was watching online, I misssed some comments and did not know that the chairman had made this remark.  As I noted last night, I hope that the commissioners don’t just hear the complaints which District 1 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau has assured is the case.  I hope they respond and remedy this situation.

Admitting a mistake, especially publically, takes strength of character.  We all make mistakes and the commission has made an enormous one with respect to garbage.  However, if we see meaningful change to the ordinance, then the members of the board deserve a great deal of respect for their courage to right a wrong.  Time will tell.

Socialized garbage is no longer only a matter of local outrage for Gwinnettians.  In looking over a thread at the TalkGwinnett forum, I found that the socialized garbage story has gone national.  Apparently, on December 5, the massively popular Drudge Report linked to an AJC article on the potential $500 fine for not recycling.  Also, the conservative blog RedState.com posted an article called “RINOs Are Real: Meet Charles Bannister and the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.”  (For those not familiar with the term, RINO stands for Republican in Name Only and is often applied to liberal Republicans.)  The post offers some stinging commentary on the commission actions regarding the waste ordinance:

Ladies and gentlemen, a Republican County Commission Chairman in a Republican county in a Republican state is making it a crime to not recycle.

The kicker, of course, is that the county is also going to start putting the cost of garbage collection in property tax bills so residents won’t be able to keep track of the costs.

Let’s compare that to the Republican leaning county of Cobb, which is just west of Gwinnett. There, a private recycler is required to offer recycling services, but it is not mandatory.

In Democrat DeKalb County, recycling is voluntary with a $30.00 start-up fee for recycling containers.

In Democrat Fulton County, recycling must be offered by private haulers, but it is not mandatory.

In Gwinnett County? You get fined $500.00. And that was a Republican brain child.

I agree with the RedState blogger: apparently, Charles Bannister and the rest of the Gang of Five (I am borrowing that term from one of my readers…you know who you are…I like it!) have forgotten what it means to be a Republican, though, given the current state of the GOP, they are hardly alone.  But that is a topic for another day and another blog.

Am I the only one that finds it incredulous that our Gwinnett County Commission is discussing ways in which they can cut county spending during a $15,000, three-day retreat in Young Harris?  Is this the height of arrogance or simply complete and utter cluelessness?  Do the commissioners mean to tell Gwinnett County residents that in the expansive GJAC that they could not find space to hold these discussions?  How about that big meeting room they use for commission meetings?  And if there is some legal prohibition against doing so, how much would it have cost to rent out a ballroom at one of Gwinnett’s hotels, thus contributing to the county economy in the process?  This board looks more like they are channeling Lillian Webb’s administration every time I read an article about them.

While the commission considers cutting park hours, cancelling the Gwinnett Glows Fourth of July celebration, as well as the possibility of a property tax increase, I did not read a solitary word about all the money they are spending to build a baseball stadium for a high-dollar organization like the Atlanta Braves.  Of course, maybe Commission Chairman Charles Bannister considers funding a baseball stadium a “basic service.”  Or perhaps District 3 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau see the stadium as “the meat and potatoes of what the county needs to be doing.”

I am at a loss for words to describe this commission.  Words cannot do justice to the continuing indifference they demostrate for the Gwinnett residents.  However, I somehow doubt that this will be the height of my stunned amazement at this group.

As pointed out recently by a Buzz reader in a letter to the editor, the new solid waste management ordinance provides for Gwinntt County to create a Garbage Gestapo.  Beginning in 2009, Gwinnett County can fine you if you do not recycle.  Read that again - if you do not organize your garbage, Gwinnett can fine you $500.  It’s all there in the new solid waste ordinance, the ordinance that most of you did not know was being forced upon you by the Gwinnett County commission.

Today, I spoke with Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Patrick Fox about this issue and explained my opposition to this component of the new law.  (Of course, I object to this needless law in its entirety!)  If you are here because you saw the article, welcome to the Gwinnett Buzz.  I hope you will find my insightful commentary something that will draw you back in the future.  I urge you to get involved in the discussion by commenting regardless of whether you agree or disagree with my positions.  I also want to thank Mr. Fox for fairly representing what I said.  Often, the media gets accused of twisting quotes to pursue an agenda, but that did not happen in this case.  I wanted to expand on my comments that were included in the article:

“I just don’t think it’s the role of the county government or any government to tell us that we must recycle,” said Derek Cook, publisher of gwinnettbuzz.com, a Web site devoted to county issues. “I don’t do a good job of keeping my personal effects in my house organized. Now I’ve got to organize my garbage.”

I simply do not recycle now.  I know that some of you are gasping for air in shock as you read this, but I suspect that most of you doing so have completely bought into the sky-is-falling environmental movement.  I have not not, nor have I bought into the concept of man-made global warming.  To me, recycling is more of a hassle than it is worth.  I live alone so I do not generate much waste - I do not even put my can out every week (hope that is not a punishable offense come next year!) - so everything goes into the trash bag.

That being said, if you wish to recycle, that is your choice.  I am fine with curbside recycling being offered as an option for those who wish to participate.  However, as is all-too-often the case with those who have drunk the environmental Kool-Aid, pushing environmental intiatives on others with government force poses no moment for pause.  Consider this post on the Sustainable Peachtree Corner blog.  While gushing over convenience and expanded recycling, the blogger glosses over the mandatory aspect without so much as a minor defense of the government prohibiting freedom of choice on the part of the residents of the land of the free and home of the brave.  Commission Chairman Charles Bannister attempted to justify making recycling mandatory:

Mandatory recycling is not common in metro Atlanta, but Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said the move is in line with a state policy that local governments develop plans to reduce solid waste by 25 percent.

Does the state law say that recycling must be mandatory?  If so, why are Athens-Clarke and Dekalb Counties’ programs voluntary?  Why didn’t our commssion attempt to incent residents to increase recycling with creative programs that increase participation?  Or was making recycling mandatory simply the easy way out?

Connie Wiggins says that Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is not looking to check your garbage to be sure you are recycling.  However, the provision is there in the law.  Perhaps they will not fine anyone now, but if the law permits it, you can rest assured that at some point in the future we will be reading about someone who has received a recycling fine.

I received an email from a reader yesterday that I felt needed to be brought to the attention of Buzz readers as well as Gwinnett residents overall.  RSU 1138 (the reader has asked that he be identified publically as such, a reference to the film THX 1138, in order to protect his privacy) paints a bleak picture of government intrusion in our routine daily lives.

With Republican Commissioners like ours, who needs Democrats? Go [here] and read the ordinance that becomes effective January 1. We now have jackbooted garbage police, compliments of Gestapo Clean and Beautiful. Let’s say it’s now 2009. You’re going out to eat and it’s garbage night. It’s about 6:30 pm, so you go ahead and roll the bins out so you won’t forget. You leave. The garbage police come by at 6:45 pm and issue a citation for $500. You’re a willful violator if you put your bins out before 7:00 pm. This is actually in there. Look at pages 14, 31 and 32.

Oh, and recycling is now mandatory. So if a child or guest throws a steel or aluminum can in the regular garbage, you’re subject to another $500 fine. How will the garbage police know? They will sift through your garbage, of course. What other way is there to ensure compliance?

This is an indescribably outrageous violation of our constitutional rights by government fiat. Someone complained that there were too many garbage trucks and there was some illegal dumping. The commissioners said Hey, we can fix that! We’ll just take away your freedom and violate your rights because you’re all a bunch of mindless, spineless, self-indulgent idiots. We don’t expect anyone to resist.

Someone besides me needs to resist. We now have nothing to say about who will pick up our trash, how they will do it, and how much it will cost. What other rights are these petty tyrants planning to rip away from us while we sleep? If I didn’t have to run my own business, I’d devote myself to organizing a recall campaign to throw all 5 of these bums out of office.

- RSU 1138

(RSU = Residential Service Unit, page 10. You are no longer a customer. The word “customer” does not appear in the document. That speaks volumes.)

I have verified that the points regarding the earliest time for placing your trash cans at the curb, the mandatory recycling, and the fines are accurate.  I agree with RSU 1138 that this program is a gross violation of freedom of choice, a point I have been making here on the Buzz for some time.  To be fair, I would note that I do not know if the current waste ordinance has provisions for the times during which collection bins can be at the curb or whether there are provisions for fines.  If so, could the language in the new ordinance be there only “if needed” and would not be actively enforced in a manner as depicted in the letter?  Even if so, the existance of regulations that permit such government intrusion in our lives is disturbing.  The ordinance does declare that, once you place your trash at the collection point, it becomes the property of Gwinnett County.  There goes any claim of privacy against government snooping in your trash without probable cause (if such a claim even exists now).  The letter writer is warranted in his charge against the brand of Republicans on the Gwinnett commission.  The reason I have been a lifelong Republican is a desire for smaller and limited government.  Does Gwinnett’s socialized garbage seem like small or limited government to you?  I see this as just more evidence that, especially on a local level, many Republicans are far from conservative.  The reasons for this, however, are a matter for a separate post on a different day.

This ordinance is far worse than even I grasped when I first learned of it.  I stress again that this is what happens when you do not pay attention to what your government is doing.  Our commissioners have completely disrespected their constituents.  Each one that supported this ordinance should be voted out.  Lorraine Green is gone but, unfortunately, Mike Beaudreau and Charles Bannister were just reelected.  However, Kevin Kenerly’s district is on the 2010 ballot and he should face vigorous Republican primary opposition from a true conservative.  (Bert Nasuti is shown as being absent the night the ordinance was considered and did not vote.  He should be pressed on where he stands on this ordinance in his 2010 race.)  All of the current commissioners who will continue on in office next year should be held accountable for this local manifestation of big government intrustion in our lives.  If you are not happy about this, speak up!  Be vocal.  Let your commissioner, Charles Bannister and Connie Wiggins know.  There have been several Buzz readers that have expressed a desire to pursue some action, though what form that might take, is unclear.  However, follow the Buzz for coverage for any community efforts to make our displeasure with socialized garbage be known loud and clear to the Gang of Five in Lawrenceville.

With nearly all precincts reporting, Commission Chairman Charles Bannister and District 3 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau have easily won reelection.  In school board races, District 1 board member Carol Boyce and District 3 board member Mary Kay Murphy both won fairly easy victories.  In School Board District 5 things appear to be a bit closer, but Louse Radloff appears headed to victory over Democrat challenger Ravindra Kuma.  Tom Lawler will hold onto his position as Superior Court Clerk.

However, not all incumbents fared well.  In a poor move by Gwinnett voters, Richard Winegarden will fall to Karen Beyers, a candidate who had no judicial experience coming into this election.

In the SPLOST vote, Gwinnett voters extended the 1-cent sales taxes by nearly 20,000 votes.

On a state level, Saxby Chambliss thankfully was relected to the United States Senate.  This was important to keeping enough Republicans in the Senate to maintain the threat of a filibuster against any extremely liberal legislation from Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and their ilk.  Congressman John Linder, who represents a large portion of the county, defeated Doug Heckman handily. All three Georgia constitutional amendments appear likely to pass, though Amendments 2 and 3 are a little tight with about 10% of the precincts still out.  I supported, with some concerns, Amendments 2 and 3 and am glad to see them gain approval.  However, I am disappointed to see Amendment 1 pass with its promise of placing additional funding responsibility for local schools on taxpayers throughout the state.  Amendment 2 was very important to providing the funding needed for the TADs that Gwinnett voters approved in the primary in July.

Thus, overall, a positive night for Gwinnett amidst a sad night for America overall.  Hopefully, as Republican conservatives seek to take back our national party and win back the voters that the big spending GOP of the last six years have allowed to flock to Barack Obama, Gwinnett and it’s strong conservative base can play a role in this effort.  Winning back the wayward center right voters is so critical to protecting the freedoms and values that America holds dear and that are sure to be threatened by the liberal Democrats starting in January.

The Gwinnett commission races in the general election are really not all that exciting.  Despite shifts in the county’s demographics in recent years, Gwinnett is still a primarily Republican county.  Thus, I do not expect the two Republican incumbents to have much trouble regaining their seats.  Nevertheless, the Buzz is a blog that takes a stand, whether popular or not, so I would like to make formal endorsements in both the Commission Chairman and District 3 Commissioner races.

Commission Chairman

The Gwinnett Buzz endorses Republican Chairman Charles Bannister to retain his seat as head of the Gwinnett County Commission. The Buzz was a supporter of Chairman Bannister during this summer’s primaries and nothing has happened to weaken this backing.  Mr. Bannister has done an adequate job as Chairman these last fours years and has earned the chance to continue in this role.  He has placed an emphasis on tax cuts, a position that will be welcome as we face the risk of the increased federal taxation in the coming years.

Commission District 3

The Gwinnett Buzz endorses Republican Commissioner Mike Beaudreau to retain his seat on the Gwinnett County Commission. Now, if you are a long time reader of the Buzz and followed the often intense primary campaign in July, you know that I was a strong supporter of challenger Doug Stacks.  As such, you may be stunned to see me endorsing the very candidate about whom I wrote several harsh critiques.  If so, neither you nor my friends in the Stacks campaign should worry.  I would still back Doug  today if he were in the race.  My positions on land use and property rights have wavered not at all.  However, our time to defeat Mike was in July.

The District 3 voters spoke loud and clear that they preferred Beaudreau to Stacks.  I don’t like that, but I can accept that.  I endorse Commission Beaudreau out of political practicality. First, Mike is a known quantity.  Whether we agree with him or not, we know where he stands and we know what to expect.  Democrat challenger Earn Herndon of Dacula is quite the opposite - an unknown.  Given the track record of the Democrat Party, I would expect that Herndon’s positions on land use and property rights are likely similar to those held by Beaudreau, if no worse!  Second, Mr. Beaudreau is a good person.  Setting politics aside, he is active in his church and community.  Having spoke with him in the past, I can attest that has an approachable personality.  In this day and age of self-serving, arrogant politicians in a sea of political bitterness, such traits count for something.  Finally, there is the practical reality that we do not want to allow the Democrats to gain even a single seat on the Gwinnett County Commission.  We need to stave off massive increases both in our property taxes and in the size of county government as long as possible.

Thus, all of these reasons points to a single logical conclusion.  Endorse the Republican and support the party.  That does not mean that you nor the Buzz should not remain vigilant and hold Commissioner Beaudreau accountable for his votes in the upcoming term.  This does not mean that you nor the Buzz, if Beaudreau does not change his positions, should not strongly consider any primary opponents in 2012 should Mike run again.  However, if on no other day than November 4, 2008, Mike Beaudreau deserves your vote and the Buzz urges you to support the incumbent Republcan commissioner.