An open letter to UGA students

*The following was written by James Garland, candidate

in the non-partisan election for Athens-Clarke County Commission, District 1*

An Open Letter to University of Georgia Students

The Athens-Clarke County Commission routinely imposes various ordinances and bans on the University’s students. Though such attention may be warranted on rare occasions, I feel that local government needlessly targets Athens’ student population as a matter of course. Though any number of examples could be cited, this negative focus is evidenced primarily by the rental registration debacle of three years ago and the current moratorium on the off-campus construction of fraternity and sorority houses.

Such actions by the Commission throw into sharp relief the divergent attitudes of local government toward its student population: we desperately need you to support our economy and enrich our culture, but we don’t want you living in our neighborhoods. That is why I am calling for the creation of a “student-centered” commission district as part of my campaign platform for the district 1 seat on the Athens-Clarke County Commission. As they are the frequent objects of its ordinances, I feel that the University’s students deserve a louder voice in local government.

The voting power of students can easily be concentrated more so than is currently the case. The University’s dormitories, fraternities, and sororities are presently split among commission districts 3, 4, and 7. Although grouping them into a single district would not affect many of the students living off campus, such a grouping would serve to better concentrate students’ voting power. Granted, any such redrawing of district lines probably will not occur until after the 2010 census. Nonetheless, I think the idea should be considered and debated well before then.

For those students who have not already done so, I encourage you to transfer your voter registrations to Clarke County. The staff at the county’s Board of Elections, located downtown at 155 East Washington Street, will gladly assist you. The telephone number there is 613-3150. Once you have registered to vote here, keep a close eye on your commissioners. Rest assured that they are keeping their eyes on you.