In western Georgia, an important vote easily passed last night that would significantly beef up police and public services.
Columbus voters at 48 polling stations across the city gave the thumbs up for The Local Option Sales Tax – LOST by a 61 percent majority.
City officials estimate that the one-percent tax will generate some $36 million dollars annually.
Police will receive about 70-percent of the funds. They say they plan to use it to add 100 beat officers, raise pay and add precincts.
The remaining 30 percent is slated for roads and related public works projects.
An insurance industry survey in April said car thefts dropped statewide in 2007 -- except in Columbus -- which topped the state in per-capita auto theft.
Read more about that survey here. Columbus Police Department crime statistics are here.
A similar tax proposal was voted down four years ago.
Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley told the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper that Tuesday's victory was largely due to the backing of Mayor Jim Wetherington, who served as chief of police for over a decade.
Click here for more GPB News coverage of events in Columbus and western Georgia.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Police pleased as Columbus gets LOST
Thursday, April 17, 2008
US Army Sec'y attends Columbus event
Fort Benning Commanding General Walter Wojdakowski, Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington, and US Army Secretary Peter Geren at the "Army Community Covenant" signing ceremony in Columbus, April 17, 2008. (Dave Bender)
US Army Secretary, Peter Geren, and officials from Fort Benning, Columbus and Phenix City, Ala., took part in a dedication on Thursday supporting the bond between soldiers' families and the surrounding civilian communities.
An infantry soldier and family members of service personnel took part in the signing the "Army Community Covenant" document.
Some 200 soldiers, families, local and state officials attended the ceremony, which was held at the Columbus RiverCenter complex.
Fort Benning and the surrounding community are the first in a series of such signings at bases and surrounding areas across the country.
Click here for more GPB News coverage of events at Fort Benning, and other military affairs in Georgia.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Columbus: hi-tech company invests $53M
(l-to-r) Mike Gaymon (Chamber of Commerce), Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington,
PCI Director Dr. Yair Raz, Governor Sonny Perdue, Stella Shulman (Chamber of Commerce)
(Photo: Dave Bender)
A company that makes hi-tech parts for airplanes is expanding in Columbus after winning major military and civilian jet blades contracts.
Precision Components International plans to spend 53 million dollars to add another 60,000 sq-ft. to its facility and create 100 more jobs. The company makes finely-machined, jet-engine parts for military and civilian aircraft, among other forged metal products.
Governor Sonny Perdue attended the groundbreaking ceremony, and lauded the firm's abilities:
"They make some of the most precise components to go into some of the most severe use... aerospace, driving these F-15's and our combat aircraft..."
PCI employee sanding metal blade. (Photo: Dave Bender)
PCI is half-owned by an Israeli hi-tech consortium. It counts Pratt and Whitney, General Electric and Samsung among its customers. Both Perdue and Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington called the move a vital part of an ongoing wave of area business investments.