Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

Rep. Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs, in the AJC Feb. 13: “I think we just need to have some better oversight from the county government on the person serving as tax commissioner.”

From a Feb. 24 AJC story about lien sales:
James Honkisz, chairman and president of the Fulton County Taxpayers Association: “It hurts every single Fulton County taxpayer, this kind of arrangement. There are certainly enough question marks your investigation has uncovered that deserve answers not only to the AJC, but the Fulton County taxpayers.”

State Rep. Lynne Riley, R-Johns Creek, on early sales of liens before penalties apply: “This is unacceptable in many ways.”
“You can understand, now, why we’ve been concerned about many of the practices taking place in that office.”

Frank S. Alexander, an Emory University law professor specializing in Georgia real estate finance and foreclosure law: “I am puzzled by the timing and pricing of this because if you’re going to sell the …

Continue reading On the record »

Moderated by Rick Badie

Atlanta wants to rid its streets of prostitution with a SOAP (Stay Out of Area — Prostitution) ordinance. The proposed measure would ban convicted prostitutes, johns and pimps from pre-defined areas of prostitution. This banishment law would also make it illegal for convicted prostitutes and johns to be in sections of the city known for such activity during their probation. Today, I interview a SOAP supporter, while a guest writer suggests a “wraparound” approach to the issue.

Banishment aptly fights prostitution

By Rick Badie

As president of the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance, Peggy Denby has been at the forefront of the city’s crackdown on street prostitution. Here, she answers questions about the issue and her hopes for an ordinance that curbs the problem.

Q: When did this issue become simply intolerable?

A: The Midtown Ponce Security Alliance (MPSA) was formed some 11 years ago to deal with criminal behavior, including prostitution. The …

Continue reading SOAP »

The pairing of justice with common sense and compassion is a sound practice — one that should help keep Georgians safer from crime while also effectively managing taxpayers’ bills for this critical function of government.
In recent years, though, smart handling of criminals has been hindered by the understandable desire to throw the book of long sentences at many of them.
On the surface, that was a logical response to felons who were seemingly competing to achieve horrific new highs in gun crimes, drug-running and the like.
In the cool reflection of the passing years, criminal justice professionals, many law enforcement officials and lawmakers have come to realize that long, one-size-fits-all prison sentences did get criminals off the street, but at great and increasing expense.
Georgia’s tab for its adult and juvenile corrections system currently runs about $1.4 billion a year.
Gov. Nathan Deal, joined by many judges and legislators have been asserting for more than a …

Continue reading Making justice smarter and more efficient »

By Nathan Deal

During the 1980s and ’90s, Georgia adopted laws that put more offenders behind bars for longer periods of time. The “get-tough” movement was built on the best intentions and it succeeded in removing many dangerous criminals from our streets.
We now spend $1.1 billion a year of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars on our adult corrections system and another $300 million on our juvenile system. For me, every penny of that would be worth it if we knew it was being used most efficiently and effectively to keep our communities safe.
But it is not.
Public safety is our first priority. In Georgia, if you are responsible for a serious, violent crime, we will put you away. But research has identified new strategies like drug courts that are more effective and much less expensive than prison for many nonviolent offenders.
Last legislative session, the General Assembly enacted a sweeping set of reforms in our criminal justice system. These reforms are already starting …

Continue reading One-size-fits-all doesn’t always serve justice »

Paul Howard, Fulton County district attorney, in the AJC, Feb. 17: “What is the effect of the mandatory minimums? In Atlanta, since 1994 when the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ took effect, the violent crime rate has dropped 62 percent. The sentences handed down in our criminal justice system should be fair and just, and each defendant must receive equal treatment. So every time I hear of the judges talking about wanting more discretion, I am reminded of sentencing disparities. Black defendants are at least 30 percent more likely to be in prison for the same crime. Whenever the judges are allowed to sentence at their discretion, the disparity increases. That’s why I believe it’s important that everyone who commits a similar crime should receive a similar sentence. There is racial disparity. One of the best ways to avoid it is to make the sentences the same. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but it does provide a measure of protection because it provides a system of …

Continue reading On the Record on criminal justice reform »

Moderated by Rick Badie

A Georgia state senator has proposed a tort reform measure that would eliminate the medical malpractice legal process and replace it with something called a Patients’ Compensation System. Today, an advocate for that new system explains how it would benefit patients, doctors and hospitals, while the president of the state trial lawyers group says it usurps the judicial process.

Adopt a new system for medical justice

By Wayne Oliver

Beverly Hodges Bachman is among the hundreds of victims in this country who have been told that, although they lost a loved one to medical malpractice, nothing can be done about it.

Beverly lost her mother, Bobby Hodges, a healthy 75-year-old woman, to a blood clot. It was bad enough medical professionals didn’t listen to her pleas to make sure her mother’s swollen knee wasn’t clotting after an auto accident.

The real blow, however, came when two trial lawyers told her that her mother’s life had no value, and they …

Continue reading Patients’ rights and medical justice »

 Former state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond brings a great wealth of experience as a manager and attorney to his new role of interim superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. However, he doesn’t bring a background in education.
He’s already getting good advice on how to shore up that deficit. At his first public appearance last week, one resident told Thurmond, “Student achievement must be the focus.”
School board member Nancy Jester offered, “Things don’t teach children. Programs don’t teach children… . Nothing can replace the gentle hand of a teacher reading and rereading a passage in a book and encouraging a child to think beyond herself, beyond today and imagine the possibilities of a full future.”
To overhaul DeKalb, the state’s third-largest district and, of late, one of its most troubled, Thurmond ought to heed another piece of advice: Don’t confuse the DeKalb County school system with the DeKalb County Board of Education. Don’t …

Continue reading Refocus all of DeKalb schools’ assets toward student achievement »

By Michael Thurmond

The citizens of DeKalb County have placed great trust in me. They are looking for solutions, and I am determined to meet the challenges that face us. Those challenges are great, but our opportunities are greater.
Many have asked if one person can make a difference. This isn’t a job one person can accomplish alone. We must come together as a community and commit our energies and resources to restoring full accreditation for the DeKalb County School District. This must be our prime objective.
Our students have worked hard to win acceptance to some of the nation’s finest colleges and universities. They have qualified for admission to top-flight technical colleges and military academies. Others are graduating directly into the world of work. No “adult made” obstacles should stand in their way — especially when the threat of losing accreditation has nothing to do with their hard work and academic achievement.
All of us, in north DeKalb and south, …

Continue reading Determined to meet challenges ahead »

By David Schutten

Michael Thurmond is a proven and accomplished leader who has undertaken a daunting, difficult and perilous job as interim superintendent of DeKalb County School System, a system that appears to be in a tailspin.
Much like the passengers on US Air Flight 1549 crashing into the Hudson River, I feel as if I am on DeKalb Air Flight 2013 crashing into the granite face of Stone Mountain. In the midst of the tailspin we have switched pilots.
Thurmond faces many daunting tasks. The first is leading the school board and the school system off of probation. To accomplish this, he must have the full cooperation of the nine board members. I heard each of them testify before the state Board of Education that they would and could work together to move the system off of probation. However, three weeks later, they were unable to muster a simple majority to elect a chair.
Employee morale is at an all-time low. We are hemorrhaging good teachers and administrators to other …

Continue reading DeKalb schools face complex path ahead »

Moderated by Rick Badie

Three white commission districts. Three black. That’s what a redistricting proposal, proffered by a legislative delegation, effectively would create for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Today, a supporter of the proposal says it ensures equal representation for north Fulton. But the two commissioners who would wind up in the same district deem the reshuffling an abuse of political power. Read all three essays, then post your comments.

Politics and power have been abused

By William “Bill” Edwards

Power and politics go together like hand and glove. While responsible leaders balance power with justice, fairness and ethics, others use politics and power like blunt weapons to strike out at their opponents.

In Fulton County, a political power shift occurred in our General Assembly delegation. Last November, 64 percent of Fulton County residents voted for a Democratic president. Voters have also supported Democrats for countywide races in recent …

Continue reading Reshuffling the Fulton County Board of Commissioners »