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Feb 26, 2010 – Georgia Political Digest
Georgia Political Digest - Announcement
Georgia Daily Digest, Georgia Political Digest and Georgia Trend Daily will not publish tomorrow while we initiate an upgrade to our operating system. The upgrade will significantly improve navigation between the sites, enhance advertising opportunities and provide enhanced news services. Saturday and Sunday stories will be visible when we return on Sunday morning. Thank you for reading!
Feb 26, 2010 – Chattanooga Time Free Press
'Sick tax' would break economy, officials say
Ashley Speagle reports that health experts say proposed provider fees on hospitals would force some providers out of business, cost thousands of jobs and stall economic development in those communities. "Public health is critical to the well-being of our state," Russ Toal, of the Georgia Public Health Association, told state lawmakers Thursday during a budget hearing on health care.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution
Food stamp bill raises questions
Christopher Quinn reports that a legislator has sponsored a bill that could benefit the nonprofit he works for, stirring concerns about a conflict of interest. If the law passes, Angel Food Ministries, which is under investigation by the FBI, would be able to sell groceries online to food stamp recipients. Rep. Len Walker (R-Loganville) told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he did not design HB 1054 to benefit Angel Food.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution
Handel, Scott spar over $1 billion budget solution
Aaron Gould Sheinin reports that Republican gubernatorial hopeful Karen Handel said Thursday that thousands of state employees should be laid off to help make up a potential $1 billion budget shortfall for 2011. Handel, speaking to reporters in an impromptu news conference on press hall across the street from the Capitol, Handel said her plan would save $404 million for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1. Shortly after Handel’s appearance, state Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton), another Republican challenger and a member of the House budget-writing committee, said layoffs are likely unavoidable, but said entire agencies are likely to be eliminated as well.
Feb 26, 2010 – Macon Telegraph
Husband and wife team seek state office; Carol Porter in lt. gov. race
Travis Fain reports that Carol Porter, wife of state Rep. DuBose Porter and a political presence in her own right, announced her run for lieutenant governor Thursday. That sets up a husband-and-wife political ticket at the top of Georgia ballots later this year. DuBose Porter, D-Dublin, began his gubernatorial campaign last year.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution
Carol Porter to run for lieutenant gov, creates husband-wife ticket
Aaron Gould Sheinin reports that Carol Porter will seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, joining her husband, DuBose Porter, as a potential husband and wife team at the top of the party’s ticket. Carol Porter, who announced her intention at a Capitol news conference with her husband and their boys at her side, becomes the first Democrat to announce for lieutenant governor. Incumbent Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is seeking re-election on the Republican side.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution
Carol Porter: No gimmick in run for No. 2 job
Aaron Gould Sheinin reports that Carol Porter has never held elective office, but she says she’s ready to run for lieutenant governor of Georgia. Porter has a résumé that includes running a chain of newspapers in Middle Georgia and being on the board of the Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. She’s raised four sons, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s a University of Georgia grad. Oh, and her husband is running for governor. Critics say her pursuit of the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor is just a gimmick to help her husband, DuBose Porter.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
Political Insider: Karen Handel learns that reporters can run, but can’t hide
The Political Insider, Jim Galloway, writes that if you’re hunting news reporters, it’s only natural to stalk their lairs – to sneak up on them while they’re still slightly lethargic from digesting a large meal of Carol Porter. So Karen Handel and her two guides this afternoon made a rare and stealthy entrance into press row at the state Capitol, a line of offices where grown adults go to shake off every childhood lecture about neatness. The Republican candidate for governor grabbed a reporter’s chair in the AJC enclave and started talking.
Feb 26, 2010 – Athens Banner-Herald - EDITORIAL
Kemp politicizes secretary of state's office
The editorial board writes, It might in fact make sense, as recently appointed Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp wants, for the state to take the Obama administration to court over the state's system for verifying the citizenship of newly registering voters using Social Security and driver's license data. What doesn't make sense, though, except in the rawest of political terms, is for Kemp to bring the still-sensitive and vitally important issue of voting rights in this state into his campaign to win a four-year term as secretary of state.
Feb 26, 2010 – Augusta Chronicle - EDITORIAL
Get right about recovery
The editorial board writes, "We've got to spend our way out of this recession." -- U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the House majority whip and Democrats' third-ranking House leader If that's the governing philosophy of Democrats, you can see why the recovery isn't picking up steam. Government spending -- i.e., the massive $800 billion "stimulus" bill -- hasn't stimulated the economy.
Feb 26, 2010 – Macon Telegraph - EDITORIAL
Could more political surprises be on the horizon
The editorial board writes, just when you thought you had seen it all, up jumps something new and different. Thursday in our state’s Capitol, Carol Porter announced her intention to run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Ordinarily, such an announcement wouldn’t be unusual, except for the fact that few women have run for the second highest post in state government.
Feb 26, 2010 – Cartersville Daily Tribune - OP/ED
2010 will be 'The Year of the Georgia Entrepreneur'
State Rep. Tom Graves writes, we've watched in amazement over the past 12 months as our national leaders have grappled in the name of "hope" with the economic challenges that face our country. Many attempts have been made to encourage job creation, yet none have worked. Whether it's called a bailout, buyout, stimulus, cash for clunkers or now the jobs bill, it's all the same. It is a package of more government -- pork projects coupled with winners and losers wrapped in different gift paper.
Feb 26, 2010 – Marietta Daily Journal - COLUMN
Coulter: 'The Party of No'? No, the GOP should be 'the party of hell no!'
Ann Coulter writes, Republicans can't stop the Democrats from socializing health care: They are a tiny minority party in both the House and the Senate. As the Democratic base has been hysterically pointing out, both the House and the Senate have already passed national health care bills. Either body could vote for the other's bill, and - presto! - Obama would have a national health care bill, replete with death panels, abortion coverage and lots and lots of new government commissions!
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
If the GOP really believes in insurance reform, they believe in more government regulation
Cynthia Tucker writes, Since the Washington inside-the-Beltway talking heads are dominated by folks who see politics as a heavy-weight boxing match, some of the pundits were grumbling this morning that yesterday’s health care summit produced “no clear winners.” They’re wrong. Despite partisan bickering, rambling diatribes and cliched talking points, the summit was a win for American voters, who were able to witness leaders from the two parties airing essential philosophical differences.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN
Get ready for the debt tsunami
In today's Thinking Right weekend free-for-all, Jim Wooten invites you to pick a topic: Ohio’s pain is Georgia’s gain, the coming tsunami of federal debt, the potentially runaway costs of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, the College Football Hall of Fame, Atlanta’s crushing public pension obligations, Georgia's customer service, more.
Feb 26, 2010 – Atlanta Journal Constitution - OP-ED
Hall’s PR magic can’t save APS now
John S. Sherman, president of the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation, writes, Atlanta has been in denial about the poor performance of its public school system for at least a decade. A complacent business and government elite has stonewalled questions about test performances, graduation rates and bloated administrative expenses at the Atlanta Public Schools. EduPAC, the chamber-linked interest group, protected school board incumbents who toed the superintendent’s line. The Atlanta School Board awarded Superintendent Beverly Hall with generous bonuses. The sad reality is finally emerging about true test results, thanks to an independent review by the state.
Feb 26, 2010 – Stateline.org
Spinning the stimulus
Stephen C. Fehr reports that economists credit the federal stimulus package for helping bring an end to the recession. Most governors say the money prevented more drastic spending cuts and tax increases in their states. But a few Republican governors who took the money contend the stimulus was a mistake.
Feb 26, 2010 – Brunswick News
Tax exemption costs schools
Erika Capek reports that a state measure that exempts thousands of older Glynn County homeowners from paying school taxes is likely to cost the board of education millions of dollars in lost tax revenue again this year. Last year, 2,123 homeowners at least 65 years old with Georgia taxable net income of $40,000 or less received the property tax exemption that trimmed $1.9 million from the Glynn County School System's budget.
Feb 26, 2010 – Brunswick News - EDITORIAL
Commissioner insults the entire community
The editorial board writes that some may be wondering why The News quoted crude and disparaging remarks made by Commissioner Tony Thaw about other county commissioners in a recent news article. The explanation is simple: First, because Thaw said it; and second, his reference to others as the "three stooges" and "Tweedledee, Tweedledum and moron" is a perfect indication of the commissioner's disdainful attitude toward other elected officials on the same governing body
Feb 26, 2010 – Athens Banner-Herald
A-C budget hearings: Classic Center 'in the black'
Blake Aued reports that the Classic Center will not ask local taxpayers for a subsidy despite declining revenue due to the recession. Classic Center Executive Director Paul Cramer told Athens-Clarke commissioners that it is weathering the economic downturn by cutting costs and marketing more aggressively.
