Organize the South

There chutzpah and then there's politician chutzpah. Rep. Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons) has gone beyond even politician chutzpah in his blathering support of Rep. Glenn Richardson's stupid idea to raise taxes (called the GREAT tax).

Keen is a ardent supporter of tax reform. Of course, when elected officials (especially ones who live in areas more than 90% white and with household incomes 25% than the rest of Georgia) talk about tax reform it's best to grab one's wallet and load the shotgun. Keen wants to eliminate the state personal income tax. Since the income tax is one of the fairest taxes available, ending it effectively shifts payment burden to lower income people. (You can learn more about taxes at www.nontrivialpursuits.org, but I recommend the printer friendly version since they don't know much about web design.) In short, Keen wants to make sure he and his rich neighbors hand their tax bill over to us. No thank you, Mr. Keen.

None of this, however, is an example of chutzpah. It's just an example of conservative politics. Keen's chutzpay is on display in an article on the 11alive website. Towards the end of the article Keen begins talking about why the idea should be on the ballot. He says:

"there is no more local control than having the local taxpayers and citizens be able to weigh in. And whether you agree or disagree with the plan, I cannot imagine an elected official at any level who would stand up and say, 'I don't want the citizens of my city and county to have the ability to vote and choose.'"

Why chutzpah? Because I remember 2005 when the same Rep. Keen told the people of Georgia to go jump in a lake. The issue then was the living wage bill and HB 59 which made it illegal for local governments to give contractual preferences to companies that pay living wages (i.e. not increase poverty). Rep. Keen voted for the bill. He apparently believed it better for the legislature to decide how local government should run and that local taxpayers and citizens should NOT to weigh in. Who else would know better about how Atlanta contracts should be given out then someone living in St. Simons?

Right now the only question is whether Keen is a liar or hypocrite. Rep. Keen please repeat this sentence: I don't want the citizens of my city and county to have the ability to vote and choose.

Atlanta Jobs with Justice has sent out a call for support for workers at Agnes Scott College. Friday, October 26 at 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM on the corner of E. College Ave. and S. McDonough. I'm reprinting the original call below. You can find some more information on the Agnes Scott Living Wage Blog, but it looks like it's a out of date.

Atlanta JwJ/Atlanta Transit Riders Union has been working with and supporting the Agnes Scott College worker/student Living Wage campaign for some time, because we understand that creating justice on this campus is morally correct, and it helps create conditions for justice elsewhere. And now, workers and students are asking for our support this Friday. They want to demonstrate to the ASC Board of Trustees that students, workers, and community favor human rights, over privilege and oppression.

The ASC Board of Trustees has been making empty promises to respect the dignity and the human rights of ASC workers by providing Living Wages & Decision Making Power. But thus far, they've done very little to live up to those promises. We know all too well about Atlanta's history of empty promises; they made promises at MARTA; they're making promises at Grady; Barney Simms and Renee Glover are making promises in Housing. None have ever or will ever be kept without our voices!

The Agnes Scott Living Wage Campaign is having a Rally on Friday, October 26th at 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM on the corner of E. College Ave. and S. McDonough. Please invite your friends to this event