Elliott Brack’s Perspective
BRACK: Response from readers make publishing GwinnettForum worthwhile
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Sometimes I wonder why I continue to publish GwinnettForum. I’ve said before that at least it extends my life through this participation with the wider community. Thank you for allowing me to do this, and from responding from time to time.
Every now and then, I get a noteworthy comment comes from a reader, and it makes me proud to publish these thoughts and ideas, so that you, the other readers, can benefit from their viewpoints.
BRACK: Unrest in Midwest and how modern day is changing football
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Take any given Saturday in the fall. It demonstrates how instilled college football is in our country. Many people plan their entire fall Saturdays on the basis of where their favorite college football team is playing.
Though years ago many thought the arrival of televised football would hurt actual attendance at stadiums, just the opposite is true. Stadiums remain full, while television has greatly expanded interest in football.
BRACK: Lilburn resident wins council post with less than majority vote
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | There was one surprising vote from last week’s city elections in Gwinnett. One candidate, in Lilburn, went into office without a majority of the vote. He is Brian Burchik, who won a seat on the Lilburn Council with 48.1 percent of the vote. Lilburn, as far as we can tell, is the only city in Gwinnett where candidates can win an election with a plurality of the vote.
BRACK: Big relief felt in E-SPLOST vote despite small turnout
By Elliott Brack | Relief!
That’s what Gwinnett Countians should be feeling as the results of the 2015 E-SPLOST voting were announced. A small minority of the voters (only 7.09 percent, a record low) of Gwinnett thought enough of their county and the school system to go out and approve a one cent continuation of sales taxes for school purposes. That’s an awfully low number voting.
BRACK: Commission took a first step; now regulate bars more closely
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Up through World War II and to about 1950, Gwinnett County was a relatively quiet, rural community merely near Atlanta. Then with the beginning of growth of Atlanta, Gwinnett began to see its own growth, though early on it was incidental, not wide open as it became later.
BRACK: More reasons to vote to keep E-SPLOST sales tax
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Because the continuation of a penny sales tax for education is the only item on the county-wide ballot on next Tuesday, November 3, there is some concern that a low turnout could see the proposition fail.
We hope not. Please vote for the proposition, and also take someone to the polls with you for them to vote.
BRACK: Voting Yes on E-SPLOST means Gwinnettians get 40% discount
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | People love sales. We all, if we were allowed to choose, would rather buy something at 40 percent off the regular price, than at the regular price.
That’s essentially what the Gwinnett County School Board is offering Gwinnettians in the November 3 referendum on whether to approve the one-cent sales tax to fund school infrastructure, the educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST). If approved, Gwinnett County’s school sales tax level will continue without an increase through 2022.
Gwinnett Forum | Jan. 7, 2025
“Nothing makes us feel more connected than when we are engaged in a healthy balance of thoughtful speaking and hardcore listening.”
– Belgian-American psychotherapist and relationship expert Ester Perel (1958- ) via John Titus, Peachtree Corners.
Continuing objectives
Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. His 2025 list:
- Move statewide non-partisan judicial and school board elections to the date of the General Election.
- 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.
- Eliminate single-use plastic packaging and straws in Gwinnett and require instead the use of paper products.
- Gwinnett planners to encourage condos and townhouses instead of apartments.
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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