Georgia Cities Newspaper

January 2012


Tax Revision Could Dominate the Legislative Session
The legislative leadership has indicated it will make a strong attempt in the 2012 session to pass a tax revision bill that would increase sales and excise taxes in return for cutting the state income tax.

Op/Ed
GMA's People Make the Difference
The greatest asset of GMA is the 70+ dedicated employees who come to work every day dedicated to serving cities.

Focus Should be on the People
As Chairman of the House Governmental Affairs committee, I want to provide some insight from my perspective on working with city leaders in the legislative process and the importance of state and city government partnerships.

Welcome to the Georgia State Capitol
As Chairman of the State and Local Governmental Operations Senate Committee I encourage you to communicate with your legislators in general and the committee members in particular.

Stories
Demorest Promotes Community and History with Postcard Series
Postcards with paintings and photos of both modern day and historic Demorest feed the nostalgic soul and remind one of the joys of small town living.

Making Your Downtown a Dining Destination
When I began with the city of Woodstock in 2005, we had a modest four eateries downtown. Today’s downtown Woodstock is a dining destination.

Mayor Johnson Models Leadership and Advocacy
Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson’s emergence as an effective lobbyist and regional leader seems like a natural evolution.

A Formula for Decline: Lessons from Colorado for States Considering TABOR
Evidence shows that Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, contributed to a significant decline in the state’s public services.

Cities Earn Green Communities Certification
Four cities in the Atlanta region are the latest jurisdictions to earn Green Communities certification for leadership in implementing policies and practices that contribute to efficient and sustainable use of resources in metro Atlanta.

Braselton Store Gets Renovation Grant
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) awarded the Town of Braselton a $500,000 grant to assist with its renovations of the historic Braselton Brothers Store.

Auburn Mayor Honored with Municipal Leadership Award
Auburn Mayor Linda Blechinger is the recipient of the 2011 Annual Leadership Award, presented by Women in Municipal Government (WIMG), a constituency group of the National League of Cities (NLC).

Public Service is a Family Matter for Denson and Daughters
While other families at Tomatillo’s restaurant in Grant Park were discussing mall traffic over a Sunday morning brunch in December, the Denson family was debating education reform.