From the tipline, we have this article from the Marietta Daily Journal. In it, House Rules Chairman and frequent Peach Pundit Poster discusses quite a few topics as a preview of what to expect from the Georgia House as we near the upcoming session of the General Assembly. I encourage you to read it in its entirety, and add in the comments any relevant highlights that I failed to mention.
On State spending and budgets:
“Look, I am looking forward to cutting 10 percent out of government, unequivocally, unabashedly, I want to do that,” … “If it’s up to me I don’t think we need a tax increase. It’s a spending issue, it’s not a revenue issue. You go up to anybody who lives in Cobb County, just about, and you talk to them about what they’re going to do with their budget right now, and it isn’t going to be about the revenue coming in because that’s pretty well set. It’s hard to get another job, people are holding on to what they’ve got. They have to deal with the spending side of their budget and government shouldn’t be any different,”
On the proposal to change the requirements for a death penalty verdict to less than a unanimous verdict, Ehrhart shows some support, mixed with a bit of hard feelings left over from the challenge to Speaker Richardson:
“Tim Beardon was telling everybody that he was going to be the new Rules Chairman under the Ralston regime, so if this is done it probably won’t be Tim,” Ehrhart said.
Ehrhart said an effort to propose such legislation has been made in the past.
“Personally, I supported it then, I’ll support it again because I don’t think the public’s best interest is served by a unanimous jury verdict in the penalty phase of a death penalty case,” he said.
There appears to be a bit of a breakaway from Kathy Cox and the Governor’s stance on funding of dual enrollment with students at Technical Colleges, which will no doubt make PP frequent poster John Konop elated:
“It wasn’t really a funding issue. Jennifer Rippner with the Governor’s office – they bring in 20-year-olds – didn’t understand it, just didn’t want to do it. We’re going to push it back in there. We need duel enrollment and guys like Fred Sanderson really understand what a boon that can be. Joint resources, it’s a good thing,” Ehrhart said.
As for transportation, I note a bit more of a sense of urgency than has normally been seen in the past, and a willingness to consider funding mechanisms beyond the regional transportation SPLOST.
“T-SPLOST is not a panacea. I think it’s a combination of the capacity of the T-SPLOST and maybe some restructuring of how we go about building infrastructure in this state – public/private partnerships, other innovative ways. I don’t personally have all those answers, but I think you’re finding (controversial Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Gena Evans) over at DOT is cleaning house over there. I think we need to give her rein to do a few more things over there … We only get one more shot at this or our infrastructure is going to fall apart,” he said.
And then there are local issues, many of which could (should?) be called pork. I would like to note that for at least one of the projects, there has already been a 50% local match proposed. I would like to see a similar standard when the state decides it needs to fund projects that don’t necessarily have a state-wide impact.
For those who have followed Peach Pundit during my time here, it is no secret that Rep Ehrhart and I have had our disagreements. I have always tried to show him the respect he deserves both as a public servant and as someone who is willing to come on here and take abuse in defense of his views.
When reading through this article, however, I will have to say that I agree with the majority of it. It is time that the leadership of the state started to focus on areas to cut State spending, not hamstringing local governments into cutting theirs. Transportation issues will not be solved by studying the studies that have been conducted. It’s time to actually fund and implement something. And this may require raising taxes.
I’ve already made my views known on changing the requirement for a death sentence, and on this, Rep Ehrhart and I will probably continue to disagree (though I would welcome the opportunity to change his mind). I would also strongly recommend that he eliminate any future comments with respect to the Ralston Challenge. What happens in the caucus should stay in the caucus. On the whole, however, it appears to be an agenda that I can support.
{ 10 comments }
Earl has always been a straight shooter and I suspect that he always will be.
The across the board spending cut sounds like a good idea so I don’t expect it to get anywhere.
I disagree with the tampering of the way the jury system works in the penalty phase. I don’t see the wisdom in changing the system.
My kin folks call me Nick
I agree
Yeah, 10% cut everywhere. Let’s go at it with a meat clever. That’s what we do with our family budget. Lot’s of businesses do it that way too. After all we don’t need to make any priorities. Everything the state does is of equal value.
An across the board cut is a lazy, bonehead idea. Think! It ain’t illegal.
It’s not an “across the board” cut, just a goal for the total amount:
“Ehrhart opposes across the board cuts, instead favoring cuts to those places “where government is too big, too intrusive.”
Having played golf (only once at St. Simmons) and having had some interface with him at the Legislature, I kind of like Rep. E. E. He has actually asked some probing questions on issues I was concerned with and had some thoughtful input. I have seen him as a parent and I was impressed with his children. His job is not to please anyone but rather to do what he feels best for the people of his district and for the state. I feel he takes both of these responsibilities to heart. You know in this world if everyone likes you you may not be doing what’s best. I will also admit that I like the Speaker and I believe he is a fair man.
Go, EARL!!!! I am with you on cutting.
As for the cap on the school fund ‘sharing,’ it is somewhat confusing here to read the call for the rural counties to ‘put everything in the digest’ when the legislature has GUTTED the digest with so many exemptions – the most recent being a massive expansion of conservation use, which redistributes $180 million a year already.
I favor eliminating all exemptions and having a FAIR property tax. The average taxpayer’s bill would go down across the state.
Do away with conservation use and the timber tax exemptions and most rural systems would not need to suck money out of Cobb County.
“The across the board spending cut sounds like a good idea so I don’t expect it to get anywhere. ” From Nick and subsequent approval from JK.
And let’s see what specifics in State government Mr. Earl wants to point out as “too big and too intrusive”. I would have thought that Sonny’s New Georgia Commission would have wrung out all the fat and mismangement by now.
The fact is we do have a revenue problem. We have an archaic Department of Revenue and we have a revenue system based upon a 1950′s economy.
If “duel enrollment” is important, the Rep. should make sure he spells it right. Dual Enrollment. And the funding issue was that they were “double funding” for teachers. However, I agree that dual enrollment is important.
However, duel enrollment, where sword-fighting is taught — well, that probably needs to go in these lean budget times.
Progressive Dem
The irrational argument and policies by both sides got us into this fiscal mess. I have news financing tax cuts are poor fiscal policy. As for the Dems, we cannot afford to throw money we do not have to solve problems.
The truth is both sides have lost what made this country great. Both sides should read this speech!
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You speech
Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy – January 20th 1961
http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/John_F_Kennedy/5.htm
We can start cutting by going back and auditing all those Facility Group projects that have been doled out by state and local governments over the past six years!
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