Economic policy guru: Ga.’s budget grim
Keven Gilbert reports that Alan Essig, executive director of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, defended Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue Thursday as he gave a grim report of the state’s 2010 FY budget. Essig told the audience at the Americus-Sumter County Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Membership Luncheon that budget cuts will have to be made whether taxes are raised or cut.
Sep 10, 2010 - Gainesville Times
State tax panel gets an earful
Carolyn Crist reports that North Georgia residents and elected officials have a few ideas about how to change taxes in Georgia. The Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians was established in June to study the state's current revenue structure. The council held seven public hearings around the state, beginning Aug. 26 in Atlanta and ending Thursday in Gainesville.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Disabled Georgians sue over program cuts
Carrie Teegardin reports that six Georgians suffering from serious mental or developmental disabilities sued the state Thursday over the loss of benefits that have allowed them to live in homes instead of institutions. A state program called SOURCE -- Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment -- has helped cover the cost of caring for the people, who need close oversight. All six have lost benefits, or have been told they will lose them, because the state now allows only people with physical disabilities to be a part of the program, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Barnes’ ethics plan has Deal in mind
Aaron Gould Sheinin reports that former Gov. Roy Barnes on Thursday said that any candidate for statewide office should be required to release seven years of complete tax returns and called for a “no cup of coffee rule” for lobbyists dealing with elected officials. At a news conference on the steps of the Capitol, Barnes unveiled his plans for ethics reform.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Truth-O-Meter: Barnes ad claims he can put 10,000 people to work through energy program
Staff reports that it is one of the most striking claims of this campaign season. Roy Barnes, former Georgia governor who is hoping to return to the Governor's Mansion in January, said in a televised campaign ad he can put 10,000 people to work. How? "By retrofitting each state building to make them more energy-efficient," he said in the ad, which premiered June 23. "The best part is," Barnes added, "the energy savings will pay for the improvements."
Sep 10, 2010 - Albany Herald
Candidate moves ag into foreground
Terry Lewis reports that for the first time in the 41 years, the state of Georgia will have a new commissioner of Agriculture next year. Republican Gary Black thinks he’s the perfect man for the job. Black, a former Georgia Agribusiness Council president and co-manager of the Georgia Food Industry Partnership, is seeking to replace retiring Commissioner Tommy Irvin, who is stepping down after holding the office since 1969. Irvin, a Democrat, is the longest-serving state constitutional officer in Georgia.
Sep 10, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle, Georgia Times Union
Candidate proposes legal horse gambling
Walter C. Jones reports that Georgia could add as many as 20,000 jobs and an economic impact of $1 billion by legalizing betting on horse racing, according to one major-party statewide candidate who threw his support behind the idea Thursday. J.B. Powell, the Democratic nominee for agriculture commissioner, brought reporters to an Atlanta-area horse farm to make his announcement. He said it is the first of five proposals he will unveil to boost the state's economy through agriculture.
Sep 10, 2010 - Tifton Gazette
Libertarian candidate campaigns in Tifton
Angie Thompson reports that David Chastain, a Libertarian running for the office of secretary of state for Georgia, said Wednesday that he has several ideas to administer the office more fairly and efficiently for citizens and businesses. Chastain, of Acworth, said that he “wants to be an umpire and doesn’t want to build an empire.”
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
Political Insider: A fake TV ad aimed at Roy Barnes’ legal career
The Political Insider, Jim Galloway, writes, The ladies and gentlemen at the Republican Governors Association have posted a faux TV spot ridiculing the legal career of Democratic nominee for governor Roy Barnes: 1-888-KING-ROY from Republican Governors Association on Vimeo. The Internet-only parody directs viewers to this website – different from roybama.com, launched last month by the RGA – which attacks the civil and criminal cases handled by Barnes and his Marietta law firm.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN/BLOG
GOP trying to handcuff Barnes to Obama
Jay Bookman writes, I’m not a campaign strategist, but the approach taken by the Republican Governors Association to try to handcuff Roy Barnes to Barack Obama nonetheless strikes me as pretty crude. I mean, “Roybama”? What would it have been if Thurbert Baker had been the Democratic nominee? “Thurbama?” Would DuBose Porter have doomed us to “DuBama”? Because whoever the nominee, the strategy would have been the same. The GOP has decided not to base its gubernatorial campaign on the Republican record of accomplishment in Georgia — I guess they remember the parable about building your house on a foundation of sand.
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Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - OP-ED
It shouldn’t be so hard for a new citizen to vote in Georgia
Herwig Goldemund writes, I am one of the 4,200 Georgians who received a letter from the Georgia secretary of state indicating that my registration to vote had been challenged prior to this year’s primary voting. Voting is a very important civic duty to me, and I had been waiting a long time to be able to cast my vote in this country. I presented my certificate of naturalization during the registration process as proof of my citizenship. Regardless of that fact, I received a letter a couple of weeks later stating that my citizenship was challenged because my driver’s license and Social Security records indicated that I was a non-citizen.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution/Washington Post - COLUMN
We can’t afford tax-cut promise
Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus writes, Well, I know what question I’d ask President Barack Obama at today’s news conference. “Mr. President, your former budget director, Peter Orszag, has said that the Bush tax cuts should be extended for two years and then allowed to expire — even for those making under $250,000 a year. You have said those ‘middle class’ cuts should be made permanent. He says that is ‘simply not affordable.’ Why is he wrong?” There is no good answer to this question — something I think the president well understands, even if he is unwilling to publicly acknowledge it.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution - COLUMN
A price for disrespecting majority
In today's Thinking Right weekend free-for-all, Jim Wooten invites you to pick a topic: Political disaster for national Democrats, the GM site at Doraville, DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming EPA appointment, state Rep. Rob Teilhet, Mack Crawford, Andrew Young and T.I., more.
Sep 10, 2010 - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - EDITORIAL
A tireless voice for the voiceless
The editorial board writes, 50 years ago, the state of mental health care in Georgia was worse than inadequate. It was atrocious. So chilling were word-of-mouth reports of conditions at the state’s major mental institution in Milledgeville — then officially called the State Hospital for the Insane — that Gov. Marvin Griffin had led a delegation of state officials on a visit that left them sickened and appalled.
Sep 10, 2010 - Albany Herald - EDITORIAL
America runs into fruitless endeavors
The editorial board writes that If an apple a day truly keeps the doctor away, it’s no wonder that the cost of health care in the United States is skyrocketing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report Thursday based on 2009 statistics that showed, if nothing else, a consistency in poor U.S. diets overall.
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Sep 10, 2010 - Valdosta Daily Times - EDITORIAL
September 11, 2001
The editorial board writes, Hard to believe nine years have passed since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. In some ways, it’s hard to believe it happened at all. This is the stuff of nightmares.
Sep 10, 2010 - Marietta Daily Journal - COLUMN
McKee: Acid test for Americans is still to never forget Sept. 11
Don McKee writes that Nine years after our country was attacked by Islamist terrorists, seven in 10 Americans believe that malevolent mastermind Osama bin Laden is still alive - and nearly four in 10 think his al Qaeda network is stronger now than it was before Sept. 11, 2001.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
State Senator Chip Rogers gets award
Christopher Quinn reports that State Senator Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock, received the 2010 Association County Commissioners of Georgia Legislative Service Award last Tuesday at a meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners for sponsoring and helping pass Senate Bill 346.
Sep 10, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle
Golf and Gardens sale could take a long time
Susan McCord reports that a new wire fence gives an indication how close the state of Georgia is to auctioning its 16 acres at 13th and Reynolds streets. "We would not have gone through the expense of putting the fence up if we thought it was going to go through anytime soon," said Bert Brantley, the spokesman for Gov. Sonny Perdue. The state recently erected the fence between the overgrown Georgia Golf and Gardens flora and the property's parking lot. In July, an official with the Georgia Properties Commission, which manages the state's land and other holdings, estimated that putting the property out for bid would take up to three months.
Sep 10, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Forecast: Isakson outdistancing Thurmond for Senate
Chris Seward reports that Democrat Michael Thurmond may need a busload of Bill Clintons to come to town if he hopes to overcome the commanding lead pollsters give incumbent U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson in the November election.
