BRIDGES: Local Republicans want your money

Last week the Winder City Council decided to increase the occupational tax which will cause local business owners to pay more. The fact that the amount is relatively small is really beside the point. It should be noted that council members Al Brown and Larry Evans voted against this proposal and deserve credit for doing so.

But why are so many local Republicans eager to cause the working class of Barrow County to pay more in taxes? It doesn’t matter to me if it’s an ELOST, a property tax increase or a higher tax on local business owners. In the real world, where the tough economic times continue, it’s safe to say most can’t afford to pay more in taxes (under the threat of arrest or loss of property if you don’t). Some try to convince us taxes of this nature are “fair.” Baloney. (I would use a strong word but this is a family newspaper.) No tax is fair and that word should never be used to describe one.

Politics is a funny bird at times. During campaign season you’ll hear candidates talk about taxes are too high, that hard working men and women pay too much in taxes, this party is the party of less taxes, etc. However, it seems at the local level in Barrow County too many elected Republicans don’t think we are paying enough in taxes. That’s news to many including one man in his mid 30s I spoke with recently at a BOC meeting who said he works two part-time jobs in addition to his full-time employment to be able to afford his rather modest house and property in Barrow County. The man jokingly told me, “There is no security guard to let people into my neighborhood.”

As a Libertarian for more than 25 years, it’s no real surprise to me that local Republicans are really no more of a friend of the taxpayer than Democrats are. A favorite Libertarian line in fact goes, “What’s the difference between Republicans and Democrats? One steals from your right pocket and one steals from your left.”

In the end, it’s just more of a money grab to take from a group of hard-working people who can’t afford it. It’s wrong to make senior citizens and those without children in the school system to continue to pay more taxes.

It’s wrong for certain members of the Board of Commissioners to threaten to increase property taxes. The blame here goes on the BOC members of the past who could not control their spending. And it’s wrong to put a higher tax on local business owners in downtown Winder (regardless of how small the amount is.)

Perhaps a sign should be made that reads “Welcome to Barrow County, where the local Republicans love taxes.”

The Republicans can’t blame Democrats for this one (or the President.) The reason? They are no elected Democrats locally.

•Secretary of State Brian Kemp spoke at last week’s Barrow County Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues event and pitched his idea of moving Georgia’s 2016 presidential primary up in order to help put more value on the Peach State’s vote.

Kemp’s idea is solid. I’ve said for years Georgia’s primary should be moved up so those running for the highest office in the land would actually have to campaign here.

Our votes are just as important as those in Iowa or New Hampshire although you wouldn’t know it by the way the candidates treat it.

Kemp is pushing an idea of having several Southern states advance their primaries. He’s referring it as an “SEC” primary, in reference to states with universities in the Southeastern Conference.

With the 2016 presidential primary set to feature a long list of candidates from both major parties, the idea to have Georgia’s vote mean more is a solid idea and one that is long overdue.

While Kemp deserves credit for this idea, it should be noted (again) that the Secretary of State should be a non-partisan office, to at least give the appearance of being objective during elections (presidential, state-wide and local.) No doubt feeling he was among friends, Kemp warned of Hillary Clinton running for President in 2016. Someone who is supposed to be overseeing the election process for our state, needs to keep comments like this under their hat. Of course, Kemp is a Republican so I doubt few in the room had any problems with his comments.

We all remember the loony Florida Secretary of State and the way she disgraced her office in 2000 during the presidential election. We don’t need that for Georgia. It’s past time to make Secretary of State a non-partisan office. It’s fine for people to run for it, just without party labels.

Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.