The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 157

5 GWINNETT EXTRA, JULY 19, 1984 LECTION '84 Wall opposes Millsaps in attempt to regain House -L i By Ellen Wulfhorst First-term state Rep. Rex Millsaps (D-61st) has been challenged for his seat in the Georgia House of Representatives by former Rep. Vinson Wall, who gave up the position in 1982 to run unsuccessfully for the state Senate. The two candidates Millsaps, 33, an and Wall, 36, a member service manager with the Georgia Freight Bureau emphasize their interest in improving education. Both said they would support a 10 percent pay increase next year for teachers; oppose a statewide sales tax for tion and support a bill to eliminate Gwinnett school taxes for property owners 62 and older, which Millsaps estimated would cost taxpayers an additional $15 to $20 annually.

"We may not be able to see the difference but senior citizens can," he said. The candidates disagreed on a proposal to reduce the fee which the county government charges the school system for collecting taxes. A bill was introduced last year by Rep. Tom White (R-Lilburn) to reduce the fee from 2.5 to 1.5 percent of the property taxes collected, a difference of approximately' $800,000 for the county school -cr Millsaps said he opposed lowering the fee. "Every time they open a new school, the county, provides site work and equipment," he said.

"Dollar for dollar, the school board is probably coming out ahead." His opponent disagreed. "I think you'll see a move to reduce (the percentage fee) Millsaps denied that the insurance bill was an additional tax, noting that it provided more tax revenue. "He calls it a tax increase when it's a decrease," Millsaps said. The two also disagreed on the voting rules of the nine-member Gwinnett delegation. Under the rule, four House members from Hall and Barrow counties, who have relatively few Gwinnett voters in their districts, have an equal say with House members from Gwinnett on local legislation.

Wall said he supports limiting the vote of those delegates outside Gwinnett. support a rule change that will give representatives elected entirely within the county the entire control of legislation," he said. "The ones from outside ought to get one-half vote apiece." Millsaps said he supports the voting policy as it now stands. "I don't think' it's fair to the constituents to give those people a partial vote," he said. Al Both candidates said they support building new prisons and raising the drinking age to 21 in order not to lose federal highway funds.

The U.S. Congress recently passed legislation reducing the amount of federal highway funds available to states where the legal drinking age is under 21. Neither candidate supports MARTA for Gwinnett County. Millsaps is married, has four children and lives in Lawr-enceville. -Wall, who served in the House from 1973 to 1982 in the District 61 seat, is divorced the father of one son and also lives in Lawrencville.

Vinson Wall Rax Millsaps next session," Wall said. "In fairness to the school board, I think I should support it." Both men listed limiting taxes as a priority. Challenger Wall accused Millsaps of voting for a tax increase by supporting a bill in 1983 allowing counties to levy a 2.5 percent tax on insurance Wall said the bill was, in effect, an additional tax because Insurance companies would pass the cost on to the Peevy, Gregory vie for Senate Voters will get a choice in Superior Court race By Kevin Metcalf-Kelly i a uwinnen unmiy voters wui cnoose oeiween an ex-policeman and a college instructor for the 48th District state Senate seat in the Aug. 14 Democratic primary. Incumbent Sen.

Donn Peevy, a 35-year-old Lawrenceville attorney, has been challenged by Stewart Gregory, a professor. Peevy, who once served as a Gwinnett County police officer, is completing his first term in the Senate. If re-elected, Peevy said, he would continue his efforts to limit the use of polygraph tests as a hiring tool. If elected to the Senate seat, Gregory, 32, said he would draw on his background as an educator to improve the state's public education system. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Re ii jj jujj.

ii ii mfamMummwm wj iff I A i if publican candidate Jim O'Neill, a Gwinnett County high teacher. eevy saw ne spent mum ui ing rapport with fellow senators. "You have to do that if you and your legislation are to be taken seriously, Donn Peavy Stewart Gregory but did not receive a majority, in a race to replace State Court Judge Dawson Jackson, who had been appointed to Gwinnett Superior Court Reeves lost a run-off elec- tion to Richard Winegarden. Henderson, 42, was appointed Gwinnett Superior Court judge in 1983 following the death of Judge Charles Pittard. Harris appointed him after considering several nominees recommended by the state Judicial Nominating Commission.

Henderson, a Lawrenceville native, opened a general practice firm after graduating from the Emory University law school in 1967. has been married since 1963 and has two children, one attending the University of Georgia and one attending -Central Gwinnett High School. Reeves, 54, has practiced law In Lawrenceville since 1963. He earned his law degree from John Marshall Law School, which he attended at night while working as a Gwinnett County sheriff's deputy. A native of Mississippi, Reeves moved to Gwinnett County in 1961.

He is married and has no children. Reeves said bis years as a defense attorney would not sway his decisions as judge. His duty as an attorney was to protect the rights of his clients, and he said his duty as Superior Court Judge would be to impose the penalty for a crime that society deems proper, i Reeves said he thought the judicial system could save money by better organizing the time of Jurors and by arranging out-of-court settlements when the outcome ts obvious to defendants and prosecu- tnrm By David Pandered SMI WrUtr In August voters will elect a Gwinnett County Superior Court judge for a seat now held by a 1983 appointee of Gov. Joe Frank Harris. 1 vv Thus far, the two-man race for the position has been quiet The incumbent, Judge James Henderson, declined to discuss any issues 4n his race for re-election, citing Judicial ethics.

His challenger, Lawrence-ville attorney Gene Reeves, said he chose to run to give voters an alternative to an appointed Judge. Barring a Successful write-in campaign in November's general election, the winner of the non-partisan Aug. 14 primary will be the next Superior Court judge. Henderson said Georgia's canon of judicial ethics prevents him from commenting on any disputed legal issue during his campaign. Henderson said the canon concerning campaigning for judicial posts allows him to discuss only biographical information about himself.

Reeves was willing to discuss issues. But the main Issue, be said, is the importance of voters having at least two candidates from which to select Reeves in May announced Us candidacy for the new State Court judgeship In Gwinnett but be made a last-minute switch to the Superior Court post In explaining the change, Reeves said, "I felt this Job (Superior Court Judgeship) needed me more. My announcing for State Court probably was an emotion held over from last year when I was campaigning for that V. Reeves in.1983. finished reevysaiu.

v.x If re-elected, Peevy said he again would introduce legislation regulating the use of polygraphs by commercial firms in hiring. He did not succeed in gaining passage of a similar bill during the last session of the Georgia General Assembly. "There's a false Image that a polygraph is a truth detector," Peevy said. The test's margin for error is great, and the practice of Judging Job applicants on the basis of a polygraph test Isn't falf, he said. Peevy has served on the folowlng committees: Insurance; Federal, State and Community Affairs; Judiciary and Constitutional Law; and I Transportation.

Peevy'1 appointment as vice chairman of the Transportation Committee has placed him in a good position to look out for Gwinnett's transportation needs, he said, i "We're going to ha veto make a decision in Gwinnett about mass transit" Peevy said. He said he has not decided whether he believes the county should Join the Met-ropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Ji--' Gregory shares Peevy's concern about Gwinnett's transportation needs and has said he will Investigate the of pubUc transit in Gwinnett "We have a need to move people downtown," lie said. However, Gregory said, he would need a better sense of his constituency's wishes before deciding on a specific public transportation program. Gregory teaches electronics at DeVry Insitute of Technology In Atlanta and has lived in the 48th District for three years, he said.

Gregory said he backs the Georgia Department of Education's proposal for a 10 percent pay raise for teachers, but he added that the Legislature should review teachers' salaries more frequently. Abo, Gregory said, he would attempt to pass legislation to remedy the lack of basic communication skills and attitude problems among the state's high school students. His effort to represent the district, which covers the northern three-fourths of Gwinnett and all of Barrow County, marks his first political race, Gregory said. A native of Memphis, Gregory said he has the endorsement of the National Democratic Policy Committee which is headed by Lyndon LaRouche Jr. If elected, Gregory said he also would work to lnflu, ence policy at the hatlonal level' I.