Newspapers in rural Georgia have begun exploring the implications of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s effort to consolidate the state’s various transportation agencies.
His legislation would diminish the role of the board that governs the state Department of Transportation, whose members are selected by congressional district. Funding is also spread out among those 13 districts.
In Monday’s Tifton Gazette, state Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican running for governor, said this:
“I really don’t understand why the governor has come forward with this proposal at this time,” Scott said. “I know everyone in the metro areas of the state is frustrated with traffic, but it doesn’t mean we should crucify the DOT.”
“It is the only major board appointment where the members of the legislature get to determine who is going to represent their respective areas,” Scott said. “The Board of Regents, for example, those appointments are made 100 percent by the governor.”
“Right now, there is a requirement that transportation funds be congressionally balanced and the new bill doesn’t require congressional balancing, so I certainly have a fear of what it will do to this area of the state,” he said.
This from the Dalton Daily News on the north end of the state:
City Council member Charlie Bethel said state transportation officials have been paying closer attention to Dalton’s needs and he said the area has good representation on the State Transportation Board. Dalton attorney Steve Farrow currently serves as the 9th Congressional District on the board, which is selected by members of the General Assembly from each of the state’s congressional districts.
Bethel said Dalton and other communities might suffer “if we do away with or marginalize our current board structure.”
2 comments Add your comment
Chris Broe
March 3rd, 2009
11:01 am
I just cant help it. I luv the guvnah! (gubernatorial gullah). I fell in love with the governor when he prayed for rain. The humanity of the man shown through to an extent where I totally understood why this man deserves to be the servant of the people. Would you want to be the servant allocator? How would you like to allocate resources in Georgia to servants? Half the servants will like you. Half the servants would hang you, if they thought they could hide in a servant ditto when they did it. Servant Fact.
Is Rush going Full Rush to Judgment about Obama? Rush drinks the Koolaid, The Cannonade, and the Canon’s aid. He’s mauls Obama like a chimpanzee would, (twitter gullah).
I think we should simply let Mr. Perdue walk the walk, without calling it a perp walk, or escaping, or enriching himself. Once retired from governing, let somebody prove that his prayer was for a raincoat. Then shame on him. Then.
But if we are 2 find a bottom, we at least have 2 luv the guvnah, (gubernatorial-gullah).
If you people wont hug a mullah, (clerical gullah), you damn well better luv the guvnah, (gubernatorial gullah). . It’s your civic duty.
If not, we’re finished.
al
March 3rd, 2009
7:06 pm
He obviously likes yes women, even if they hire all their old boyfriends and marry the boss, moved him out of the way, but shes got a job and a man and a governor to take care of her. Mr Purdue got his tax brake, he reallly ant sure which team to play on, tax and spend Republican or tax and spend Democrats, hope he can make his 21 mil payment on time, maybe if he needs, Ruppert Murdock will give him a book deal or tv job.