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Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to use lottery money to pay for more state scholarships – a move some call unconstitutional – is about to get its first official failing grade.
The House Appropriations Committee will approve a spending plan Wednesday morning that goes against Perdue’s proposal to shift the $33 million in taxpayer-funded scholarships and grants to the lottery programs, which are already buckling under the weight of big increases in HOPE scholarships.
Among other changes, the committee’s budget plan will cut an extra $9.7 million from the University System’s budget and $1.5 million from technical colleges.
The move wasn’t a surprise, since House and Senate leaders have already asked Attorney General Thurbert Baker for an opinion on the legality of Perdue’s move.
Perdue wants to pay for about $33 million in taxpayer-funded scholarships and grants this year with lottery funds. That might not be a problem in some years, but the cost of HOPE scholarships and …

Continue reading House goes against Perdue on HOPE shift and cuts public colleges »

A House bill that promises to roll back old regulations put all communications companies on a level playing field, while adding no new taxes sailed through the Georgia Senate this morning. HB 168, a holdover from last session, passed 44-4.

“Twenty years ago, cable and telephone were different,” said Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), chairman of the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. “Now, they have merged and there is no reason to regulate the industries differently.”

The bill includes a gradual phase out of “access charges” that companies charge each other for cross-state calls. It also calls for the immediate removal of Georgia Public Service Commission oversight over how the companies work with each other.

Don Thomas (R-Dalton), one of the four senators who opposed the bill, said he was concerned about possible costs.

“I am concerned about the possible raising of rates. In my area, there are a lot of independent phone companies who could be impacted by this,” Thomas …

Continue reading Bill would regulate communications companies »

There was a new face in the Senate chamber this morning. Senators were introduced to the new gentleman from Augusta, Hardie Davis.

Davis was sworn in Monday and had his first day in the Senate on Tuesday.

One of his first chores? Praising his fellow Yellow Jackets from the speaker’s podium for Georgia Tech Day at the capitol.

“This is an exciting day,” Davis said later. “I like the pace over here.”

While new to the Senate, Davis isn’t exactly a new face in the Capitol.

Prior to running for Senate, the 41-year-old pastor of Abundant Life Worship Center represented Augusta in the Georgia House of Representatives.

“I knew Augusta needed strong and effective leadership in this seat,” Davis said. “I want to make sure Augusta gets its fair share.”

Davis said in the he is going to advocate for teachers, the Medical College of Georgia and work to create jobs.

“As far as legislation, I have some good ideas that I am very excited about,” Davis said.

Just last week, Davis defeated former …

Continue reading Mr. Davis goes to Atlanta »

The state of Georgia saw its revenues fall by another 8.7 percent in January, the 14th consecutive month of decline, another sickening sign that the state’s economy has yet to recover.

Overall, the fiscal year that begin July 1 has seen the state collect 12.9 percent less in taxes and other revenues than the comparable 7-month period a year ago, a difference of more than $1.28 billion.

The news comes the day before lawmakers in the House Appropriations Committee are expected to adopt an amended 2010 budget that cuts $1.2 billion from the version approved by the Legislature last year. The amended budget was built around a revenue estimate from Gov. Sonny Perdue that is now obsolete, given the continued drop of tax collections in January.

The state did not build on December’s gains in individual income tax collections, which were up 6 percent over December 2008. In January, however, those collections were off 16 percent from January 2009. Sales tax collections fell 5.5 percent …

Continue reading January brings no relief as state revenues fall again »

A bi-partisan group of House members on Tuesday proposed a bill that they said would complement transportation funding plans that are being worked up at the state Capitol. In contrast to other plans under discussion, it would increase the amount of money set aside for transportation statewide over the long term, and be permanent, assuming the economy continued to grow.

In contrast, a plan proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue would go up for region-by-region votes in 2012 and sunset after a few years.  Another proposed by House and Senate Democrats would also be regional rather than statewide, and probably sunset, though it would allow part of the gas tax that goes to general state expenses to be dedicated for transportation.

The plan proposed Tuesday by Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) and others would not raise the state’s tax rate.  But over time, as the economy recovered and state revenues grew, a certain amount of the increasing revenues from the state’s general sales tax would be set …

Continue reading House members propose long-term transportation funding »

The first recommendations from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s Senate Budget Task Force came out today in the form of two bills designed to promote transparency and savings in state government.

SB 388, introduced by Sen. Jim Butterworth, is called the Paper Reduction Act and will bring up to $7 million in cost savings by reducing unnecessary, wasteful use of paper, while increasing electronic distribution of materials. Standing next to a two-foot tall stack of papers, he said reports from several state offices and agencies can and should be done online.

“Businesses have long practiced the move from paper to paperless and have seen real cost savings.  There is no reason state government should not do the same to not only promote the financial savings found in reducing the entire printing process, but to also lessen environmental impact,” Cagle said. “At the end of the day, our goal is for the state’s checkbook to be open and available to taxpayers, who provide our ultimate …

Continue reading Cagle, Senate introduce plan to reduce paper use, expand accountability Website »

Local governments that use established governmental programs to find and identify criminal illegal immigrants would be given monetary incentives under a newly-proposed senate bill.

Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) today introduced SB 385, which would reward governments for using U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Section 287(g) and Secured Communities programs so that criminal illegal aliens are identified and turned over to the proper authorities.

“Many people from other nations move to the U.S. and Georgia and become law-abiding American citizens to find a better life for their families.  Unfortunately, there are some that choose to circumvent our laws,” said Wiles.  “There is a growing concern that many criminal illegal aliens are not being identified because local governments do not participate in these important programs.  I want to help the local jail systems participate in these federal programs so that criminals are transferred to the federal government for …

Continue reading Senate bill sets to reward municipalities who seek out criminal illegal immigrants »

While Robert Proctor sits on the State Ethics Commission board as its newest member – with an outstanding ethics claim pending against him – a Georgia State Senator has introduced legislation that would prevent the likes of the Atlanta attorney joining such a board.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Steve Henson (D-Tucker), would ban anyone from joining the Ethics Commission who has had an ethics fine within the past 10 years.

The case stems from an appearance by Proctor before the state Senate Finance Committee in 2003. Proctor, an attorney representing a tax lien collection company called Vesta Holdings, spoke against proposed legislation that would hurt the profits of such companies.

A supporter of the legislation filed an ethics complaint against Proctor. In commission hearings, Proctor argued — and still argues — that as a practicing attorney he was allowed to speak at state hearings without registering as a lobbyist. Attorneys with the state attorney general’s office argued …

Continue reading Bill would bar ethics violators from serving on ethics panel »

The DOT board has voted overwhelmingly to rescind its controversial votes from last month defying the state auditor on its accounting methods.

With most attending by telephone, nine of the 13 members voted to rescind the move, two abstained, and no one voted to hold fast.

The meeting Friday followed a round of jarring meetings board members held Thursday with House Speaker David Ralston, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, House Transportation Committee Chairman Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla), the Senate Transportation Committee and the highest-ranking members of the state Senate, and Gov. Sonny Perdue’s chief of staff, Ed Holcomb, according to Board Chairman Bill Kuhlke.  The message:  Back off.

“I had never been over to the state capitol where I saw so much consistency in the disbelief of what the board did, and anger,” Kuhlke told his fellow board members.  Kuhlke said board members had previously believed they had support in the House, but were disabused of that notion.  He said Roberts could …

Continue reading DOT board rescinds vote on accounting »

By Cameron McWhirter

Former House Speaker Glenn Richardson filed applications this week with the IRS and the Georgia Secretary of State to register his political action committee as a nonprofit. Both applications are pending.

On Wednesday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the State Ethics Commission has launched an investigation into former House Speaker Glenn Richardson’s transfer of $219,000 in leftover money from his campaign fund to a political action committee he controls.

The MMV Alliance Fund, the commission found, was not registered with the federal government or the state as a nonprofit. Under state law, leftover campaign funds are supposed to be donated to candidates or political parties or transferred to nonprofits approved by the IRS or the state.

Richardson (R-Hiram) was one of the state’s most powerful politicians until last fall, when he attempted suicide and then announced he was suffering from depression. Later, his ex-wife said publicly that …

Continue reading Disgraced former speaker moves to register his PAC »