| | Issue #20.04 :: 08/20/2008 - 08/26/2008 | How to win friends and influence people, by Joe Bowles
| BY THE INSIDER
| AUGUSTA, GA - Augusta Commissioner Joe Bowles has taken aim at two of his fellow commissioners, Corey Johnson and Alvin Mason.
In a presentation to members of the Republican Party, Bowles criticized Johnson and Mason for using nearly $400 per month in city gasoline. “And there’s absolutely no way they’re traveling that much,” Bowles said.
Bowles also said that former Commissioner Bernard Harper filled up two cars on the day he left office in December of last year.
“It’s — I don’t want to say a welfare mentality, but an entitlement mentality,” Bowles said.
Johnson and Mason have used more gasoline than other commissioners, although they’ve reduced their usage in recent months. Johnson used $375 worth of city gasoline in March, his high point, but only $178 in July. Mason used $357 in January, but only $205 in July.
The gasoline allowance is designed to offset the commissioners’ expenses while handling city business. Bowles, Jerry Brigham and Joe Jackson do not use the city account to purchase gasoline.
Mayor Pro Tem Betty Beard has used an average of about $87 of city gasoline per month. Commissioner Calvin Holland has averaged about $210 per month, Commissioner Jimmy Smith about $130 per month and Commissioner Don Grantham about $80 per month.
Bowles also criticized Sheriff Ron Strength. “We just increased the law enforcement $2,000 per officer, and for some reason we still have a sheriff going around saying they’re cutting my budget,” Bowles said.
Bowles said 55 percent of the budget goes to the law enforcement. “They’ve got 56 positions that haven’t been filled in 10 years, and won’t be filled. Why not cut his budget?”
Still, Bowles hasn’t planned cuts in law enforcement, even though he’s advancing a plan to reduce the city budget by $3 million. He’s proposing cuts in arts, parks and recreation, and public transportation.
“If they want it, they’re going to have to pay for it,” Bowles said.
Bowles spread his criticism to city workers, too.
“If a city employee says they’re underpaid, they need to be underpaid. They’ve probably got the best work schedule in the world,” he said.
Bowles still opposes the pension plan awarded to city employees last year. “My children will be paying for these people to retire,” Bowles said. He says it’s going to cost $60 million, and the bills will begin coming in next year.
While Bowles praised Superintendent Dana Bedden, he was also quite critical of the Richmond County schools.
“I think we’ve got the best private schools in the world,” Bowles said. “I don’t understand why anyone would send their children to a public school.”
To hear Bowles and Commissioner Jerry Brigham, you can download an mp3 file of their talk to the Republican Party.
Bowles Brigham part 1 (budget)
Bowles Brigham part 2 (more budget)
Bowles Brigham part 3 (still more budget)
Bowles Brigham part 4 (city employees, schools)
Bowles Brigham part 5 (gas usage)
Bowles Brigham part 6 (closing)
Republican candidate John Stone says his polls show that he’s in a “statistical dead heat” with Congressman John Barrow.
That’s good news for the challenger. “What we expected was to be 10 points behind,” Stone said. “Now the race in November is ours to lose.”
“Statistical dead heat” probably means that Stone is still 4-5 points behind, and that doesn’t account for any bias that may be intentionally or unintentionally built in.
The big issue for Stone will be gasoline prices, he said. Stone’s poll showed that blaming Barrow for high gas prices by telling people the incumbent opposes drilling [in environmentally sensitive areas — oops, forgot that part], Stone’s approval moves up to 76 percent.
The buses may be running on time, but the clock isn’t. Driving by the Public Transit station this week, the clock looked to be about an hour off. It’s probably another cost-cutting measure.
City Administrator Fred Russell took some heat this week for remarking that the $8,000 lost on fraudulent use of hotel cards as bus passes was a drop in the bucket compared to the financial problems of the transit system. He’s right, of course.
The transit system requires a public subsidy of about $4 million per year. It’s about $850,000 short this year.
Russell quickly went to work to try to stop the losses on hotel cards. Though it really shouldn’t be Russell’s problem. It should be Transit Director Heyward Johnson’s problem.
Russell should have the power to fire Johnson if he doesn’t solve the problem. But in Augusta’s mushy government system, he doesn’t. | |
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