The House debated SB 31 for about 3 1/2 hours today. This is the bill we've reported on several times already, which would do an end run around the Public Service Commission (PSC) and allow Georgia Power to charge us, its individual customers, in advance, for the planned construction of a nuclear plant.
How ever one feels about nuclear power, this bill was terrible for consumers.
The main argument of those who supported the bill was that it would save consumers a huge rate hike in the future by allowing Georgia Power to charge us a little bit at a time so that we wouldn't have to pay interest on interest later. This was nonsense.
Rather than demonstrating that with bits of the back-and-forth debate, we'll instead give you the Minority Report.
It's rarely used, but if something about to pass is egregious enough, a legislator can call for a Minority Report. This allows, at the end of debate, for an important group to speak. Those members of the committee that sent the bill on to the full Senate who voted against the bill when it was in that committee - in other words those who were on the losing side when the bill was voted out of committee - are allowed 20 minutes to speak about why they opposed the bill, and their report is printed up and given to all Senators.
Democrats Brian Thomas and Dubose Porter gave the Minority Report.
Thomas dismantled the arguments of the bill's supporters with the skill and precision of the archaeologist that he is. (Yes, he really is an archaeologist - pretty cool.)
First, he crushed the argument that this plan will save consumers money. Of the money that we would have added to our Georgia Power bills in fees that's supposedly going to prevent us from paying interest on interest:
Only 25% - $500 million - is going towards that goal of paying as we go so that we don't pay interest on interest later on.
50% - $1.1 million - is going straight to Georgia Power as profit. (They call it "return on equity".)
25% - $500 million - would go to paying taxes on that profit.
So, rather than saving us money, 75% of the extra fees we're charged will go towards Georgia Power making bigger profits.
Second, he said that this was not a referendum on nuclear power. The PSC will decide on construction of nuclear plants March 17 at its next meeting.
Third, he pointed out that it's not a referendum on jobs in Augusta. Those jobs will arrive if and when a nuclear plant is built there, which has nothing to do with this bill.
This bill was only about how Georgia Power gets its money.
Dubose Porter informed younger members that when a scheme like this passed through the Georgia Legislature many years ago, it became known as the "Retirement Bill," because so many members lost their seats for voting for it.
Of course, this valiant effort didn't take the day.
The converts to the church of Georgia Power ignored the many unanswered questions, and didn't seem to think it mattered if we had to fight to get them answered later. Apparently their votes were lined up in advance.
The bill passed 107-66, with about 20 Republicans voting against it and about 20 Democrats voting for it.
With so many people and groups opposing it, it's a tough loss to take, because legislators admitted that they had gotten very few to zero calls in favor from constituents. That's not the way things are supposed to work.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Our Town Hall
Check out video of the GRUS Town Hall on Health Care and the Economy, which we held last Thursday at the Academy Theatre in Avondale Estates.
Representative Michelle Henson, Tim Sweeney of Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (www.gbpi.org), Kathy McClure of VoteHealthcare.org (www.votehealthcare.org) and our own Health Care for America Now! (www.HealthCareforAmericaNow.org) director, Charity Woods presented, followed by Q & A with great questions and comments from the attendees.
This clip is from the Q & A. Some vid of the presentations is on our YouTube page.
Representative Michelle Henson, Tim Sweeney of Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (www.gbpi.org), Kathy McClure of VoteHealthcare.org (www.votehealthcare.org) and our own Health Care for America Now! (www.HealthCareforAmericaNow.org) director, Charity Woods presented, followed by Q & A with great questions and comments from the attendees.
This clip is from the Q & A. Some vid of the presentations is on our YouTube page.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Day 21 - Just Plain Mean
The Anti-Immigrant Zealots are at it again. Not quite as bad as last year, but still really bad. One sane Senator said today that loss of state funds, when cities declare themselves "Sanctuary Cities", as bad as it is, was "mild for these anti-people, and sometimes you have to throw them a bone." How sad when laws get made this way.
The bill was SB 20, and it did pass out of the Senate today by a wide margin. The problem is, as Sen. Emanuel Jones said from the well, "It's a bill in search of a problem."
SB 20 would make it illegal for any Georgia locality to be a "Sanctuary City." But no city in Georgia has said it had any intention of being a Sanctuary City. What's a Sanctuary City? Exactly. . . . You haven't heard of it before because it's not an issue.
And there's the rub... In committee last week, the bill's author said that he really did want it to apply to cities that "acted like" Sanctuary Cities. So it would be a technical violation...no city declaration but still liable if someone thinks you act like you declared.
The bill doesn't say how one would identify that a city is acting like that, or how the state could enforce such a law. Or even who could report violations. So what the Senate has now passed is a bill that opens up a Pandora's Box where any anti-immigrant vigilante with a gripe can go after any locality he or she wants and report it for violating some standards that don't exist.
It's just another mean-spirited bill aimed at showing how hostile Georgia is to immigrants. Sen. Nan Orrock raised, from the floor, the concern that a bill like this would discourage foreign companies from coming to Georgia. We share that concern. But for some of our legislators, it's more important to look tough by demonizing whole sectors of the population than it is to look out for the real interests of hard-working Georgians -- like, say, jobs.
Which is why yesterday another anti-immigrant bill passed out of committee.
HB 45 would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Has the state, or the bill's sponsors, or anyone, demonstrated a single instance of a non-citizen attempting to register to vote or to vote? No. Not a single one. And as Rep. Pedro Marin has said, no undocumented immigrant in her or his right mind would risk deportation by attempting to register. So this is another bill in search of a problem. Undocumented immigrants are not trying to vote.
While the bill won't address any problem, it will hurt elderly people, especially African-Americans, who don't have access to a birth certificate because they were born in another state or weren't born in a hospital. So, while there is not supposed to be any cost or poll tax for voting, you might have people who have to pay for document searches and perhaps even have to get a lawyer...just to straighten out their legitimate eligibility to vote. Put up enough barriers and people lose interest. Is that what's intended? You betcha!
The bill was SB 20, and it did pass out of the Senate today by a wide margin. The problem is, as Sen. Emanuel Jones said from the well, "It's a bill in search of a problem."
SB 20 would make it illegal for any Georgia locality to be a "Sanctuary City." But no city in Georgia has said it had any intention of being a Sanctuary City. What's a Sanctuary City? Exactly. . . . You haven't heard of it before because it's not an issue.
And there's the rub... In committee last week, the bill's author said that he really did want it to apply to cities that "acted like" Sanctuary Cities. So it would be a technical violation...no city declaration but still liable if someone thinks you act like you declared.
The bill doesn't say how one would identify that a city is acting like that, or how the state could enforce such a law. Or even who could report violations. So what the Senate has now passed is a bill that opens up a Pandora's Box where any anti-immigrant vigilante with a gripe can go after any locality he or she wants and report it for violating some standards that don't exist.
It's just another mean-spirited bill aimed at showing how hostile Georgia is to immigrants. Sen. Nan Orrock raised, from the floor, the concern that a bill like this would discourage foreign companies from coming to Georgia. We share that concern. But for some of our legislators, it's more important to look tough by demonizing whole sectors of the population than it is to look out for the real interests of hard-working Georgians -- like, say, jobs.
Which is why yesterday another anti-immigrant bill passed out of committee.
HB 45 would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Has the state, or the bill's sponsors, or anyone, demonstrated a single instance of a non-citizen attempting to register to vote or to vote? No. Not a single one. And as Rep. Pedro Marin has said, no undocumented immigrant in her or his right mind would risk deportation by attempting to register. So this is another bill in search of a problem. Undocumented immigrants are not trying to vote.
While the bill won't address any problem, it will hurt elderly people, especially African-Americans, who don't have access to a birth certificate because they were born in another state or weren't born in a hospital. So, while there is not supposed to be any cost or poll tax for voting, you might have people who have to pay for document searches and perhaps even have to get a lawyer...just to straighten out their legitimate eligibility to vote. Put up enough barriers and people lose interest. Is that what's intended? You betcha!
Passing the Half-Way Mark...Hurry Up and Wait
This week begins the sprint that follows the passing of the 20 th day of the 40 day session.
The upcoming legislative days are expected to be a little more hectic as bills continue to be heard in spurts of committee activity. Finally. Or regretably, depending on how you look at it. Some wish they would just take care of the budget and not do much else. You know the old joke about "lock up the women and children, they are not safe during session".
But very few bills have passed both chambers thus far. One, that was supposed to protect the homeowners property tax grant, was really a smooth head-fake. You get the grant this year, but it goes away next year...likely never to be seen again. You see, after 2009 instead of a set grant, the "possibility" of a grant hinges on a complicated formula that triggers a grant only when state revenue increases at certain levels. By most accounts it will be impossible to reach the trigger levels. What was promoted as a love letter turned out to be a Dear John.
S.H.O.T. 's across the bow - Short Here's Our Take stream:
- Revenue is desperately needed but no action yet taken on Pass the Buck (HB 39) to bring in another $1 in per pack sales. No action yet taken on Sunday Alcohol Sales (SB 16) which would bring in additional revenue in the localities that vote to do so. And maybe one of several versions of eliminating the seatbelt wearing exception for pick-up trucks will pass. And that bill alone would bring Georgia over 4 million in Federal Highway Safety Funds. But will it pass the House? Surprise, it's not the slam dunk you would think.
- SB 31, we're told, is greased to override the great public outcry against it. Having already passed the Senate this bill starts charging Georgia Power consumers now for the future construction of nuclear power plant construction. The plants haven't even been approved. And if they are, construction isn't scheduled until 2016. And then, cost over-runs get billed to the customer too. Didn't Madoff get arrested for this kind of "deal"?
- Sen. Steve Thompson calls SB 31 "The Lobbyist Employment Act".
- And wouldn't you have guessed, Gov. Perdue's current Chief of Staff had a 39 year career with Georgia Power. No, not in some accounting cubicle, but as the company's chief lobbyist! Good grief.
- Initial Republican leadership reluctance to show any public salivating over federal dollars coming from the Recovery Act, has begun to disovle. Talk now about how to use those dollars to relieve the budget deficit is getting serious. Advocacy groups are pressing for allocation toward the services that were cut in Perdue's proposal. First clue on how that turns out will be in the Supplemental budget that comes up this week. The Supplemental is what makes adjustments for FY 2009. The BIG Budget is the FY 2010 proposal that will correspond to the arrival of the biggest federal dollars.
- We can't see the genie going back in the bottle, but...Speaking of embracing federal Recovery money, the first leadership announced plans for using the influx did not include any expression of thanks or recognition that it came from Congressional Democrats.
- Leadership squabbles of the last couple of years have been largely hidden this time. Watching the Governor, Speaker and Lt. Governor feuds were about the only fun to be had for the previous sessions. Now there are a lot more joint announcements with a tip-toeing around differences. This can't last much longer, right?
- One mistake that could be costly would be leadership making a symbolic "conservative" stand against changing Ga law to accommodate the Recovery Act increased unemployment benefits. Perdue hints that he may not accept money intended as a subsidy to the unemployed to keep their health insurance. This is called COBRA, which allows continuation of insurance at a premium rate. To allow people to take the subsidy for more than 3 months would require a GA bill to extend the coverage time. Without the subsidy, the COBRA payments would consume 85% of the average family unemployment benefit. And who, being unemployed, could ever afford to accept the 15% left to live on? So without a change in law most all would have to let their insurance lapse. That results in more costs to the health care system and peoples individual health. What a viscious cycle. Pay now or pay more later. For those that still pray, pray now for Federal health care reform ASAP.
The upcoming legislative days are expected to be a little more hectic as bills continue to be heard in spurts of committee activity. Finally. Or regretably, depending on how you look at it. Some wish they would just take care of the budget and not do much else. You know the old joke about "lock up the women and children, they are not safe during session".
But very few bills have passed both chambers thus far. One, that was supposed to protect the homeowners property tax grant, was really a smooth head-fake. You get the grant this year, but it goes away next year...likely never to be seen again. You see, after 2009 instead of a set grant, the "possibility" of a grant hinges on a complicated formula that triggers a grant only when state revenue increases at certain levels. By most accounts it will be impossible to reach the trigger levels. What was promoted as a love letter turned out to be a Dear John.
S.H.O.T. 's across the bow - Short Here's Our Take stream:
- Revenue is desperately needed but no action yet taken on Pass the Buck (HB 39) to bring in another $1 in per pack sales. No action yet taken on Sunday Alcohol Sales (SB 16) which would bring in additional revenue in the localities that vote to do so. And maybe one of several versions of eliminating the seatbelt wearing exception for pick-up trucks will pass. And that bill alone would bring Georgia over 4 million in Federal Highway Safety Funds. But will it pass the House? Surprise, it's not the slam dunk you would think.
- SB 31, we're told, is greased to override the great public outcry against it. Having already passed the Senate this bill starts charging Georgia Power consumers now for the future construction of nuclear power plant construction. The plants haven't even been approved. And if they are, construction isn't scheduled until 2016. And then, cost over-runs get billed to the customer too. Didn't Madoff get arrested for this kind of "deal"?
- Sen. Steve Thompson calls SB 31 "The Lobbyist Employment Act".
- And wouldn't you have guessed, Gov. Perdue's current Chief of Staff had a 39 year career with Georgia Power. No, not in some accounting cubicle, but as the company's chief lobbyist! Good grief.
- Initial Republican leadership reluctance to show any public salivating over federal dollars coming from the Recovery Act, has begun to disovle. Talk now about how to use those dollars to relieve the budget deficit is getting serious. Advocacy groups are pressing for allocation toward the services that were cut in Perdue's proposal. First clue on how that turns out will be in the Supplemental budget that comes up this week. The Supplemental is what makes adjustments for FY 2009. The BIG Budget is the FY 2010 proposal that will correspond to the arrival of the biggest federal dollars.
- We can't see the genie going back in the bottle, but...Speaking of embracing federal Recovery money, the first leadership announced plans for using the influx did not include any expression of thanks or recognition that it came from Congressional Democrats.
- Leadership squabbles of the last couple of years have been largely hidden this time. Watching the Governor, Speaker and Lt. Governor feuds were about the only fun to be had for the previous sessions. Now there are a lot more joint announcements with a tip-toeing around differences. This can't last much longer, right?
- One mistake that could be costly would be leadership making a symbolic "conservative" stand against changing Ga law to accommodate the Recovery Act increased unemployment benefits. Perdue hints that he may not accept money intended as a subsidy to the unemployed to keep their health insurance. This is called COBRA, which allows continuation of insurance at a premium rate. To allow people to take the subsidy for more than 3 months would require a GA bill to extend the coverage time. Without the subsidy, the COBRA payments would consume 85% of the average family unemployment benefit. And who, being unemployed, could ever afford to accept the 15% left to live on? So without a change in law most all would have to let their insurance lapse. That results in more costs to the health care system and peoples individual health. What a viscious cycle. Pay now or pay more later. For those that still pray, pray now for Federal health care reform ASAP.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
It's always fun to be a spectator
They’ve been dragging their feet down here under the Gold Dome, but this week things are picking up big time.
Sen. Fort introduced a bill to impose a moratorium on the death penalty. SB 175. Shalom.
Johnny Isakson announced his intention to run for his U.S. Senate seat again in 2010. Lots of people gathered around, but no one asked the question..."Six more years of what, exactly?"
There are some whispers that they may be reconsidering the long break between March and June. Maybe we’ll get a better feel for that when Gov. Perdue holds his press conference on how more federal dollars might influence the state’s budget.
On top of that, this week we’re staying on top of hearings on Sunday Sales and School Vouchers, and the Senate version of the GSU professors sex Inquistion. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/02/02/sex_experts_legislature.html
And there's still Georgia Power's plan to get us all to pay in advance so they can build a couple of nuclear reactors in Georgia. The first one is not even scheduled to begin construction until 2016. And even this first plant has not yet received all approvals. Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown reflected eloquently from the well this morning and bemoaned the Senate vote to approve this sweetheart deal. Actually his booming voice reflected too...one of the better raise-the-rafters speeches heard in a long time. Sometime speaking with authority has its proper decibel level.
It’s always nerve-wracking to have 2 or 3 committee hearings to get to every afternoon, but now there are 2 or 3 at the same time – in different buildings.
Sen. Fort introduced a bill to impose a moratorium on the death penalty. SB 175. Shalom.
Johnny Isakson announced his intention to run for his U.S. Senate seat again in 2010. Lots of people gathered around, but no one asked the question..."Six more years of what, exactly?"
There are some whispers that they may be reconsidering the long break between March and June. Maybe we’ll get a better feel for that when Gov. Perdue holds his press conference on how more federal dollars might influence the state’s budget.
On top of that, this week we’re staying on top of hearings on Sunday Sales and School Vouchers, and the Senate version of the GSU professors sex Inquistion. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/02/02/sex_experts_legislature.html
And there's still Georgia Power's plan to get us all to pay in advance so they can build a couple of nuclear reactors in Georgia. The first one is not even scheduled to begin construction until 2016. And even this first plant has not yet received all approvals. Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown reflected eloquently from the well this morning and bemoaned the Senate vote to approve this sweetheart deal. Actually his booming voice reflected too...one of the better raise-the-rafters speeches heard in a long time. Sometime speaking with authority has its proper decibel level.
It’s always nerve-wracking to have 2 or 3 committee hearings to get to every afternoon, but now there are 2 or 3 at the same time – in different buildings.
Friday, February 13, 2009
More Highlights from this Week: In Defense of Sanity
Voter ID redux – The big battle in ’05 was to require photo ID for voting and it was a pretty transparent effort to reduce the voting power of minorities and seniors. The more moderate and liberal portion of the potential voting pool. Under the unproven claim that requiring ID would eliminate some imaginary fraudulent voting conspiracy, the ID requirements were passed on a strictly partisan vote. The Dems even staged a protest walkout in both Chambers when the bill was loaded with barriers to registering and voting.
The majority Repubs crafted lots of requirements that wound up as a neat little circle around who they thought was worthy of being a voter. One part of the bill allows for college ID’s from UGA and state universities to be acceptable proof of voting eligibility. But NOT ID’s from Spelman, Morehouse, Morris Brown…well, you get the picture.
Now Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan seeks to rectify this backhanded discrimination with HB 209.
Her bill passed out of subcommittee but the Secretary of State’s office threw out some last minute requests for changes to the bill. Rep. Morgan questioned why, after an agreeable meeting with the Secretary of State, she had to deal with last minute change requests. No answer is yet available. We’ll keep you posted. Passage out of subcommittee does not guarantee final passage, of course.
-------------------
Meanwhile . . .
-------------------
Rep. Karla Drenner took to the well and defended academic freedom against the mistaken onslaught from some conservative legislators.
You may have heard that
Well, Reps. Calvin Hill and Charlice Byrd thought that the list of topics was a list of classes that the professors offered. So when they saw “oral sex” and “male prostitution” they railed against Ga State’s morals for offering such “classes”. And suggested Ga State’s budget should be cut. They continued railing even after they were informed they had misinterpreted the media guide.
We are not happy to report that the legislature actually wasted time holding a hearing on this silly matter. We are happy to report that the two challenged professors eloquently defended themselves and showed the value of their research to public health policy development.
Another example of why you leave curriculum to the education professionals and not the legislators. That’s a Gold Dome over the Capitol, not a Big Steeple.
The Real State of the Union
The longtime tradition of the annual REAL State of the Union event was to hoot and holler in counter to the Bush State of the Union message. A chance to reverse the adminstration’s spin. What would it be like when the Bush empire ended? Well, this year's event - held on Tuesday, Feb. 10 - was still a stem-winding good time delivered by AJC columnist Jay Bookman and Rev. Joe Lowery.
Lowery about our role in relation to Obama: "We have to continue to speak truth to power, no matter who holds the reins of power."
Lowery on the first black chairman of the Republican Party: "Michael Steele shows that no one race holds a monopoly on foolishness.” The church was full of Amens.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Day 16, Part II - Dateline: Fantasy Island (Part III)
And connecting the dots between the last two posts:
Did we mention that Georgia Power has exempted its corporate customers from the rate hike? That's right - it's only we individual customers who get to pay the extra fees.
Did we mention that Georgia Power has exempted its corporate customers from the rate hike? That's right - it's only we individual customers who get to pay the extra fees.
Day 16 - Dateline: Fantasy Island (Part II)
Wednesday, February 12
Well, the Senate passed the bill written by 70-some Georgia Power lobbyists to allow the electric company to bill customers, in advance, for the costs of building new nuclear power plants. (That’s not a typo, 70 lobbyists.) The monthly additional consumer charges will help pay for plants that have not yet even been approved for construction.
Usually the Public Service Commission oversees the rate increase process, but the legislature usurps power here as a favor to their corporate benefactors. Why a bill to step in now? The PSC’s own staff researchers recommended against approval of the Georgia Power scheme. Inquiring minds want to know why the PSC has rolled over and allowed the regulatory power to be taken away. Could it be that they would have likewise knuckeled under to their corporate friends and voted for approval against staff recommendation and they don’t want to be blamed? Shame.
Well, the Senate passed the bill written by 70-some Georgia Power lobbyists to allow the electric company to bill customers, in advance, for the costs of building new nuclear power plants. (That’s not a typo, 70 lobbyists.) The monthly additional consumer charges will help pay for plants that have not yet even been approved for construction.
Usually the Public Service Commission oversees the rate increase process, but the legislature usurps power here as a favor to their corporate benefactors. Why a bill to step in now? The PSC’s own staff researchers recommended against approval of the Georgia Power scheme. Inquiring minds want to know why the PSC has rolled over and allowed the regulatory power to be taken away. Could it be that they would have likewise knuckeled under to their corporate friends and voted for approval against staff recommendation and they don’t want to be blamed? Shame.
Day 15 - Dateline: Fantasy Island (Part I)
Tuesday, February 11
Another corporate bailout sails through as Delta and others get fuel tax breaks further reducing the state’s income to fund budget shortfalls for services. Said Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam from the well: "It is incumbent upon the state of Georgia to educate our children; it is not incumbent upon the state of Georgia to bail out private companies." In other words, with all the cuts we've made to services like education this year, why on earth would the House vote to reduce the state's revenues?
Georgia’s legislature has been giving out tax breaks to corporations for a long time. There isn’t even a list of who has received long-forgotten favoritism. And no one evaluates whether the breaks are still appropriate. The conservative mantra has been that tax cuts are best given to business so they can trickle down benefits to everyone. And how has that theory been working out for us? Time to look at who gets what, why they got it and did they do what they prom ised in exchange for the break.
Another corporate bailout sails through as Delta and others get fuel tax breaks further reducing the state’s income to fund budget shortfalls for services. Said Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam from the well: "It is incumbent upon the state of Georgia to educate our children; it is not incumbent upon the state of Georgia to bail out private companies." In other words, with all the cuts we've made to services like education this year, why on earth would the House vote to reduce the state's revenues?
Georgia’s legislature has been giving out tax breaks to corporations for a long time. There isn’t even a list of who has received long-forgotten favoritism. And no one evaluates whether the breaks are still appropriate. The conservative mantra has been that tax cuts are best given to business so they can trickle down benefits to everyone. And how has that theory been working out for us? Time to look at who gets what, why they got it and did they do what they prom ised in exchange for the break.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Day 14 - "Pass the Buck" and Buckle Up
"Pass the Buck" is gaining momentum. The coalition aiming to pass Ron Stephens' (R-Savannah) $1/pack cigarette tax held a press conference this morning with probably 30 doctors, and Stephens spoke to the Working Families Caucus this afternoon.
He noted that each pack of cigarettes carries with it $9 in healthcare costs for Georgia taxpayers, and that what he's asking for is only what turns out to actually be a $1 voluntary user fee. And could be expected to raise $350 million for the state.
Rep. Stephens and many doctors also noted that studies have proven that price hikes do help prevent teens from smoking, because, let's face it, most teens are broke.
With the current budget crisis, this bill -- which would help financially and directly help save lives -- seems like a no-brainer. A smokin' good idea.
And also remember, there are a couple of bills floating around that would remove the exemption from truck owners having to wear seat belts. This little change in law would trigger $4 million in Federal Highway Safety Funds to be released to Georgia. Hey this stuff adds up. Anyone have any more good ideas? Could be helpful.
He noted that each pack of cigarettes carries with it $9 in healthcare costs for Georgia taxpayers, and that what he's asking for is only what turns out to actually be a $1 voluntary user fee. And could be expected to raise $350 million for the state.
Rep. Stephens and many doctors also noted that studies have proven that price hikes do help prevent teens from smoking, because, let's face it, most teens are broke.
With the current budget crisis, this bill -- which would help financially and directly help save lives -- seems like a no-brainer. A smokin' good idea.
And also remember, there are a couple of bills floating around that would remove the exemption from truck owners having to wear seat belts. This little change in law would trigger $4 million in Federal Highway Safety Funds to be released to Georgia. Hey this stuff adds up. Anyone have any more good ideas? Could be helpful.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Day 13 -- One way to get out of the house
Another person commented on school vouchers today: "After 9 years of cuts, this is just another chip in the plan to eventually eliminate public schools."
Maybe it was because this assault on public education was on our mind, but it was difficult to be excited about the homeschoolers lobbying all over the place today. Not wanting to disparage them or their education, it was sort of painful to watch them unsuccessfully try to interact. They were cute, and they had their literature and their promotional tables, but they really did seem to need to get out more. Sorry.
Maybe it was because this assault on public education was on our mind, but it was difficult to be excited about the homeschoolers lobbying all over the place today. Not wanting to disparage them or their education, it was sort of painful to watch them unsuccessfully try to interact. They were cute, and they had their literature and their promotional tables, but they really did seem to need to get out more. Sorry.
Day 13 -- Who said fathers know best?
The Women's Policy Group held a lunchtime Capitol Briefing today that was so well-attended that about 15 of us sat on the floor.
And it was a good thing it was crowded -- with the budget cuts, women are taking some of the hardest hits, as usual.
Nice to hear from the crowd that many of them intended to run for office, as women are underrepresented under the Gold Dome.
Lobbyist Extraordinaire Elizabeth Appley listed some of the things coming down the pike:
The Governor's proposal to eliminate the Family Violence Commission: Since its creation in 2001, the Commission has reduced Georgia's per capita family violence homicides by 26.2%, a rate almost 6 times better than the national average. So why does he think cutting it is such a good idea?
He also wants to eliminate the Temporary Protective Order Registry, which keeps a computer record of every restraining order, so that when a woman flees her abusive partner with her kids in tow in the middle of the night, she doesn't have to find the paper copy of the restraining order first.
Oh, and he wants to freeze funding for Domestic Violence Shelters and Rape Crisis Centers. Who needs 'em anyway.
In the meantime, Appley pointed out, the state gives $5 million a year in tax exemptions to llama farmers. Call us if you want to find out how to get in on this great deal.
Oh, and if the state's in such a budget shortfall, wouldn't you think the 90% federal matching funds for family planning money make the state think twice about the 34% family planning cuts?
It's amazing how some people in our state government have said they are willing to turn down matching federal dollars.
And it was a good thing it was crowded -- with the budget cuts, women are taking some of the hardest hits, as usual.
Nice to hear from the crowd that many of them intended to run for office, as women are underrepresented under the Gold Dome.
Lobbyist Extraordinaire Elizabeth Appley listed some of the things coming down the pike:
The Governor's proposal to eliminate the Family Violence Commission: Since its creation in 2001, the Commission has reduced Georgia's per capita family violence homicides by 26.2%, a rate almost 6 times better than the national average. So why does he think cutting it is such a good idea?
He also wants to eliminate the Temporary Protective Order Registry, which keeps a computer record of every restraining order, so that when a woman flees her abusive partner with her kids in tow in the middle of the night, she doesn't have to find the paper copy of the restraining order first.
Oh, and he wants to freeze funding for Domestic Violence Shelters and Rape Crisis Centers. Who needs 'em anyway.
In the meantime, Appley pointed out, the state gives $5 million a year in tax exemptions to llama farmers. Call us if you want to find out how to get in on this great deal.
Oh, and if the state's in such a budget shortfall, wouldn't you think the 90% federal matching funds for family planning money make the state think twice about the 34% family planning cuts?
It's amazing how some people in our state government have said they are willing to turn down matching federal dollars.
Day 13 -- One of the most frequently asked questions was . . . not answered today
Don't you know politicians always have to have it both ways . . .
This morning we heard legislative session would be 40 consecutive workdays and General Assembly would be out early this year -- Hooray.
But wouldn't you know, this afternoon, equally credible sources were saying, "Hey, it looks like they'll be taking Fridays and Mondays off for a couple weeks."
We're kind of hoping they go home early, because then we'll be safe until next year.
This morning we heard legislative session would be 40 consecutive workdays and General Assembly would be out early this year -- Hooray.
But wouldn't you know, this afternoon, equally credible sources were saying, "Hey, it looks like they'll be taking Fridays and Mondays off for a couple weeks."
We're kind of hoping they go home early, because then we'll be safe until next year.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Day 12
February 3
Cutting education funds, cutting school nurses, and now proposing vouchers, which would take even more money out of the education system.
Why don't they just go ahead and engrave the tombstone "Public Schools R.I.P." and be done with it?
Cutting education funds, cutting school nurses, and now proposing vouchers, which would take even more money out of the education system.
Why don't they just go ahead and engrave the tombstone "Public Schools R.I.P." and be done with it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
