Readers of The Augusta Press overwhelmingly support Columbia County splitting off from the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
The vote was 90 percent for the split, 10 percent against. More than 200 people participated in the survey, and 189 voted in favor the split and 20 against.
Numbers don’t tell the whole story, though. Comments on the survey considered a variety of factors that ranged from the populations of the three counties in the judicial circuit to the costs of a separate court system for Columbia County.
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One comment addressed the distinctions between Columbia County and Augusta. That person wrote, “Columbia County is not some rural adjunct to a gleaming metropolitan area; it is a community in its own right and its legal approach and enforcement has totally separate concerns and approaches from [Augusta].”
Another pointed out that, “All three counties have enough population now to conduct their own judicial business without being lumped together.”
Some of the others were a little too heated to include.
One final comment to conclude: “They voted for the change.”
That comment refers to the support the measure has received from the Augusta/Richmond County Commission and the state Senate. The measure has also been approved by the House Judiciary Committee. It will move to the House Rules Committee next.
Debbie Reddin van Tuyll is Editor-in-chief of The Augusta Press. Reach her at debbie@theaugustapress.com
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