Articles by: Elliott Brack
BRACK: New book of Gwinnett’s transformation raises at least one question
By Elliott Brack | A new book from the University of Georgia Press is entitled “Gwinnett County, Georgia, and the transformation of the American South, 1818-2018.” The book is edited by two professors, Michael Gagnon of Flowery Branch, who is an associate professor of history at Georgia Gwinnett College, and Matthew Hild of Atlanta, a lecturer at Georgia Tech.
BRACK: Taxing real property is not always easy and often not fair
By Elliott Brack | Equally taxing people is complicated. For the tax year 2022, you could have two families living side-by-side in similar houses and one might be taxed considerably higher than the other. That’s because some Gwinnett residents get the benefit of a value offset exemption (VOE) for owner-occupied residences.
BRACK: Congress can step into breach of rights by the Court
By Elliott Brack | The two bomb blasts handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court last week may serve as a rallying cry to change our nation. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be quick.
When the court hands down verdicts that a majority of the people are not in step with, something eventually must give. We have little doubt that a majority of Americans, and especially women, think it should be an individual woman’s fundamental right to terminate a pregnancy.
BRACK: As lobsters go, so goes the great state of Maine
By Elliott Brack | Our great country has many wonderful places to visit, with a vast assortment of scenery, activities, foods and people.
With the summer approaching, and the temperatures here aiming toward 100, it was a good time to visit in the state of Maine, a beautiful place in warm weather with a certain laid-back attitude that attracts many “summercasters.” We visited right before Maine’s big season for visitors, which is July and August. The weather certainly cooperated, in the 80s only one day, and most nights between 55-60.
BRACK: Reviewing the 2022 Georgia primary winners and losers
By Elliott Brack | Today let’s review the 2022 primary. First, let us thank the candidates, the winners and losers, for we cannot vote in our democracy without candidates. They allow it to work.
The most satisfying and surprising turn of this primary was that Lisamarie Bristol ousted Solicitor General Bryan Whiteside, and by a good margin.
BRACK: American companies leaving Russia “in droves”
By Elliott Brack | The Russian advancement against Ukraine has backfired, in more ways than one. First, it has exposed just how inefficient the Russian military is. Secondly, it has caused “droves” of western countries, including many American firms, to pull out of their operations in Russia. Recent figures show more than 300 firms have exited Russia.
Gwinnett Forum | Nov. 26, 2024
“Bureaucrats write memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they were busy.”
— Editor-in-chief of the Washington Monthly Charles Peters (1926-2023).
Continuing objectives
Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests that Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. His list:
- Move statewide non-partisan judge and school board elections to the General Election.
- Adoption of the 2023 Transit Plan for Gwinnett.
- More creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett.
- Advancement and expansion of city historical societies.
- Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 1 a.m., and close by 2 a.m.
- Require the Georgia Legislature to meet only once every two years.
- 21st century salary for the Gwinnett County Commission members.
- Remove chewing gum on sidewalks at entrances of post offices and other governmental buildings.
- Eliminate single-use plastic packaging and straws in Gwinnett and require instead the use of paper products.
- Condos instead of apartments for Gwinnett.
Interested in Gwinnett history?
Now re-printed in its third edition, Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, the award-winning history of Gwinnett County, is once again available for purchase. It sold out of its first two printings. The book won the 2010 Award of Excellence in Documenting Georgia History from the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. The book is available at Old Town Antiques at 93 Main Street in Lilburn.
- The history of Gwinnett is also available as an e-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble for $9.95.
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