Political news for Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Mar 11, 2010 - Albany HeraldAG to state: Give sales tax money back
J.D. Sumner reports that Georgia’s top lawyer says the state must hand over $18 million in disputed sales tax revenue to local governments in the midst of a crippling state budget crunch. The opinion from Attorney General Thurbert Baker was obtained by The Associated Press.
Mar 11, 2010 - Gainesville Times
Bill using sales taxes for road projects may not fly politically
Ashley Fielding reports that a bill that would fund transportation projects through sales taxes is a moving target, lawmakers say. House Bill 1218 would give residents of 12 districts in the state the opportunity to vote for a 1 percent sales tax to fund regional transportation projects, which would be determined at the time of a referendum. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Jim Cole of Forsyth, uses the same 12 districts as the state’s regional planning commissions, meaning road projects for Hall County would have to be approved by residents in Forsyth, Dawson, White, and nine other counties.
Mar 11, 2010 - Chattanooga Times Free Press
Georgia lawmakers OK Perdue's water plan
Ashley Speagle reports that the Georgia Legislature on Wednesday passed Gov. Sonny Perdue's plan to encourage conservation and renewal of state water supplies. "Both the House and Senate took major steps today towards our goal of creating a true culture of conservation in Georgia," Gov. Perdue said. "This legislation promotes water conservation in Georgia and shows our neighbors that we are serious about being good stewards of our natural resources."
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Lawmakers approval ‘culture of conservation' water bill
Jim Tharpe and Nancy Badertscher report that a bill that state lawmakers say will create a “culture of conservation” and potentially help douse Georgia’s water war with Florida and Alabama is all but a done deal. The state Senate passed its final version of the bill 52-0 on Wednesday, and the House quickly followed with a 166-5 vote on an identical version of the proposal. Leaders in both chambers were already applauding final action on the 15-page bill. The bill, among other things, would curtail outdoor watering and require builders and apartment building owners to more efficiently manage water.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Contitution
More backyards may have barnyard feel
Nancy Badertscher report that some barnyard animals could be moving into backyards under a bill that cleared a House committee Wednesday. The bill would allow homeowners to have chickens, milk goats and rabbits -- as well as sizable fruit and vegetable gardens -- so long as the goal would be to feed their families.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Track this year's big bills
Staff reports that the pace at the Legislature is picking up as lawmakers try to get their priorities passed. Their next deadline is Day 30, by which time bills must have passed one chamber to remain viable. Here are some of the bigger bills under consideration and where they stand in the process.
Mar 11, 2010 - Chattanooga Times Free Press
Speaker rushes bill to deny Hustler request
Ashley Speagle reports that House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, rushed a bill to committee Wednesday to deny Hustler magazine's request of crime-scene photos of a hiker killed in 2008 on a North Georgia trail. The speaker introduced the bill Tuesday and sent it Wednesday to the House Governmental Affairs Committee after the magazine requested photos and related documents in the death of Meredith Emerson.
Mar 11, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle
Regents spend little time on budget crisis
Walter C. Jones reports that the simmering budget crisis facing the state and the University System of Georgia was hardly mentioned Tuesday or Wednesday during the Board of Regents' monthly meeting. It was referred to briefly when the board approved a statement of principles to "guide campus-level innovation" by urging the presidents of the state's 35 public colleges to seek ways to grow that don't depend on tax funds.
Mar 11, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald, Augusta Chronicle, Georgia Times Union
Regents look at insurance plans to cut expenses
Walter C. Jones reports that the University System of Georgia ordered an audit of every employee's health insurance dependent coverage in hopes of saving nearly $4.5 million.
Mar 11, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald
Congress bid not in Reed's plan for 2010
Blake Aued reports that religious conservative activist Ralph Reed will not run for Congress, he announced Wednesday. Reed, the former director of the Christian Coalition who now is a political consultant, had been rumored to be running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. John Linder in the 7th Congressional District. The district includes Gwinnett, Barrow, Walton and part of Newton counties.
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Mar 11, 2010 - Gwinnett Daily Post
Ralph Reed not running for congress
Camie Young reports that former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed will not run for Congress. Reed, who lives in Duluth, said he has decided against a race for the District 7 seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. John Linder, saying he would devote his time to the Faith and Freedom Coalition to help other races.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
Political Insider: Prospect of layoffs sends a shudder through rural Georgia
The Political Insider, Jim Galloway, writes that lawmakers are currently planning $100 million in increased charges for government services that haven’t been updated for decades. But two Republicans want the Legislature to abandon the semantic games, and have called for outright tax increases. One is state Rep. Ron Stephens of Savannah, who says a $1-a-pack increase in the tax on cigarettes would raise $350 million annually. Rep. Chuck Sims is the other. “We’ve got enough heart and enough hide to say, ‘Listen. This is what we’ve got to do,’” he said.
Mar 11, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald - EDITORIAL
Lawmakers' schedule change raises questions
The editorial board writes, There are a handful of possible reasons for the Georgia General Assembly's decision to stretch out its schedule, most of which shouldn't inspire much confidence in our lawmakers' ability to address the state government's ongoing fiscal challenges in a reasonable fashion.
Mar 11, 2010 - Savannah Morning News - EDITORIAL
Interbasin transfers: Still all wet
The editorial board writes, In the absence of an outright ban, a proposal in the Georgia Legislature that would slow down the approval process for interbasin transfers between the state's rivers offers a consolation prize. Interbasin transfers would permit water to be piped from one river system (like the Savannah River) into another (like the Chattahoochee River that serves metro Atlanta) to use for industry and drinking water. This idea is still all wet. More conservation, less waste, smarter growth plans and construction of reservoirs in water-starved areas are better options. Yet it refuses to die.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
This is small government’s time in Georgia
Kyle Wingfield writes, Today, we are all the Party of No. Every day, it seems, another group is outside the Capitol telling Georgia’s lawmakers “No”: no education cuts, no tuition hikes; no Medicaid cuts, no new hospital fees. A bad situation turned even worse this week when Gov. Sonny Perdue revealed that, rather than rising as hoped, state revenues fell again last month — down 10 percent from a year earlier and a staggering 41 percent from February 2008, when we only thought the economy had hit bottom.
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Mar 11, 2010 - Marietta Daily Journal - EDITORIAL
Policing the 'Net
There's no question that social networking Web sites have added new and in many ways exciting dimensions to people's social lives. Georgia state Rep. Rob Teilhet this week introduced a bill in the Georgia Legislature similar to one passed in New York. Known as The Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act - or E-STOP - it would allow the Georgia bureau of Investigation to transmit registered information about sex offenders to those social networking sites.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
No tax hike for schools, but for a Falcons stadium? Sure thing!
Jay Bookman writes, Facing a financial crisis, Fulton County schools may soon have to lay off 480 teachers. The DeKalb County district is planning to close a dozen schools. Schools in Gwinnett County face a loss of at least $62 million in state funds in fiscal 2011, a figure likely to climb as state revenues plummet. That would mean across-the-board pay cuts for all Gwinnett school employees. Despite that dismal outlook, state legislative leaders continue to balk at targeted tax increases that could soften the financial blow to public schools.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
Calendar wars redux: House bill would mandate schools start in late August
Maureen Downey writes, The school calendar wars rage on, with a bill coming out of an education subcommittee Wednesday that would require that public schools start no earlier than late August.
Mar 11, 2010 - Rome News-Tribune - EDITORIAL
Fee-fi-fo-fumble
The editorial board writes, driving a local government or school system these days is a whole lot like being behind the wheel of a compact car in the middle of a three-lane expressway with 18-wheelers on both sides of you signaling they’re about to move over. You’re not big enough to muscle them back to where they belong or fast enough to get out of the way. Rome and county officials have good cause to be worried about the effects of legislation still kicking around in the General Assembly that would “eliminate” both sales taxes and property taxes on vehicle purchases and replace them with a “one-time” fee on title transfers of 7 percent.
Mar 11, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Murphy praised, memorialized with portrait
Nancy Badertscher reports that current and former Georgia legislators packed the state House chambers early Wednesday for what House Speaker David Ralston said was a “long overdue” tribute to the legendary Tom Murphy.
