By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher
DEC. 18, 2018 | GwinnettForum in each issue publishes its List of Continuing Objectives for Gwinnett County. Here is the list which has been running recently:
- Development of a two-party system for county offices
- Moving statewide non-partisan judge election runoffs to the General Election
- Commuter rail for Gwinnett from Doraville MARTA station to Gwinnett Arena
- Banning of tobacco in all Gwinnett parks
- More diverse candidates for political offices and appointment to local boards
- Creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett
- Advancement and expansion of city and Gwinnett historical societies
- Stronger regulation of late-night establishments with alcohol licenses
- Requiring the legislature to meet once every two years.
Here near the end of the year, let’s address each of these:
Two-party system: The 2018 election flipped parties on many legislative districts in Gwinnett, and also brought two Democrats to the County Commission, and one to the School Board. It appears that Gwinnett has achieved this objective. However, this arena needs constant surveillance as each election can bring changes. We therefore reword this objective to be: “High quality candidates for elective office in Gwinnett.” After all, if both political parties field high quality candidates, it doesn’t matter who gets elected, for we will have good government either way. We’ll add that, in general this year, both parties fielded better candidates than we have seen in previous elections.
Non-partisan judicial elections: We urge our Gwinnett representatives to lead the effort to change the time when judges are elected statewide. Now their election comes during the statewide primary. We urge that judges be elected when the most people vote, during the General Elections!
Mass transit: The past legislative season saw movement in this arena, with Gwinnett planning a vote on whether to join the MARTA system in March 19, 2019. We’re glad to see more interest on this subject, in hopes that Gwinnett will move to seeing mass transit in its future.
Tobacco: We continue to urge the County Commission to ban the use of all tobacco products in Gwinnett parks and public buildings. Today that would also include the new scourge of vaping products, a new public nuisance.
Diverse appointments: While the electorate has produced more minority candidates who now have won elections, it’s up to our County Commission and city governments to see that more diverse people serve on non-elected boards. This is a way to introduce this population to government service, and possible future elected office. We re-word this objective as “More diverse candidates for appointment to local boards.”
Support of the arts: We’ve been impressed with several elements of the arts scene this year. There have been several new public art elements added, the most striking being the new Eastern Continental Divide marker in Norcross. We were also pleased to see several artistic presentations at the Gwinnett Bicentennial soiree on Saturday night. We urge even more distinctive presentations of creative artistic expression in Gwinnett.
Historical societies: There has been no movement on new local historical societies within our communities. Only the county-wide Gwinnett Historical Society, plus groups in Snellville and Duluth, are active. We urge city governments to take steps to establish formalization of local historical groups to energize their communities.
Late-night bars: We said it before, but not much good happens after midnight in institutions that serve alcoholic beverages. Government needs tighter regulation of these places. Some don’t close until 5 a.m. That’s not good for any community. We change this objective to read: “Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 2 a.m., and close by 3 a.m.”
Georgia’s legislative time: Georgia’s Legislature meets for 40 working days each year. With most people on pins-and-needles of what the Legislature might do to them every time it opens its doors, we suggest meeting less. It works in the big state of Texas! It will benefit the state, and especially economic development, if the Legislature met less. Keep the 40 day limit, but require that the Legislature meet only once every two years.
Therefore, our revised list for the coming year reads:
- High quality candidates for elective office in Gwinnett.
- Move statewide non-partisan judge election runoffs to the General Election.
- MARTA rail for Gwinnett from Doraville station to Gwinnett Arena
- Banning of tobacco and vaping products in all Gwinnett parks.
- More diverse candidates for appointment to local boards.
- Creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett.
- Advancement and expansion of city and Gwinnett historical societies.
- Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 2 a.m., and close by 3 a.m.
- Rewrite the rules to require the Georgia Legislature to meet once every two years.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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