Interesting study from California whose results probably also apply
to Georgia, showing that Wal-Mart pays about a third less than other
retail companies, so little that Wal-Mart employees tend to use
food stamps and public medical assistance and housing to stay afloat,
which thus “creates a hidden cost to the state’s taxpayers.”
This widely publicized report finds Wal-Mart’s wage and health benefits
packages for its California workers to be below average as compared
to the overall retail sector in California. The authors also find a
greater reliance upon public assistance programs among Wal-Mart workers
as compared to other California retail workers. Finally, the authors
estimate the additional costs to taxpayers of “Wal-Martization”—the
adoption of Wal-Mart’s wage and health benefits standards by retailers
throughout California.
Here’s yet another reason the 1% owning and controling everything is
bad for everyone.
Guess which country is the most unequal in income of big countries?
That’s right, the one with by far the most prisoners: the U.S.A.
Prisoners are shown on a log scale, so that’s not just a little bit higher,
it’s about three times higher than Canada or UK.
Why is the USA so high?
It’s not more crime, of the violent homicide and robbery variety.
It’s harsher sentencing, especially for drug-related crimes.
That’s one of many points Richard Wilkinson makes in this
TED Talk from July 2011,
in which he uses hard data to tie income inequality not only to imprisonment,
also to child conflict, drug abuse, infant mortality,
life expectancy, mental illness, obesity, high school dropouts,
teenage births, and social mobility.
The most socially mobile country? Denmark.
The least?
The USA.
Oh yes: we don’t need a private prison in Lowndes County, Georgia
to make a few CCA executives and shareholders richer at the expense
of the rest of us.
Spend those tax dollars on rehabilitation and education instead.
Without discussion, the Lowndes County Commissioners at their regular
meeting two weeks ago on 11 October 2011. approved an intergovernmental
agreement with South Georgia Medical Center to guarantee more than $100
million in bonds, for expansion of SGMC facilities, to include 96 new
private rooms in the Dasher Heart Center, the 5 story parking deck,
now under construction and due to be completed in early 2012, and Life
Safety and Generator Equipment updates.
If one had not been at the work session and heard
the presentation at their work session the day before,
one would have no idea what this agenda item was about,
since the Commission does not post such presentations anywhere the public
can see them.
Fortunately, LAKE was there and videoed it.
Lowndes County Commissioners approve intergovernmental agreement with SGMC
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 11 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Commissioners asked some perceptive questions
two weeks ago at their work session,
as well they should, when South Georgia Medical Center
was asking the county to guarantee a hundred million dollars in bonds.
Some questions may remain.
Representatives from SGMC gave a two part presentation
about expansion of SGMC facilities, to include 96 new
private rooms in the Dasher Heart Center, the 5 story
parking deck, now under construction and due to be completed
in early 2012, and Life Safety and Generator Equipment updates.
Additionally, they spoke briefly on the acquisition of Smith Northview
Hospital on September 1, 2011. Smith Northview operates
as a campus of SGMC and all Smith Northview employees are now
SGMC employees.
The second part of the presentation was about the financial
Continue reading →
Last Monday there was a hearing about
hazard mitigation plan updates
which I, uh, showed up late for.
Ten minutes late, which, given that nobody else showed up at all, meant
that the county staff went home, so as to avoid wasting taxpayer dollars
presenting to an empty room.
That was the second and last public hearing
So if you want to see that presentation, your last chance is
Monday morning at the County Commission Work Session:
4. Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Presentation (work session only)
That is not a public hearing, so you can’t speak.
They did hold two public hearings at which you could have spoken.
Other items include a beer and wine license (these are often controversial),
an employee health care plan renewal (I think that’s what Section 125 is),
and a telephone company site lease agreement.
Plus:
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
We, the local citizens occupying Valdosta, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; to nonviolently occupy
public space;
to create an open process to address the problems we face, and to generate
solutions accessible to everyone.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
The previous member of the
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board retired from the board after a term that expired in July.
Previously they appointed Mrs. Henderson, I think at the meeting
a month ago,
but for some reason she could not serve.
Another person is applying.
She has not yet supplied a resume; they hope to see that by tomorrow.
Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Monday morning the County Commission considers and Tuesday evening
it decides three rezonings and an appointment, plus a
Prison Detail Contract.
The appointment is to the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board,
and was previously considered
a month ago.
According to DBHDD:
The Region Four Planning Board represents 24 counties in the region. Members are appointed by their county commissioners; they are business and civic leaders with a strong interest in mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases as well as consumers or family members of consumers.
The role of the Regional Planning Board is to give a voice to consumers and their families and other citizens in the region in assessing needs and recommending priorities for DBHDD services. The planning board makes recommendations about services and works with the regional office to develop an annual plan. Regional planning board members stay informed about local needs and issues and serve as advocates with public officials. The main objective of the board is to identify community needs and gaps in the current DBHDD service system and to make recommendations based on their findings.
The Annex protects the public by maintaining custody of medium and minimum
security offenders while providing outside work details to the community.
…
VSP and Annex Inside details: Orderlies, Grounds Maintenance, Laundry,
Trash, and Maintenance. The Annex provides the following outside details:
Correctional Industries, Department of Transportation, Georgia State
Patrol, City of Valdosta (3 details), Lowndes County (2 details), Cook
County, Valdosta State Prison (2 details), Department of Transportation
(Weigh Station), Valdosta Police Department, Mobile Construction and
Maintenance (Outside Institution).
I don’t quite understand how prisoners are being paid pennies for
doing jobs that a lot of local unemployed people might want.
packages for its California workers to be below average as compared to the overall retail sector in California. The authors also find a greater reliance upon public assistance programs among Wal-Mart workers as compared to other California retail workers. Finally, the authors estimate the additional costs to taxpayers of “Wal-Martization”—the adoption of Wal-Mart’s wage and health benefits standards by retailers throughout California.
