In the Governor's own words

Governor Perdue presented his vision for Georgia to the General Assembly and Georgia's voters last week in his State of the State address.

The State of Georgia? In his words..."Sunny!"

Governor Perdue was able to take this year as an opportunity to focus on his priorities because of the projected "one and quarter billion dollars in new revenues for 2007."

This surplus is coming from a state economy chugging along at 8.3% from last year. Governor Perdue said, "Our economy [is] growing again...we’re putting the dark clouds behind us. And we have many more sunny days ahead..." Furthermore, he says, "Georgia’s economic comeback is, above all, a tribute to our strengths as a state and to the optimism and enterprise of our citizens."

He also said, "that strong revenue gain gives us all a sense of relief."

Relief for who?

If you were cynical, one could not help but wonder if this relief is focused not much beyond November 2006. He no doubt remembers that his winning the Governor's race was attributed to dissatification of state employees and teachers toward then Governor Barnes. So, among other things, Perdue included in his budget proposal funding for teachers in and out of their classrooms, a 4% to 7% pay raise for teachers and/or all state employees, new funding for important research in Georgia, and $45 million to add more than 4,300 beds to the State’s prison system, reducing the backlog in our jails and courts.

He also stated that he understood "what it means for those of us entrusted with the management of government to meet our obligations of stewardship." In other words, Governor Perdue seems to be proposing that because things are so good economically and because the state has met obligations, or finished its work for the people - we can afford to give back money.

Governor Perdue boasted that since taking office he has proposed sending a total $2 billion back to Georgia taxpayers. Something we can all celebrate...this money is ours and should come back to us...if the work is done. But is the work done?

I am left with more questions than answers...

• Is the work done when there are over 6,400 people with disabilities on waiting lists in Georgia needing help?
• Is it the Government's role to help people with disabilities, people whom without our support would be some of the most vulnerable in our society?
• Is the work done when over 700 students are added each year to these waiting lists?
• Is the work done when last year we saw 1,187 new people added to these lists?
• Is the work done when it costs 2.6% more to raise a child with a disability than a typical child?
• Is the work done when Georgia ranks last in our committment to home and community services?
• Is the work done when the New Commission for Georgia has said that we are spending too much on services and supports in insitutions and hospitals and not enough in the community?
• Is the work done when over 60% of people with disabities are being taken care of by a family member, and that there over 17,000 of these family caregivers over the age of 60.

Is the work done when that there is a multiple year plan to address all of these challenges given to him by the Departments of Community Health and Human Resources?

We know that thousands of Georgians will be asking the same questions and looking for hope.