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April 4, 2008
Metro Atlanta residents will have more time to sit in gridlocked traffic, and rural Georgians will have a longer wait for needed road and bridge improvements – thanks to the state Senators who voted against SR 845 late Friday, the 40th and final day of the 2008 legislative session.
The legislation called for a constitutional amendment, allowing voters in multiple counties to decide whether to implement a special purpose local option sales tax for transportation projects on a regional basis. The proposed T-SPLOST would have supplied the needed revenue to address transportation needs in a much faster time frame.
Although the Senate approved the original version of SR 845, which I co-sponsored, by a 51-4 vote earlier in the session and the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the final version earlier Friday, the measure received only a 35-18 majority in Senate on Friday night, three votes short of the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment.
It is particularly mind-boggling that several Senators who represent metro districts (including some in Cobb County!) voted against SR 845. It also did not help that Governor Perdue, who was in China throughout the final week of the session, was unsupportive of the proposal, apparently failing to acknowledge the problems associated with daily traffic congestion in and around Georgia’s capital city.
Those problems include but are not limited to economic and productivity loss. Lengthy commutes deprive family members of time with each other and negatively affect everyone’s quality of life.
I would to thank Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), House Transportation Committee Chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain) for their leadership on this issue, along with my fellow conference committee members Sen. Don Balfour (R-Snellville), Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-Dacula) and Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) and the House members and Senators who voted for this funding solution. Countless hours of hard work were devoted to address what many consider the major issue for the metro area, and it is very disappointing to have missed an opportunity for what would have been a giant step forward.
Two other important issues that fell by the wayside on the final day of the session were those of tax relief and trauma care. Personal feuds within the Republican Party hierarchy were blamed for the inability of the House and Senate to come together on final versions of legislation to give Georgians a tax break and raise much-needed revenues for the state’s trauma care network.
The lieutenant governor, the House speaker and the governor were quick to blame one another for the high-profile failures of the 2008 session, but the real losers were the people of Georgia.
Both the House and Senate did agree on the final version of a $21.2 billion annual state budget for fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1, 2008. HB 990 includes a 2.5 percent pay raise for educators and other state employees, $1 billion in school construction projects $98 million to fully fund PeachCare for Kids and $30 million in bonds for reservoirs.
The budget reflects a $90 million reduction in state funding for local schools, bringing the six-year total cuts under the Perdue administration to $1.5 billion. These cuts hurt both our students and local property owners, who are forced to shoulder more of the tax burden. But at least the legislature was able to restore $50 million of the $140 million the governor had proposed to cut this year.
Also approved on the final day of the session was a major revision of the state’s certificate of need (CON) law, which regulates the construction of new health care facilities. SB 433 allows some ambulatory centers to operate without a CON if they meet certain criteria and treat indigent patients. The legislation also allows for a Cancer Treatment Center of America to open in the Atlanta area.
Lawmakers also adopted SR 822, which seeks to correct the state’s northern boundary, which was incorrectly surveyed in 1818. The original border with North Carolina and Tennessee was about one mile north, which would put a portion of the Tennessee River in Georgia and give our state another source of drinking water. The resolution seeks to create a boundary commission to look into correcting the error, but the Tennessee legislature has already voted against participating in such a process.
Other legislation approved by the Senate during the final week of the session includes:
SB 1, which prohibits registered sex offenders from intentionally photographing a minor without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian. The legislation also states that no registered sex offender may reside or work within 1,000 feet of any child care facility, church, school or areas where minors congregate – unless they resided, owned property or worked at the location before a child care center, church or school was built.
HB 89, which allows constables, or bailiffs, to carry guns in magistrate court hearings. I voted against the legislation because of an amendment that would allow people with concealed weapons to carry their guns into restaurants and into the public transit system.
HB 1209, which allows local school systems to bypass many education regulations in return for signing an “accountability contract” with the state government. I voted against this bill because it does nothing to address the $1.5 billion the governor has cut from local school funding the past six years, and the severe penalties for failure to meet accountability standards would weaken the overall education system.
HB 130, which allows consumers to “freeze” their financial information controlled by credit reporting agencies in an effort to thwart identity theft.
HB 1061, which allows consumers to order up to 12 cases of wine directly from a winery via the Internet.
HB 119, which authorizes a 5 percent salary increase for the state’s Superior Court judges, Court of Appeals judges, Supreme Court justices and district attorneys.
Tax reform issue unsettled as end of session nears
March 21, 2008
With no more than six legislative days remaining in the 2008 session of the General Assembly, a number of major issues remain unsettled. Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene this Thursday for the 35th day of the 40-day session.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have moved forward with separate versions of tax relief for Georgians this session, but there is no indication the two chambers will agree on one method. Gov. Sonny Perdue has announced his opposition to both tax relief proposals.
House members voted March 11 to eliminate ad valorem taxes on automobiles, a proposal favored by Speaker Glenn Richardson and the House leadership.
But soon thereafter, the Senate Finance Committee rejected the car tax elimination and instead approved and sent to the full Senate a proposal to reduce state income tax rates by 10 percent over the next five years, which is the plan supported by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and the Senate leadership.
If that measure is approved by the Senate and sent to the House, the issue of tax relief will likely be settled by a joint House-Senate conference committee near the end of the session, if at all.
A major piece of legislation that has been resolved is the midyear adjustment, or supplemental budget, for the remainder of fiscal year 2008, which ends June 30. The governor signed the $330 million adjustment into law on March 20, only one day after the Senate and House agreed to a final version of HB 989.
The supplemental budget includes $210 million for new school construction and restores $20 million in equalization grants that go to low-income schools around the state. Other highlights include $53 million for trauma care funding, $40 million for reservoirs and $2.7 million for indigent defense costs.
Legislation I co-sponsored, establishing a “Made in Georgia” program to promote the sale of products manufactured in our state, received final approval by the House last week.
If the governor signs SB 359 into law, Georgia manufacturers can give their products the “Made in Georgia” stamp of certification as soon as possible. This initiative was approved unanimously in the Senate and 161-1 in the House and is supported by numerous business and labor organizations that see the benefit of promoting Georgia-made products.
On Thursday, the Senate voted to impose tighter controls over the installation of red-light cameras that catch motorists who drive through traffic signals. Under HB 77, the state Department of Transportation will have oversight of red-light camera installations.
Local governments would have to apply to DOT for a permit to install such cameras and would have to show that the device is needed for legitimate public safety purposes. HB 77 now goes back to the House for consideration of Senate changes.
Meanwhile, the Senate defeated an attempt by House members to make it possible for the death penalty to be imposed when there is not a unanimous vote by the jury. As amended by the House, SB 145 would have allowed the death penalty to be imposed on an 11-1 or 10-2 jury verdict in a capital punishment case.
Senators were told such a move would effectively end the death penalty in Georgia because of resulting legal appeals. Senators voted 44-7 to send SB 145 back to the House without the death penalty amendment.
Other legislation passing the Senate this week includes the following:
HB 1019, which would create the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank within the State Road and Tollway Authority.
HB 921, which would allow the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance to participate in a nationwide licensing system for mortgage brokers and lenders.
HB 1014, which would expand the Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan to include qualified tuition programs.
HB 1026, which would exempt utilities from notice and hearing requirements when the Department of Transportation removes facilities that are obstructing road projects.
HB 983, which would authorize law enforcement agencies from neighboring states that are in fresh pursuit of a suspect who crosses into Georgia to arrest and hold such person in custody.
HB 1245, which would make changes to the current indigent defense system in Georgia with the goal of maintaining solvency.
Senate votes to expand health care marketplace
March 7, 2008
The Senate voted Thursday to approve legislation that would make less expensive health insurance plans available to people who are presently uninsured.
SB 404, the Georgia Health Marketplace Act, would allow consumers and small business owners to shop online and compare the features of a range of health insurance plans, including deductibles, co-payment requirements, benefits and premiums. Georgians can then purchase the policy that meets their needs and budgets.
The measure, which was proposed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle as a means of giving consumers more health insurance choices and reducing the 1.7 million Georgians who are not covered, received bipartisan support and now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Under SB 404, insurance plans would still be required to cover some state-mandated screenings, such as those for ovarian and colorectal cancer, diabetes, Pap smears, mammograms and prostate tests. Companies that offer catastrophic coverage would also be required to provide at least one health insurance policy with all the state’s mandated benefits.
A proposed constitutional amendment that would empower counties, cities and school boards to finance redevelopment projects in their communities received overwhelming approval in the Senate on Tuesday. SR 996 addresses a lawsuit filed by a Buckhead lawyer challenging the use of school tax funding in tax allocation districts. A state Supreme Court ruling in the lawsuit prohibited such use.
This legislation, passed 46-3 by the Senate, would allow the voters of Georgia to decide in a referendum whether the constitution should be changed to authorize full utilization of tax allocation districts funding for redevelopment projects. The measure now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
The Senate also approved related legislation that I co-sponsored, which would authorize the property taxes levied in a community improvement district (CID) to be included in the computation of tax allocation increments, if the CID’s board agrees. SB 493 passed by a 45-2 vote.
Legislation I co-sponsored that would crack down on the smuggling of cigarettes into Georgia received Senate approval. SB 472 provides for the use of a digital-based cigarette stamp process in the enforcement of smuggling cigarettes from other states. This upgrade in technology is needed to address the loss of $17 million to $20 million in annual tax revenue by our state.
The Senate also approved House changes to SB 276, which would allow insurance companies to change rates for automobile policies without going through the state Insurance Commissioner’s office for approval. The commissioner would still have authority over rate changes for mandatory liability coverage.
Supporters of the legislation called the provision “rate modernization” and said the change will inspire competition in the insurance industry, which would be beneficial to consumers. SB 276 now goes to the governor for his signature.
The Landowners Protection Act of 2008, which would limit the liability Georgia property owners who allow people to hunt, fish or visit their property for the purposes of agritourism, was also approved by the Senate on Thursday.
SB 449 is intended to shield property owners from lawsuits, unless they are found to be guilty of gross negligence or wanton misconduct should someone become injured on their property when hunting, fishing or there for agritourism purposes.
Over my opposition this week, a slim majority of Senators adopted SB 458, which would authorize school vouchers for students who are attending public schools deemed to be “failing.” Although I agree the state should require our schools to retain accreditation and achieve established standards, I do not believe the remedy is to use tax dollars to send students to private schools through vouchers. Hopefully this legislation will meet its demise in the House.
School voucher program moving toward Senate vote
February 29, 2008
Legislation that would authorize vouchers for students whose local school or district loses its accreditation was approved in a divided vote by the Senate Education & Youth Committee this week.
SB 458would allow students, depending on the accreditation circumstance, attend an accredited public school in the district where they live, or in another district if their whole district loses accreditation, or a private school approved by the State Department of Education.
The measure, approved by a 7-4 vote in committee, appears to address issues surrounding the Clayton County School System, whose accreditation is in jeopardy. A debate over school vouchers is expected when SB 458 reaches the Senate floor.
On Tuesday, the Senate adopted two measures related to the sale of alcoholic beverages. SB 385 would allow the sale of alcoholic beverages within licensed limousines, while SB 454 would authorize such sales on Sunday at the new baseball stadium being constructed in Gwinnett County for the Braves’ AAA team moving from Richmond, Va.
It has been speculated that either bill might be amended in the House of Representatives to authorize Sunday package sales in Georgia, a proposal that has been under consideration for two years now.
A majority of Senators ignored the opposition of Georgia hospitals and the business community Wednesday and voted to allow an out-of-state specialty cancer treatment hospital to skirt the state’s Certificate of Need process.
SB 433, which passed by a 31-23 vote after a lengthy debate, would allow the Cancer Treatment Centers of America to build a facility near the Atlanta airport that would primarily treat cancer patients from other regions. I voted against the legislation because of the precedent it could set for setting aside the CON rules and procedures.
Here is a statement from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on the issue:
“It is important to protect one of Georgia’s most critical existing industries – our hospital employers – from potential competitors that wish to change the rules in mid-stream, especially at a time when many of our community providers are at financial risk. Georgia’s existing cancer treatment facilities provide outstanding, first-class service to our state and region – and they have invested millions and millions in the very same treatment technologies as CTCA. It is only fair and equitable that all new entrants into this area be subject to the same procedures as their predecessors.”
SB 433 now goes to the House for its consideration.
On Thursday, the Senate approved legislation aimed at cracking down on Internet predators. SB 474 would require sex offenders to submit their e-mail addresses to authorities and require Internet service providers to offer parents the ability to block certain web sites.
The bill, which now moves to the House for consideration, would also require schools to offer an annual course on online safety to all students starting in the third grade.
The Senate voted Friday to adopt SB 506, which is the “Student Health and Physical Education Act.” The legislation attempts to address the problem of childhood obesity in Georgia by requiring local school systems to conduct physical fitness testing of students and to establish a recognition program for acknowledgement of healthy schools.
SB 506 now goes to the House for its consideration.
On Tuesday, Senators approved a bill that would make it easier to expand MARTA into Cobb and other suburban counties, if the counties choose to do so. SB 332 would allow counties to consider MARTA expansion into certain areas, without requiring expansion into the full county, which would come with a 1 percent sales tax. The House will now consider the measure.
Regional sales tax for transportation passes Senate
February 22, 2008
On Wednesday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a proposed constitutional amendment I co-sponsored, which would allow counties to join together and implement a special purpose local option sales tax, on a regional basis, for transportation projects. A majority of voters in those counties would have to approve levying the tax.
SR 845 is intended to address a revenue shortfall for transportation projects across the state and provide a regional solution for counties where the need to reduce traffic congestion or improve area roads and bridges is particularly dire.
As a member of the special joint Senate-House Transportation Funding Study Committee, which recommended this legislation, I am pleased that the full Senate recognizes the severity of this funding crisis and is taking action needed to protect our state’s future. I also appreciate the leadership of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle for his support of this measure, ensuring its success.
The counties collecting the transportation tax, also known as T-SPLOST, would keep 80 percent of the proceeds for projects within those counties. The remaining 20 percent would be remitted to the state, which would be required to spend at least 10 percent of that amount on mass transit networks.
As a constitutional amendment, SR 845 requires two-thirds approval in both the Senate and the House, and majority approval by Georgia voters in the general election this November.
On Thursday, the Senate adopted a package of three measures addressing the operation and oversight of financially troubled Grady Memorial Hospital.
SR 722 would create an oversight committee for the hospital similar to the legislative overview committee that monitors the budget and operations of MARTA. SB 353, the “Public Hospital Integrity Act,” would prohibit persons from serving on Grady’s authority if they are an employee or contractor doing business with the hospital.
SR 748 urges Grady to change its employee health benefits plan to require or encourage its employees to utilize the Grady Health System for their primary health care. The resolution also urges Grady to end its closed staff model and open up credentialing to community doctors so that other insured patients might be encouraged to use Grady for primary health care.
The Senate also adopted school bus safety legislation that I introduced. SB 371 would authorize a survey of bus routes in each of Georgia’s school districts to identify railroad crossings where there is no active warning system. This information would be reported to the state Department of Transportation, which would recommend redirected routes to minimize the use of such crossings. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The Senate voted Thursday to approve a midyear adjustment to the state budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2008, which ends June 30. The Senate version includes several differences from the supplemental budget approved earlier by the House of Representatives.
The House had voted to restore $30.7 million that Gov. Sonny Perdue had proposed to cut for equalization grants to less affluent school systems and added $65 million for school buses and technology.
Senate budget writers, however, believe those expenditures should be considered for the annual state budget for fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1, while using that money to offset previously imposed “austerity cuts” to local school districts.
The Senate agreed with the House to allocate $6.3 million to the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund to continue cleanup efforts of landfills and abandoned hazardous sites. More than $40 million has been added to finance the development of new reservoirs, plus 411 million to implement the new statewide water management plan in both versions of the budget.
Differences between the Senate and House versions of HB 989 will need to be ironed out by a conference committee.
Legislation passed by the Senate on Wednesday would call for an accurate survey of the border between Georgia and Tennessee. Sponsors of SR 822 contend the border was improperly surveyed in 1818 and is about one mile south of where it should be. It is believed a true and accurate survey would give Georgia access to the Tennessee River for our state’s water supply.
On Tuesday, the Senate approved two pieces of legislation aimed at protecting Georgians from identity theft and from an unwanted flurry of telephone calls during political campaigns.
SB 361 would enable consumers to protect their financial data from identity theft by requesting that credit reporting agencies put a freeze on the information. The bill incorporates more penalties to protect consumes and their financial data. The House of Representatives had earlier adopted a slightly different credit freeze proposal, so a conference committee will likely take up the matter.
SB 379 would make Georgia the first state in the nation to prohibit “robo-calls,” the automated telephone messages widely used by political candidates during election seasons. The bill would require telephone solicitations for votes to be made by live callers rather than through the automated playing of recorded messages. This would drive up the cost to the campaign and thus reduce the number of robo-calls interrupting voters’ time at home.
Senate approves property tax relief measures
February 15, 2008
The Senate overwhelmingly approved three resolutions this week aimed at providing property tax relief to Georgians.
SR 686, approved by a 53-3 vote, would freeze the assessed value of residential property at the 2008 level until the property is sold to someone other than the owner’s spouse. The property’s assessed value could be adjusted if additions or improvements requiring a building permit were made to the residence.
SR 796, passed 48-7, would - provide a similar freeze in assessed values on all property, residential or otherwise, at the 2008 level. Increases in the valuation of residential property would be capped at 4 percent for tax year 2010 and 2 percent for each subsequent tax year. For non-residential property, the valuation increase would be limited to 6 percent in 2010 and 3 percent for subsequent years.
Freezing property assessments is seen as a common-sense approach to tax relief, reducing or eliminating the “back-door” tax hikes that result from increases in valuation, even when local millage rates remain the same.
Senators also voted 49-4 in favor of a less significant measure, SR 859, which would eliminate the state property tax of .25 mills. This plan, proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue the first week of the session, would save the average Georgia homeowner about $30 per year.
All three resolutions are proposed constitutional amendments and require two-thirds approval by the House of Representatives and then must be ratified by a majority of Georgia voters in the next general election.
The Senate Transportation Committee favorably reported legislation I co-sponsored, which would enable multiple counties in Georgia to join together in implementing a special local option sales tax for transportation projects, known as a T-SPLOST, if voters in those counties approve.
SR 845, recommended by the joint Senate-House Transportation Funding Study Committee as a solution to helping relieve traffic congestion in the metro Atlanta area, now goes to the Senate floor for consideration. Under the proposal, counties that implemented the regional sales tax would keep 80 percent of the proceeds and return 20 percent to the state, which would be required to use at least 10 percent on mass transit systems.
The Georgia and Metro Atlanta Chambers of Commerce, the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia all support the measure.
On Thursday, legislation that I co-sponsored as a means of promoting the sale of products manufactured in Georgia won Senate approval by a 42-0 vote. SB 359, which would create a “Made in Georgia” campaign, had been cleared unanimously by the Senate Economic Development Committee on Tuesday after picking up a key endorsement by the National Federation of Independent Business on Monday.
I am hopeful the House of Representatives will also give the legislation speedy approval, and the governor will sign it into law so that Georgia manufacturers can give their products the “Made in Georgia” stamp of certification as soon as possible.
SB 359 enjoys bipartisan support in the legislature and is backed by numerous business and labor organizations that see the benefit of promoting Georgia-made products. Supporting Georgia’s manufacturers is important because studies show that manufacturing growth spawns more economic activity and jobs than any other sector.
Chief Justice Leah Sears of the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed a joint legislative session Wednesday to deliver the annual State of the Judiciary report. Justice Sears reminded legislators that our state’s judges have not had a substantial pay increase since 1999. HB 119, which is pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee, would provide an increase.
Presently, first-year associates in some Atlanta law firms are paid more than some Georgia Superior Court judges. We must reduce the gap between judges’ compensation and the salaries available in the private sector if we are to continue attracting and retaining the best and brightest legal minds to preside over our courts.
Lieutenant governor backs transportation proposals
February 8, 2008
This week, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle announced his support for a proposal to let voters from multiple counties decide on a 1-cent sales tax to fund transportation projects for their specific region. This is encouraging to those of us who served on the joint Senate-House Transportation Funding Study Committee last summer and fall, because it is clear the lieutenant governor, who presides over the State Senate, recognizes the seriousness of the transportation funding crisis in our state.
I was among the committee members joining the lieutenant governor at a press conference on the issue Thursday. Click here to hear audio from the press conference.
The regional SPLOST approach is one of several recommendations made by the study committee to address the major shortfall in funding for the projects that are vital to relieving traffic congestion in metro Atlanta and highway improvements across the state.
As a part of the legislative package, I have introduced SB 410, which would create a fund from which Community Improvement Districts (CID) receive transportation grants. The fund would be set up and managed by the State Road and Tollway Authority, which would determine the criteria for selecting projects and awarding the grants. CIDs can apply for matching grants through this fund to help pay for projects in their area that are intended to relieve congestion.
SB 410 is pending in the Senate Transportation Committee.
On Tuesday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved HR 1022, the House version of the Statewide Water Management Plan. Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the plan into law on Wednesday and announced he was relaxing some of the water use restrictions imposed in 61 counties last year during extreme drought conditions.
The Senate also approved SB 342, which would streamline and speed up the state’s permitting process for building dams to impound reservoirs. The permitting process currently can take as much as 14 years to complete. The measure now moves to the House for its consideration.
Two bills aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration received Senate approval Thursday. SB 350 would increase penalties for driving without a license, including making a fourth offense a felony punishable by one to five years in prison. SB 340 would prohibit local governments from adopting “sanctuary” policies that prevent public employees from communicating or cooperating with federal officials on the reporting of a person’s residency status.
Both measures moved to the House for its consideration.
Meanwhile this week, I have expressed my opposition to SB 391, which would remove the requirement for many public notices to be published in the local newspapers designated as the legal organs for Georgia’s 159 counties. The bill would allow these notices to be posted on the Internet only, with one company given complete control over their placement.
Despite the greatly expanded popularity and availability of the Internet, there is still a significant portion of our population that does not routinely use computers and depends on local newspapers for information and public notices. This measure would limit access to open government, especially in rural areas and among seniors. I see no reason to make it harder for these citizens to receive public information, just so one company can benefit.
I will urge my colleagues to oppose SB 391, which is pending in the Senate Science & Technology Committee.
Transportation funding solutions recommended
February 1, 2008
Members of the joint House-Senate Transportation Funding Study Committee I served on last summer and fall have issued our recommendations for addressing a serious shortfall in state funding for much-needed improvements to the state's highway system and other projects.
In addition to calling for greater efficiency in state Department of Transportation (DOT) operations and an expanded use of public/private partnerships, the committee is recommending two potential methods of raising revenues for road building:
~ A statewide, 1 percent transportation sales tax that would replace the current 7.5 cents per gallon motor fuel tax. This proposal would require a constitutional amendment, which must be approved by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate and by a majority of voters in the next statewide general election.
~ A regional SPLOST, under which counties could join together and implement a special one-cent local option sales tax to fund regional transportation needs if a majority of voters in those counties approve.
Both of these recommendations will be introduced in the form of legislation to be considered during the current session and are certain to generate much debate as a solution to traffic congestion in the metropolitan Atlanta area and the need for better highways throughout the state.
History was made in the Senate chamber Monday when, for the first time in 34 years, a Georgia governor's legislative veto was overridden by both houses of the General Assembly.
HB 529, which was adopted by both the House of Representatives and the Senate during the 2007 session, was later vetoed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. The legislation itself is an organizational law that makes both the House and Senate budget offices legal entities.
Former President Jimmy Carter was governor in 1974, the last time that both houses voted to override a veto. Still pending in the Senate are 11 more override measures that passed the House on the first day of the current session. Veto overrides require two-thirds approval by both houses.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said of the Senate’s action, “While we respect the office of the governor, the Senate agreed it was important that the language in this bill reflect the role the Senate Budget Office plays in providing valuable assistance to the Senate throughout the budget process.”
The Senate Public Safety Committee has favorably reported legislation that would toughen the penalties for driving without a license. SB 350 provides that a person convicted of driving without a license, currently classified as a misdemeanor offense, would be fingerprinted and required to spend at least two days in jail. The minimum jail time would increase to 10 days for second and third offenses, while a fourth offense would be treated as a felony with a prison sentence of one to five years.
Supporters of the bill describe it as a matter of public safety to get unlicensed drivers off the road and would simply enforcement against an activity that is already against the law. Opponents contend SB 350 is an effort to target illegal immigrants and would result in racial profiling of all Latino drivers.
The measure is now pending action by the Senate Rules Committee before a vote by the full Senate.
Now is the time to act on transportation
January 25, 2008
This week, the Georgia General Assembly was in official recess, but Senate and House Appropriations Committee members heard from state department heads on their budget requests for the remainder of the current fiscal year as well as fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1, 2008.
Gov. Sonny Perdue had outlined his record $21.4 billion state budget proposal to legislators during the first week of the session. Two areas of the governor’s plan that appear to need legislative budget writers’ help the most are funding for transportation and our local schools.
Last summer and fall, I served on a special legislative Transportation Funding Study Committee, and our public meetings revealed some alarming deficiencies in the amount of state revenues available to complete transportation projects now under way, much less new construction and resurfacing planned for the coming years.
Over the next five years, the state is facing a funding shortfall of up to $8 billion to simply maintain the status quo. Realistically, though, the shortfall is about $20 billion when you consider the transportation improvements that are currently proposed for Georgia to keep up with the needs of our growing population. Georgia is now paving less than 4 percent of its roads each year. Traditionally, the state has been able to pave 10 percent annually so that every road would be resurfaced at least once per decade. Currently, that frequency has fallen to once every 25 years or more. In addition, many of our bridges have not been replaced or upgraded in the past 40 years.
Wednesday, the recommendations of our committee to address the transportation funding crisis are scheduled to be made public. Legislation will be introduced to implement a comprehensive strategy to address the funding shortfall and get our transportation program back on track. Among the solutions that may be recommended is a regional local option sales tax, under which residents of multiple counties could join together and vote for a special one-cent tax to fund transportation projects in that region.
Unfortunately, the governor’s budget proposal does very little to address the transportation funding crisis, other than a modest revolving loan fund to help local governments finish road projects. The governor has stated that the state Department of Transportation needs to become more efficient before revenues are addressed.
Those of us on the committee agree that greater efficiency is needed, but we cannot wait another year to close the revenue gap. It was good to hear this week that House Speaker Glenn Richardson feels the same way, and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has indicated he is open to the regional sales tax approach. The need for transportation improvements is growing by the day in Georgia. Now is the time to act.
Another area of great concern in the governor’s budget plan is his proposal to cut additional $141.5 million in state funding to local school systems. Although it is the responsibility of the state government to provide public education, the governor has now cut more than $1.5 billion in local school funding since taking office in 2003, shifting the burden to local school boards and local taxpayers.
When the governor first imposed what he calls “austerity cuts” five years ago, it was understandable because the state was suffering an economic downturn and revenues were tight. But with the governor’s overall spending plan increasing by $1 billion over last year, no one seems to know why it is necessary to continue these tax shifts on local schools.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans) pointed out during our budget hearings: “It’s forcing districts to make changes, either raising taxes or cutting programs they have been funding locally.”
State School Superintendent Kathy Cox added, “That cut is a disappointment to me as well. I am very concerned about that.”
Transportation and education appear to be two areas where the legislature will need to make some adjustments to the governor’s new budget plan.
Governor's budget weak on education, transportation
January 18, 2008
Gov. Sonny Perdue addressed a joint session of the Georgia General Assembly on Wednesday and presented his proposal for the fiscal year 2009 annual state budget, a $21.4 billion spending plan that is a $1 billion increase over last year.
On the positive side, the governor recommends a $53 million appropriation to upgrade the state’s trauma care system, including Grady Memorial Hospital. But on the down side, Gov. Perdue has recommended another $141 million in cuts to local schools, bringing the total education cuts by his administration to $1.5 billion in six years. Also, his proposal for a 2.5 percent teacher pay raise is woefully insufficient.
The governor’s plan is also exceptionally weak on addressing the state’s transportation funding crisis. With a $20 billion shortfall threatening already-approved highway projects over the next six years, all the administration could come up with is a $50 million revolving loan package to assist local governments in completing road projects.
The joint Senate-House Transportation Funding Study Committee will soon release our recommendations for addressing the state’s transportation needs, and hopefully the legislature will agree that now is the time for action, not later.
Also during the first week of the 2008 session, I co-sponsored legislation that would create a “Made in Georgia” campaign, designed to promote the sale of products manufactured in Georgia.
SB 359 would increase awareness of the significant role of manufacturing in our state. It is also intended to raise the profile of Georgia’s manufacturing impact on people, plants and products.
Under the legislation, a “Made in Georgia” campaign logo would be created for use as a stamp of certification on products that are actually home-grown and manufactured in Georgia and by Georgians. Retailers would also be encouraged to use the logo in their marketing of “Made in Georgia” products.
Our state’s economic future is tied directly to the success of our manufacturing industry. We must do all we can to help boost the companies that are providing jobs and putting food on the tables of so many Georgia families. The “Made in Georgia” campaign will serve as a reminder that we all benefit from the success of these local businesses.
On Friday, the Senate approved legislation intended to improve the state’s management of our water supply for years to come. The drought of 2007 raised awareness of the seriousness of this issue. SR 701 would implement a new statewide water management plan, creating 11 water planning districts that will decide such policy issues as whether and where to impound reservoirs to ensure a sufficient supply of water for Georgia residents.
On Thursday, the Senate voted to approve legislation that would give law-abiding citizens the right to keep guns in cars parked in publicly accessible lots. The law is restricted to individuals who already have a state permit to carry a concealed weapon.
A provision of HB 89 that was opposed by the Georgia business community, requiring employers to allow their workers to have guns in cars parked on company property, was removed by the Senate Rules Committee, avoiding an argument of 2nd Amendment rights vs. private property rights. The bill as amended now goes back to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The legislature will be in official recess until Jan. 28, while Senate and House budget writers hold appropriations hearings Jan. 22-25.
District 6
P.O. Box 1781
Smyrna, GA 30081
Phone: 770.436.0699
Fax: 770.436.0699
Email: doug.stoner@senate.ga.gov
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