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U.S. Representative John Linder (R) made a surprising announcement today stating that he will not seek re-election this November. Linder has represented the 7th congressional district which comprises much of Gwinnett County since 1992.

Possible candidates mentioned to replace Linder include State Senator Don Balfour, State Representative Clay Cox and former Braves pitcher John Smoltz.

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• 02/23/2010 - Entering Auto - 1200 Block Pounds Road

Source: CrimeMapping.com

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Representative Clay Cox
Georgia’s 102nd District (Lilburn, Snellville, Mountain Park, Norcross)

Dear Friends:

As you may have heard, the Georgia Legislature has taken a two week recess to allow various committees of the house and senate to work jointly on the budget. This unusual action was determined to be necessary, and I agree, by the Speaker and Lt. Governor as we come to grips with cutting an additional $1 billion from our projected spending in the upcoming fiscal year.

Just to give some perspective, when I was first elected in 2004, the state budget was nearly $24 billion dollars. That number has steadily declined each year as we have cut government spending – some by policy driven choice, but most by necessity of declining tax revenues. Below is a summary of what we are facing:

What is the total state 2011 Budget?

It is about $18 billion. This year, the Georgia General Assembly has discretion over $16 billion in the General budget. This excludes $2 billion in (the bulk of) motor fuel taxes, all lottery funds and the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund, which are dedicated by state constitution to specific appropriation purposes.

What is the shortfall that will need to be addressed in the proposed 2011 Budget?

Projections put it at $1 billion or more. It about equals the Everything Else category listed below.

How is the proposed 2011 General budget allocated?

• 44% ($7 billion)
K-12 - 1.6 million students; 160,000 teachers

• 14% ($2.2 billion)
Community Health - Medicaid, Peach Care, state health benefit plan, county public health departments

• 12% ($1.9 billion)
Regents - 300,000 students; 35 colleges and universities

• 8% ($1.2 billion)
Debt Sinking Fund - Bond payments

• 6% ($1 billion)
Corrections - 54,000 inmates; 37 prisons

• 5% ($800 million)
Behavioral Health - Including 7 state-run mental health hospitals, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities

• 3% ($500 million)
Human Services - Including Child Welfare, TANF, Aging, Adoption, Foster Care Services

• 2% ($320 million)
Technical Colleges - 160,000 students; 65 colleges and branches

• 6% ($1.1 billion)
Everything Else*

*Everything Else totals just over $1 billion in the budget. It covers 40 agencies and all branches of government, such as Public Safety; Juvenile Justice; Judicial System; Governor’s Office, Senate and House; Teachers Retirement; Driver Services; Pardon and Paroles; and Revenue Department.

Thanks for your support. If I can be of service to you please let me know.

Representative Clay Cox
401 State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
(404) 463-7853
clay.cox@house.ga.gov

Source: Direct e-mail from Clay Cox’s office

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• 02/17/2010 - Property Theft - 1500 Block Pounds Rd.
• 02/17/2010 - Auto Theft - 5300 Block Corinth Dr.

Source: CrimeMapping.com

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The Atlanta Braves have finally achieved what Gwinnett County was unable to achieve, inking a contract for the naming rights to the Gwinnett Braves baseball park formally known as Gwinnett Stadium. Marietta based HVAC company Coolray Heating and Cooling agreed to a 16 year deal worth approximately 10 million dollars. The ballpark will hence be known as Coolray Field.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the AJC is reporting that Gwinnett County’s contract with the Braves calls for the club to receive the first $350,000 annually paid in naming rights, the county to receive the next $350,000 and anything over that to be divided evenly. With the county’s share calculated at about $281,000 a year, that puts the deal in the neighborhood of $10 million.

The Gwinnett Daily Post reports that Gwinnett Braves general manager North Johnson called the deal the “second-largest in minor league baseball.”

In addition to the naming rights Coolray will also receive a sign at the main entrance to the ballpark, an LED marquee on Ga. Highway 20 and signage on top of the scoreboard.

More:
• Gwinnett Braves / Gwinnett Stadium posts

One Response To “Coolray Field aka Gwinnett Stadium”

1. CorinthHills.org Says:
   March 1st, 2010 at 7:35 PM

   The Gwinnett Daily Post is now reporting that Gwinnett County’s entire cut of the Coolray naming deal will be just under $4.5 million over the span of 15 years.

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(Press Release - Lawrenceville, Ga., Feb. 8, 2010) - The public is invited to attend any of four upcoming meetings to comment on the initial findings of the 42-member Engage Gwinnett citizens committee that, since last fall, has been studying county services and how to fund those services.

Each meeting will begin with an overview of the progress to date and the distribution of a handout that includes a brief report from the four different work groups. Attendees will have more than an hour to discuss and comment on the reports in small groups. That input will be combined with a brief survey and included in the group’s draft recommendations that will be available for a similar public review process in April. Later that same month, the committee will make its final recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on desired County services, service levels and revenue sources for the next five years.

The initiative is a partnership between Gwinnett County government and the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. Mike Levengood of McKenna Long & Aldridge and Bill McCargo with the Atlanta Education Fund are co-chairs of the committee. Engage Gwinnett seeks common ground, workable solutions and compromises as necessary for the greater good of the community to help guide the County government through the recession and its aftermath.

The four meetings will be held at various times and in different locations throughout the county to encourage participation:
• Thursday, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Duluth
• Saturday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. at 12Stone Church near Lawrenceville (State Route 20 campus)
• Monday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Grace Fellowship Church in Snellville
• Thursday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Victory World Outreach Center in Norcross

For more information:
• EngageGwinnett.com

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The Evermore CID was awarded a $40,000 grant by the Atlanta Regional Commission yesterday in order to study the viability of transforming the Olympic tennis venue into a multipurpose facility. The desire is for the facility to act as a catalyst for revitalization and economic growth for the Park Place area.

David Stedman, the Evermore Economic Development Director stated that there is a developer interested in a project.

“In this economy, we need to show that we are making an effort to improve the market dynamics of the area in a fundamental way,” he said. “When businesses and developers hear about the vision we have for the area, people get excited.”

More:
• http://corinthhills.org/?s=stone+mountain+stadium
• Gwinnett Daily Post

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During today’s State of the County address, commission chair Charles Bannister called for a one cent sales tax increase. Bannister stated that should voters approve the new penny tax, it would generate approximately 150 million dollars in new revenue with 35 percent coming from non-Gwinnett shoppers.

Bannister is looking to put the penny sales tax on the ballot this November.

2 Responses To “Bannister Asking For More Tax Revenue”

1. fwy545 Says:
   February 12th, 2010 at 7:44 AM

   Purdue wants a one cent sales tax increase for the state so if both initiatives make it to the ballot and pass Gwinnett will be up to 8%.

2. BG Says:
   February 16th, 2010 at 8:33 PM

   Not to mention the 21% increase in Gwinnett property tax and the abolishment of the Georgia homestead exemption. How does the government expect its citizenry to get ahead?

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Gwinnett County commissioner Kevin Kenerly refused to testify before a grand jury, claiming the subpoena was “a fishing expedition.” The grand jury is investigating whether there’s anything shady about the millions of dollars paid to developers for future park land.

• http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/i-team%3A-gwinnett-land-deals-021010

5 Responses To “Kevin Kenerly Pleads The Fifth - Video”

1. j.q.public Says:
   February 11th, 2010 at 8:43 AM

   Why in the world would the D.A. withdraw his subpoena? Let the commissioner’s motion go before the judge. This sounds fishy.

2. bwilson Says:
   February 11th, 2010 at 11:04 AM

   Yes, he (Kenerly) should be made to sit in the witness chair having taken an oath to God to tell the truth then state in front of the grand jury that he invokes his fifth amendment right and refuses to incriminate himself.

   One would think it’s 1950 the way politicians continue to conduct “business”. When will Gwinnett County ever grow up?

3. fwy545 Says:
   February 11th, 2010 at 11:33 AM

   Why does he feel that he needs immunity? Why won’t Porter grant him immunity in order to get to the truth?

4. Paulie Says:
   February 11th, 2010 at 11:43 AM

   Porter should NOT grant immunity to anyone for anything. A subpoena is not issued as a courtesy or a suggestion - compliance is not optional. Then again, recall the Grand Jury that was held to investigate the stadium deal - the co-foreman of that one was a participant in putting the deal together in the first place! The bottom line is that our current crop of elected officials reeks of corruption from top to bottom. This needs to be thoroughly investigated, and if nothing is found, we need to investigate the investigators, or at least equip them with white canes and guide dogs. The state ethics investigator that I worked with regarding some Bannister dirty deeds commented that the BOC surpassed all bad behavior that he had seen in his career to date. Gwinnett deserves better.

5. fwy545 Says:
   February 12th, 2010 at 7:51 AM

   The AJC is quoting Porter as saying, “I withdrew the subpoena because I wasn’t prepared to grant Kenerly immunity. That’s basically what the motion requests. It means that any of the documents that he produced could not be used in a subsequent criminal proceeding against him.”

   “I’ve withdrawn the subpoena,” Porter said, “but I expect that we’ll obtain the necessary information in other ways.”

   So keep the subpoena in place, make him plead the fifth in front of the grand jury and then get the “necessary info” from your other sources.

   If everyone ever subpoenaed played the game the same way Kenerly is and accepted the way Porter is allowing it no one would ever testify.

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The Big Apple Circus is coming to Stone Mountain Park February 12th, 2010 - February 28th, 2010. Ticket prices range from $15 - $42 each. Admission into the park is $10 (free with annual pass). Shows last approximately 2 hours.

For more:
• 888.451.3750
• Stone Mountain Park - http://www.stonemountainpark.com
• Big Apple Circus - http://www.bigapplecircus.org

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