Redefining dumb: Fulton lawmaker offers banking suggestions to school board
Every now and then, the word “dumb” needs to be updated. Today, we must add a photograph of state Rep. Joe Heckstall, D-East Point, next to the dictionary entry.
Let us suppose that Republicans have put Fulton County on notice. Through House and Senate maps passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature last week, let’s just pretend that the GOP plans to take control of Fulton County’s local legislation. Maybe even state laws that determine what the school board is, and does.
What is the worst response to such a provocative play? Why, you write – on General Assembly stationery – a semi-threatening Aug. 24 letter to Catherine Maddox, a Fulton County school board member, after meeting Robert Avossa, the new school superintendent:
The issues and concerns I have voiced continuously, have yet to be properly addressed.
Superintendent Avossa mentioned two key words and phrases in his remarks. The phrases were the diversity of our school system and the economic impact that Fulton County Schools have on our region.
I feel confident that Mr. Avossa will:
1. Deposit money in banks in Fulton County owned by African Americans.
2. Closely monitor to ensure that vending and contracts reflect the presence of African-Americans in the process.
Millions of dollars have been spent. Please advise me on the amount of money that has been spent with African American vendors and contractors in the past three years.
And then you confess that you indeed own stock in one of the two banks you insist need the school board’s deposits. Lori Geary at Channel 2 Action News broke the story Wednesday evening:
Click here for a copy of a letter from state Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, to Avossa, strongly suggesting that Heckstall’s letter be ignored.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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61 comments Add your comment
Capitol Hack
September 1st, 2011
10:05 am
I’m thinking a name change from “Tea Party” to “Kool-Aid Party” is in order. Chuck Shiflett in Cartersville raises some good points. Do Tea Partiers have any ideas other than “no new taxes not never ever”? Georgia drags the bottom of nearly every ranking for quality of life, health, education, etc etc, AND we have one of the LOWEST tax burdens of any state. See any correlation there? How much more damage do you people want to do to yourselves to avoid giving up a dollar? I’ve asked Tea Partiers how much they think is “fair” to pay for taxes, and they have no idea. All they know is they pay “too much” and government is “too big”. It’s time for common sense voters to take back the debate from the Kool-Aid drinkers.
Classic chicken and egg dilemma: poor education breeds poor public policy, breeds poor education…
DW
September 1st, 2011
10:16 am
Sounds like someone needs to run against Rep. Heckstall, not John Lewis.
Raquel Morris
September 1st, 2011
11:38 am
Rep. Heckstall is so concerned with where Fulton County Schools does its banking, but he has never said a word about the public school crisis in our state. Unfortunately, not only will Heckstall get reelected with 105% of the vote, he won’t even have an opponent.
Redefining dumb: Fulton lawmaker offers banking suggestions to school board – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Live Newsline
September 1st, 2011
11:51 am
[...] Redefining dumb: Fulton lawmaker offers banking suggestions to school boardAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Every now and then, the word “dumb” needs to be updated. Today, we must add a photograph of state Rep. Joe Heckstall, D-East Point, next to the dictionary entry. Let us suppose that Republicans have put Fulton County on notice. Through House and Senate …and more » [...]
Atlantan
September 1st, 2011
1:40 pm
Now that is the Atlanta Way…. The only problem he got caught.
Smoke
September 1st, 2011
6:20 pm
More than 65-Georgia Banks in Dixiecrat communities have failed, costing the public hundreds of billions of dollars. Not that there are that many, but how many African America banks have failed?
Smoke
September 1st, 2011
6:26 pm
I don’t understand why Heckstall even wrote the letter because Fulton County, just like most governments have “minority and small business” utilization clauses in their contracts. Also, banking services are bidded out just like any other service. On the other hand, we know how sensitive Dixiecrats are about minorities and women benefiting from the reversal of biased opportunities.
Smoke
September 1st, 2011
6:29 pm
Ms. Morris. Please understand…Heckstall and Democrats have not had absolutely no legislative voice about the condition of any major issue in Georgia. If you have a problem, please take your concern down the hall to a Dixiecrat who has the power.
pay me
September 1st, 2011
10:21 pm
the corrupt town of atlanta, fulton and dekalb is run by racist blacks on the take for payoffs. It’s their form of reparations—they angry at the white man and want their money!
The Limits of Sympathy
September 2nd, 2011
12:13 am
[...] demand that Fulton County Schools deposit money in African American owned banks in Fulton County. Jim Galloway posted the video and the written evidence in his blog. And while Rep. Heckstall’s shakedown [...]
Raquel Morris
September 2nd, 2011
3:38 pm
@Smoke,
I was born at night, not last night. Joe Heckstall has spent the majority of his legislative career in the political majority and did absolutely nothing of consequence for his constituents.