Submitted Letters to the Editor

Tybee Island Needs to Adapt to Changing Times

Monday, 27 July 2009 14:09 |

Dear Editor:

Hello Tybee Residents...and caring Friends of Tybee. In growing up on this quaint island, I've observed that through the years we enjoyed the old Tybee spirit of “live and let live.” This island has thrived for many years on this premise. Neighbors have always helped neighbors. We take care of our own!

Family businesses have been the heart of this island since my family came to Tybee in 1948. The first family-owned businesses that I remember as a child are Chu’s Department Store and the Tybee Market. The owners of these businesses have been extremely generous to this community for so many years, not only with financial assistance, but so many good deeds for which they have never expected praise. Remember the many fund raisers for every non-profit, and those individuals having health problems? It is those businesses that continue to contribute.

Mr. Hosti (Sr.) kept the Market open thru the winter for the few families who lived here full time. The shelves were a little bare, and we may have had a few weevils, but he was there every day for this community.

When the store burned it was a huge loss physically, emotionally and financially for all of us. Michael rebuilt the store making it bigger and better for Tybee. Then in keeping up with the demand from more year-round residents, Michael continued to adapt to the needs of the community as it was growing, including things like Natural products, soy milk, Weight Watchers product line and bagged salads requested by his customers.

We are a community of permanent and part time residents, as well as our tourists that support this market.

Tybee’s growth over the past 20 years has allowed many businesses to develop, and they provide jobs and services to the total population year around. Yes, times have changed... time to adapt!

But we should be appalled that now we have neighbors that are fighting a perfectly logical expansion of this business. The additional parking spaces needed at the Tybee Market will not add more visitors, they will actually simplify the congestion, reduce accidents in the neighborhood and actually have less people driving around the block five times waiting for a parking place!

The plan presented absolutely allows for attractive screening of the parking area for the neighborhood. It is even more obvious that many of those neighbors bought their homes knowing there was an established business as their neighbor.
It’s time to get back to “LIVE AND LET LIVE”.

Bonnie Gaster
Tybee Resident

March 13, 2009: Businesses In Search Of Tax Relief

Friday, 13 March 2009 10:42 |

Submitted Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

The time is ripe for commercial tax relief in Savannah.

In a world where stimulus packages and more spending are the "only way" to solve an economic crisis (according to self-serving politicians), individual business owners and organizations need to circle the wagons and prepare for the worst if they aren't ready to fight.

The trickle-down effect upon the local economy has been the complete destruction of the building industry and a downturn of property values in the neighborhood of 6 to 17 percent in some locations.

Russ Abolt, the county manager, and the Board of Assessors are apparently viewing this situation through some form of "Wonkavision," as if an economic crisis does not exist. Unfortunately, it does.

The only way to solve this disaster is to provide tax incentives that encourage growth. This would be the time for county commissioners to ask for tax relief in the form of a Stephens-Day type bill for commercial property. Now would be the time to encourage small-business growth by forfeiting business permit fees for retail businesses in exchange for increased sales tax revenue. Additionally, it would be prudent to downsize local government through attrition and innovation.

Alas, this is not possible due to a lack of local leadership. In a desire to get along through "group think," there is little room for an action plan among the current crop of county commissioners. The BOA is possibly feeling the political pinch from commissioners to deliver the numbers seen from the glory days of the past, and many wonder how we can trust the digest that will be delivered this year unless it truly reflects what is happening in the market.

This places the responsibility to do the right thing upon business to enact change. Businesses must file their own returns to the BOA to state true values. Businesses must demand elected officials support a commercial property tax freeze. Businesses must demand a performance review of property values from the governor to insure the integrity of the local appraisal process. It was broke before, and it could be broke again. The current chief appraiser of the BOA worked directly under Gary Udinsky.

Cleaning the house always makes the dullest politicians and the most tired bureaucrats sit up and take notice that the winds of change may sweep them from their office before they know it. That's one stimulus package they'll never forget.

Jeff Rayno
Constitution Party of Chatham County
(former Chatham County Commissioner)

Rate Hike Not the Answer

Tuesday, 17 February 2009 16:47 |

Submitted Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

The state General Assembly is considering the "Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act" (S.B. 31) that would let Georgia Power raise our rates to build two new reactors at Plant Vogtle on the Savannah River. Senators Lester Jackson and Eric Johnson and Chatham County's House delegation should stand as one and lead the fight to send this bill straight to the legislative Scrap heap. We need to tell them to make like Uma Thurman and kill this bill.

The plans of the bill's sponsors are most disturbing and insidious. Why should we be forced to help fund Rube Goldberg-esque technology that gulps too much water, leaves behind long-lasting contaminants as waste, increases the risk of terrorism and does not alleviate global warming? The legislature might as well pass a rate hike with all the money going to Bernard Madoff.

If Georgia Power and similar companies insist more nuclear power is the only answer then there's only one appropriate financing plan: a bake sale. When the utilities have to hold one to buy a nuclear reactor and our schools get all the money they need, it will truly be a great day.

Jody Lanier
Savannah, GA

Planning Commission Members Saluted

Tuesday, 17 February 2009 16:44 |

Submitted Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Congratulations and welcome to Tybee, Ms. Phelps. Also thanks to Lynn Hamilton for a job well done these past years.

I'm writing to recognize and commend four hard-working, devoted Tybee volunteers who have freely given of their time and talents to serve as members of the Tybee Island Planning Commission for the past two years. They are John Major, Demery Bishop, Libby Bacon and David Postle. All four of them will complete their City Council appointed terms on January 31, 2009.

These Tybee citizens have actively participated in many important planning and zoning issues and petitions which have come before the Commission during their service. They have invested their volunteer time in visiting building sites, studying applicable and pertinent land use codes, attending zoning and planning university-level workshops/seminars and rendering their judgments and opinions in an advisory capacity to the City Council. Furthermore, they have volunteered addition time to benefit our citizens through their service on the Tybee Master Plan Committee, the Shoreline Protection Ordinance Committee, the Ethics Committee, just to name a few.

In a recent email to these folks, our Mayor, Jason Buelterman, said, "I have heard from so many people how well petitioners are handled, how difficult issues are dealt with in a thoughtful and reasonable manner and how the Commission as a whole seems to function so effectively…………..We cannot begin to place a price tag on the hours of excellent work you have done on behalf of our little island."

It has been my pleasure to serve with these four citizens as we have strived to advise our City Council on these important island development matters. I am very proud of the sound advice and well-thought-out opinions crafted by these Commissioners and would be proud to serve with any of them in future endeavors on behalf of our island.

If you these folks around the island, please take a minute to thank them for a job well done.

Sincerely,

Chuck Powell
Chairman (my term also expires 1/31/09)
Tybee Island Planning Commission

Would-be Business Owner Seeks Government Help

Monday, 16 February 2009 15:02 |

Submitted Letters to the Editor

To the Editor
Question for Senator Eric Johnson: I am looking at starting up a business. Since I’ve spent 40-plus years in the military and recently retired, I had little chance to build up my cash. I’d like to know if I (and the rest of the little people in this community) can obtain a loan like you and the Georgia General Assembly are currently voting to approve for Georgia Power?
If y’all can give approval, I can use it to pay the interest to my bank, though it will take a few years to get my business even going. It will also save me a bunch of taxes over the next few years. When my company gets going, I can add those costs to the products I envision selling.
Another plus is I can pay back any person or entity whom I can convince to loan me start-up money, even before we start turning out product. And in addition, I can bypass all the state and federal financial regulations that will require me to hire legal help, since I’m not a lawyer.
I, and the current small-business community and future entrepreneurs, will really appreciate your and your colleagues’ help on this.

Sincerely,

John J. Eddington
Tybee resident, Georgia voter
and retired military veteran

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