WINNERS Bob Weatherford, left, joins the Cobb Board of Commissioners, Sam Olens of east Cobb is re-elected as state attorney general and Susan Thayer joins the Cobb Board of Education after 1B Tuesday night’s elections. More results ɻ 4A, 5A, 5B M l arietta Daily Journa COBB’S LOCAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1866

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WEATHER: 70 I 58 MOSTLY CLOUDY h 8D GUEST EDITORIAL: EXPECT MORE ‘CITIZEN RESPONSES’ AGAINST 'CITIZEN JIHADISTS'h 6A SPLOST sails through

Special tax renewed for six more years, to collect $750 million By Ricky Leroux [email protected]

MARIETTA — The voters have spoken: Cobb &RXQW\¶VVSHFLDOSHUFHQWVDOHVWD[ZLOOUHPDLQ LQSODFHXQWLOWKHHQGRI :LWKDOO precincts reporting, RU percent, voted to extend the special purpose local 47% option sales tax 53% for another six years, compared WRRU percent, voting against the renewal. The county estimates it ZLOOFROOHFWPLOOLRQLQUHYHQXHIURPWKHWD[ over its six-year life, which it will use to fund a variety of transportation, parks and recreation and public safety projects. “I’m very appreciative of the voters and the people that helped support it,” Cobb Chairman Tim Lee said after the results of the vote became clear. “I’m so grateful and humbled. It seems to me that the folks believe that we’re heading in the right direction.” Justin O’Dell, co-chair of the SPLOST- Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee, right, and Justin O’Dell, co-chairman of Secure Cobb’s Future, standing next to Lee, look advocacy group Secure Cobb’s Future, said at the latest wave of results late Tuesday evening that pushes the SPLOST referendum into the lead. The tax measure passed, SPLOST, 3A giving Cobb six more years of the 1 percent special purpose local option sales tax. / Staff-Kelly J. Huff

U.S. SENATE GOVERNOR GOP keeps seat Deal wins big in with Perdue win re-election bid By Christina A. Cassidy by arguing that Nunn would be By Kathleen Foody down Deal. Writer would be a rubber stamp for and Kate Brumback The incumbent was part of a President Barack Obama. Associated Press Writers Republican takeover of the state’s ATLANTA — Businessman “I think made it loud FRQVWLWXWLRQDORI¿FHVLQ%XW has and clear tonight that we are David Perdue ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal Deal’s relentlessly optimistic take kept Georgia’s open 2% going to stop the won big in a re-election victo- on the state’s economy proved U.S. Senate seat in failed policies of ry Tuesday after a bruising effective, and Carter didn’t make GOP hands, beating President Obama and campaign, defeating the impact he needed by his Democratic Sen. ,” Democrat Jason Car- 2% focusing on the state’s challenger on the 43.5% Perdue said in his ter despite shifting high unemployment rate strength of white victory speech. demographics in the and cuts to education. voters in the reliably 54.5% Earlier Tuesday, he Republican strong- 8QRI¿FLDOWDOOLHV Republican state. said “people who hold of Georgia 43% showed Deal winning Democrats hoped really love America” and the family 54% more than 54 percent Michelle Nunn, the would decide the pedigree of his of the vote Tuesday daughter of a popular election. opponent. with about 96 percent champion of bipartisanship, Perdue won 54.5 percent of the Democrats had of the expected vote former Sen. , would vote to 43.5 percent for Nunn with hoped that Carter, a counted. enable them to pick up a seat in 96 percent of precincts reporting. state senator and grand- His next term will be an otherwise dismal midterm Exit polling showed Nunn won son of former President Jimmy devoted to bettering Georgia, Deal Carter, could build a coalition election. more than half the female vote told supporters gathered Tuesday of voters who typically sit out night at the College Football Hall But Perdue overcame repeat- non-presidential races and take ed attacks on his business record PERDUE, 5A Gov. Nathan Deal DEAL, 4A

148th year, edition 309 Sports: Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason moving on h 1C INSIDE: CLASSIFIEDS 7C COBB & STATE 1B OBITUARIES 3B OPINION 6A SPORTS 1C LIFE & STYLE 1D MIDTERM ELECTIONS ƇMDJƇWednesday, Nov. 5, 2014 Ƈ3A  SPLOST From 1A opposition to the tax has been working to confuse people and the margin of victory would have been larger had it not been for the “misinformation.” Still, O’Dell said Cobb voters were able to make an informed decision about the tax. “I think it shows that Cobb County still has a very informed, very educated Above: Anti-SPLOST activists Tommy Clayton, left, and voter base,” he said. “People Lance Lamberton review early voting results during election make informed decisions, night at the Rose and Crown. / Staff-Katherine Frye and they were able to see it for what it was, not what the 23, Secure Cobb’s Future has no, a difference of 90 votes. other side wanted it to be.” received more than $85,000 However, both the 2005 Lance Lamberton, chair- in contributions, while the and 2011 SPLOST votes man of the Cobb Taxpayers Cobb Taxpayers Association were in specially held Above: Justin O’Dell, the chairman of Secure Cobb’s Future, is congratulated by Cobb Association and one of the has received only $3,193. elections. leading voices against the The Town Center Area O’Dell said critics of County Chairman Tim Lee after the second round of results hit the video screen Tuesday tax, said his organization, Community Improvement the tax have used this fact evening for the 2014 SPLOST vote at The Strand. O’Dell campaigned with his group to which also opposed the 2005 District donated $50,000 against the pro-SPLOST show the positives of passing the measure. / Staff-Kelly J. Huff and 2011 SPLOST referen- for “voter education” on the group in the past. dums, faced an uphill battle SPLOST, while the Cumber- “That’s always been their times people default know on ing the tax in place. icism of the deal to bring in trying to defeat the ballot land CID gave $150,000 for challenge,” he said. “They that. But I believe we have “It keeps taxes low,” he the Atlanta Braves to Cobb measure. education efforts. The CID always said we hold it in an educated electorate and said. “It keeps the cost of County or the pending ethics He said the pro-SPLOST contributions were given to a special election to affect they evaluate and make the doing business in the county complaint against him, inÀu- camp has “saturated” mail- a separate education orga- the outcome and they dared right decision.” low. It signi¿cantly enhances enced voters when they cast boxes with Àiers and phone nization called Cobb Issues us to hold it in a general Lee said the most sig- the quality of life and enables their ballots. lines with robocalls on Elec- Education Forum, Inc. election, then a vote in the ni¿cant challenge faced by us to continue to reinvest in “I really think this is what tion Day, which affected the “What we are always general election passes by a the campaign to renew the our infrastructure to make folks have asked for: a vote decisions of undecided voters. dealing with is the outsized wider margin. It shows that SPLOST was making sure sure that its top notch.” up or down on the issues that “The main reason that it resources of the proponents, the people in Cobb County citizens knew what the tax Lamberton said voters are important to them and won is because of the dispro- and that’s always a huge hur- understand the issue and sup- means to the county. are so used to paying the tax their quality of life,” he said. portionate amount of money dle,” Lamberton said. port it.” “I think the biggest thing they most likely voted to “And I think in the end, they that was available on their The SPLOST measure Lee said the narrow pas- is understanding how import- maintain the status quo. The will make a decision on that side to advocate for their passed by about 11,000 sage of the 2011 SPLOST ant it is to our mix of revenue pro-SPLOST camp argued rather than other issues.” position,” Lamberton said. votes, which is different from renewal was due to the eco- to be able to deliver the level Cobb has a low millage rate O’Dell agreed, saying he “That really is the reason. past years since SPLOST has nomic environment at the of services that we do that are and a low sales tax compared did not understand this line There’s no doubt in my mind a history of small margins of time. so important to the quality of to other metro counties, of reasoning. that if the resources were victory in the county. “At least the last one I life that we enjoy,” he said. Lamberton said, but this is a “I think those people will anywhere closer or more bal- In 2005, 19,947 citizens was involved in, the econo- Lee said he hoped coun- mixed message. be sad to learn that what will anced between what we had voted yes on SPLOST, com- my was having some rough ty voters would look at “If that’s a good thing, happen is all of the projects and what they had, then we pared to 19,833 who voted times, and I think that reÀect- the projects accomplished then why wouldn’t it be and ¿guring out how to pay would have won, perhaps in no, a difference of 114 votes. ed on the tightness of the with the 2005 and 2011 better for (taxes) to be even for them will go right back to a landslide.” And in 2011, the margin was race as well,” he said. “And SPLOSTs and decide to lower?” he said. the commissioners that they According to campaign even smaller: 21,552 citizens it’s a big, complicated issue continue the tax. He also Lee said he doesn’t think just said that they didn’t like disclosure reports ¿led Oct. voted yes and 21,462 voted to get a grasp on, so some- touted the bene¿ts of keep- outside issues, such as crit- or trust,” he said.

AP I CIVIL RIGHTS A Glass of Water (Winnwood Wisdom) Groups question My Favorite Orator election leaders By: John P. Rauls, Columnist As I have expressed in past articles I am a slight after some issues admirer of President Ronald W. Reagan. Whether you agreed with Reagan's policies or not, his Edison-like ATLANTA — State hassles at polling places and national civil rights Tuesday and some were wisdom is undeniable. In the 1980's this Democrat groups say issues some linked to elections staff turned Republican had a strategy for our energy cri- voters faced when they errors. went to the polls Tuesday DeKalb County Elec- sis, and a foreign affairs policy of "peace through reinforced their skep- tions Director Maxine strength" that would ultimately defeat the Soviet ticism toward Georgia Daniels told WSB-TV elections officials and some voters at a polling Empire. I have a small piece of that torn down Berlin voter registration efforts. place had to use paper wall in a shadow box behind my desk at Winnwood. Diamond Walton, an ballots because machines 18-year-old college stu- were incorrectly pro- It's an ever present reminder of the dangers of man's dent in Columbus, said grammed and featured walls.Reagan knew that governments that built walls she called the Lawyers names for the wrong Committee for Civil candidates. would lead to its people having limited to no voice. Rights and the New Georgia Project after being told to cast a pro- Through my own avid studying of world history plus visional ballot because adding Reagan's knowledge of our country's forefa- she wasn’t on a list of Layaway A rapping eligible voters. Walton      thers, I have developed a real appreciation for the said she presented her fundamentals of our former President. I believe one registration confirmation and officials found her of Reagan's most applaud-able beliefs was his crystal name on an alternate reg- clear ideology encouraging limited national govern- istration list. “It was pretty over- ment, while at the same time demanding that politi- whelming and a little cians work for the people, not the people working for discouraging because I thought my vote wouldn’t a bigger government. Is this the case now? even matter,” Walton said late Tuesday afternoon. Several groups have I remember watching countless hours of Reagan accused Georgia elec- speaking on C-Span with my grandfather and father. tions officials of not processing applications Grand dad would say,"Now that's a good man!" When quickly enough. A state referring to President Reagan. As a young man I was judge in late October declined to act in the dis- fascinated with Reagan's ability to reach people pute, saying the groups through his deep convictions, laser-like word choice didn’t prove elections officials weren’t doing and powerful inter-constitution anchoring his per- their jobs. Georgia Secre- sonal belief system. He was quick witted, stern yet tary of State Brian Kemp has said forms from displayed a grand sense of humor and confidence! every eligible voter were One of his most memorable statements was while processed. Leaders of the New lying on the operating table after an assassination Georgia Project said Wal- attempt on his life. {Reagan looked up at all the doc- ton was one of more than 50,000 voters who didn’t tors and nurses and jokingly said, "I sure hope all of show up on official voter you are Republicans." They said, "We are today Mr. lists by late October. The group’s leader, Democrat- President; we are today!"} By all accounts history ic Rep. Stacey Abrams shows the Secret Service and the medical team at the of Atlanta, said Wal- ton initially registered hospital saved Reagan, but I will unequivocally say in Fayette County and that his bride, wife and soul mate Nancy ultimately filed a form to change her address so she could saved the man and made him the one we would hail vote in Muscogee County as President.Today, Nancy Reagan is 93 and still shar- where she attends college. “A registered voter ing anecdotes and wisdom that inspires generations. changing her address required a team of nation- God Bless Nancy! Thank You for sharing your hus- al lawyers to be able to band Ronnie with us! vote,” Abrams said. “That should not be happening in the 21st century in John. Georgia.” Voters in other areas [email protected] of the state also faced