On Tuesday State Bill 343, which provides the most significant relief from school taxes to Decatur citizens 65 and older, was pulled by Rep. Beth Beskin, R-Atlanta.
The next 24 hours saw scathing responses flying back and forth beginning with Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver D-Decatur, who called Beskin’s efforts “pure partisan politics.”
But no one is more upset than former Decatur Mayor Elizabeth Wilson whose loyalty lies with the group informally known around town as “Mrs. Wilson’s Posse.”
“Since 2001,” said Wilson, 85, “I’ve been part of a group of [longtime] home owners [on fixed incomes] where we help pay each other’s taxes. We’ve raised money by doing things like yard sales.”
Speaking of Beskin Tuesday night Wilson said, “I don’t understand how one person can be so disruptive or insensitive. We don’t need this stress in our life, to not know whether or not we can stay in our homes for another year.”
Current Mayor Patti Garrett said she believes SB 343 will still come up for a vote. But Decatur is running out of time with only seven legislative sessions remaining counting today.
About the Author
