Today, I testified in support of Senate Bill 22, the Rural and Human Services Transportation Coordinating Council, to the Rail and Transit Subcommittee. It easily passed and is headed to the full committee.
SB 22 would require that all six agencies that provide transportation to meet on a regular basis to best leverage federal funding and create efficiencies in the way they deliver and dispatch services for people who have disabilities and people who are aging. Transportation continues to be one of the biggest hurdles for folks ,and I think this is a step in the right direction.
The advocates for aging services have been great to work with. Collaboration is definitely the key to getting anything done!
All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD) is Atlanta's preeminent resource on developmental disabilities, providing support services to families for more than 55 years. We are often the one place where people with developmental disabilities can go to achieve personal empowerment, family stability and community participation. AADD provides family support; public policy and advocacy; and community engagement.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Lawmakers Stepping Up Health Fight
by Ashley Fuller
The Cherokee Tribune
March 26, 2010
A local representative's resolution that would prevent Georgia residents from being forced to buy health insurance will come back for another vote.
State Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat) has proposed an amendment that would prohibit any government from forcing an individual to participate in a health care system and allows that individual to pay directly for health care services.
The resolution received a majority earlier this week, but not the two-thirds majority necessary for an amendment. The House voted to reconsider the resolution Wednesday and it is scheduled to be heard again today.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama signed a health care overhaul that includes a requirement that most Americans carry health insurance.
"It is really not a question of health care. It is a question of the 10th amendment," Hill said, referring to the constitutional amendment that states powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
He said having the United States Congress require individual citizens to purchase health insurance is bypassing the state legislature.
For the whole article please tap link: http://www.cherokeetribune.com/view/full_story/6845072/article-Lawmakers-stepping-up-health-fight?instance=home_news_bullets
To contact writer: afuller@cherokeetribune.com
Content copyright © 2009 Marietta Daily Journal
The Cherokee Tribune
March 26, 2010
A local representative's resolution that would prevent Georgia residents from being forced to buy health insurance will come back for another vote.
State Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat) has proposed an amendment that would prohibit any government from forcing an individual to participate in a health care system and allows that individual to pay directly for health care services.
The resolution received a majority earlier this week, but not the two-thirds majority necessary for an amendment. The House voted to reconsider the resolution Wednesday and it is scheduled to be heard again today.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama signed a health care overhaul that includes a requirement that most Americans carry health insurance.
"It is really not a question of health care. It is a question of the 10th amendment," Hill said, referring to the constitutional amendment that states powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
He said having the United States Congress require individual citizens to purchase health insurance is bypassing the state legislature.
For the whole article please tap link: http://www.cherokeetribune.com/view/full_story/6845072/article-Lawmakers-stepping-up-health-fight?instance=home_news_bullets
To contact writer: afuller@cherokeetribune.com
Content copyright © 2009 Marietta Daily Journal
Georgia To Use Federal Funds To Spur Hiring
By Associated Press
The Augusta Chronicle
March 31, 2010
ATLANTA - State human services officials will use more than $200 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as an incentive for private- and public-sector employers to hire 20,000 Georgians this summer.
The department is offering huge incentives to employers under two programs, TeenWork, which seeks to hire 15,000 teens this summer, and Jobs for Georgia, which will provide incentives for employers to hire 5,000 adult workers.
Under the TeenWork program, employers can hire youths aged 14-18 at a 100 percent subsidy paid by the state. Jobs are available June 1 to July 31, and applicants must come from homes earning less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $66,000 for a family of four.
B.J. Walker, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services, says the cash will help spark economic recovery.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-31/ga-use-federal-funds-spur-hiring?v=1270015869
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
The Augusta Chronicle
March 31, 2010
ATLANTA - State human services officials will use more than $200 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as an incentive for private- and public-sector employers to hire 20,000 Georgians this summer.
The department is offering huge incentives to employers under two programs, TeenWork, which seeks to hire 15,000 teens this summer, and Jobs for Georgia, which will provide incentives for employers to hire 5,000 adult workers.
Under the TeenWork program, employers can hire youths aged 14-18 at a 100 percent subsidy paid by the state. Jobs are available June 1 to July 31, and applicants must come from homes earning less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $66,000 for a family of four.
B.J. Walker, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services, says the cash will help spark economic recovery.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-31/ga-use-federal-funds-spur-hiring?v=1270015869
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
10 Schools Remain On DeKalb Closure List
By Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DeKalb County News
March 30, 2010
Days before a decision must be made, race continued to divide the group tasked with choosing schools to close in DeKalb County.
The Citizens Planning Task Force -- charged with recommending four schools for closure -- argued and pointed fingers at each other at a heated Tuesday night meeting meant to offer recommendations for the school board.
No decisions were made. Instead, the task force asked school officials if it could come back Thursday with proposed scenarios if certain schools were closed.
Claims of racial inequities in determining the closures was a big roadblock.
“If all of the schools for closure are in the south, why do we have people from the north on this committee?” task force member George Maddox asked. “Now you all are in my backyard and I don’t like it at all. We have people from the north deciding which schools in my backyard to close and I don’t like it all."
At the meeting, the task force removed Briar Vista, Laurel Ridge, Medlock and Avondale Elementary Schools from the proposed closure list.
That left 10 of 83 schools under consideration for closure – all in south DeKalb and in primarily poor African-American neighborhoods.
For further reading please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/10-schools-remain-on-420627.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DeKalb County News
March 30, 2010
Days before a decision must be made, race continued to divide the group tasked with choosing schools to close in DeKalb County.
The Citizens Planning Task Force -- charged with recommending four schools for closure -- argued and pointed fingers at each other at a heated Tuesday night meeting meant to offer recommendations for the school board.
No decisions were made. Instead, the task force asked school officials if it could come back Thursday with proposed scenarios if certain schools were closed.
Claims of racial inequities in determining the closures was a big roadblock.
“If all of the schools for closure are in the south, why do we have people from the north on this committee?” task force member George Maddox asked. “Now you all are in my backyard and I don’t like it at all. We have people from the north deciding which schools in my backyard to close and I don’t like it all."
At the meeting, the task force removed Briar Vista, Laurel Ridge, Medlock and Avondale Elementary Schools from the proposed closure list.
That left 10 of 83 schools under consideration for closure – all in south DeKalb and in primarily poor African-American neighborhoods.
For further reading please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/10-schools-remain-on-420627.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School Staff Facing Questions On Bullying
By Associated Press
Athens Banner-Herald
March 31, 2010
BOSTON - School officials in western Massachusetts didn't follow all the anti-bullying advice they were given months before a harassed freshman girl committed suicide, according to a consultant who offered the tips.
Barbara Coloroso said she consulted with parents and administrators months before 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January. Authorities say she endured months of verbal assaults and threats, mostly in school and in person, although some of the bullying occurred on Facebook and in other electronic forms.
Nine fellow students face charges in connection with the girl's death, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights. School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/033110/nat_598324614.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Athens Banner-Herald
March 31, 2010
BOSTON - School officials in western Massachusetts didn't follow all the anti-bullying advice they were given months before a harassed freshman girl committed suicide, according to a consultant who offered the tips.
Barbara Coloroso said she consulted with parents and administrators months before 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January. Authorities say she endured months of verbal assaults and threats, mostly in school and in person, although some of the bullying occurred on Facebook and in other electronic forms.
Nine fellow students face charges in connection with the girl's death, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights. School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/033110/nat_598324614.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Georgia Loses Round One In Race To The Top
By Nancy Badertscher
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Metro Atlanta/State News
March 30, 2010
Georgia lost out Monday on millions of dollars for education, finishing third out of 16 in Round 1 of the national Race to the Top competition.
Only the top two finishers -- Delaware and Tennessee – were awarded grants in the $4.35 billion program that President Barack Obama hopes will encourage states to enact significant education reform and bolster student achievement.
Delaware will receive $100 million over the next four years, and Tennessee will receive $500 million, the U.S. Department of Education announced.
The other finalists, including Georgia, have another chance in a second round that has a June deadline for applications. About $3.4 billion will be available then.
In Round 1, Georgia applied for $460 million and had 23 school systems -- including the city of Atlanta and Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall and Rockdale counties -- lined up to be among the first to share in the money and put the reforms into place.
Gov. Sonny Perdue said Monday that state officials will be getting feedback from the U.S. Department of Education on their Round 1 application and will be “tough to beat” in the next phase.
“We were hoping to be among the final four in the Race to the Top competition, but unfortunately this time only two winners were chosen,” Perdue said in a prepared statement.
To read the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-loses-round-1-416391.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Metro Atlanta/State News
March 30, 2010
Georgia lost out Monday on millions of dollars for education, finishing third out of 16 in Round 1 of the national Race to the Top competition.
Only the top two finishers -- Delaware and Tennessee – were awarded grants in the $4.35 billion program that President Barack Obama hopes will encourage states to enact significant education reform and bolster student achievement.
Delaware will receive $100 million over the next four years, and Tennessee will receive $500 million, the U.S. Department of Education announced.
The other finalists, including Georgia, have another chance in a second round that has a June deadline for applications. About $3.4 billion will be available then.
In Round 1, Georgia applied for $460 million and had 23 school systems -- including the city of Atlanta and Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall and Rockdale counties -- lined up to be among the first to share in the money and put the reforms into place.
Gov. Sonny Perdue said Monday that state officials will be getting feedback from the U.S. Department of Education on their Round 1 application and will be “tough to beat” in the next phase.
“We were hoping to be among the final four in the Race to the Top competition, but unfortunately this time only two winners were chosen,” Perdue said in a prepared statement.
To read the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-loses-round-1-416391.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ACTION ALERT!
Senate Bill 206 , introduced by Sen. Greg Goggans, proposes tax expenditure reviews as a part of the Governor’s annual state budget report. What this means is that all state tax deductions, tax allowances, tax exclusions, tax credits, preferential tax rates, and tax exemptions would become public information. Such readily-available tax information would be an advantage, not only to the citizens of Georgia, but also to lawmakers, who are often unaware of the real costs of exemptions and credits given the complexity of the Georgia tax code. The increased transparency and accountability that would come from knowing the cost breakdown of such tax allowances is of great importance in these lean times facing our state, and will be particularly valuable in discussions of the FY2011 budget.
SB 206 was easily approved by the House Appropriations Committee on March 23, and is now in the House Rules Committee. Legislators in the Rules Committee need to hear from you to make sure SB 206 makes it onto the House floor for a vote!
Please ACT NOW on Senate Bill 206 and do two things:
- Contact Rules Committee Chair Bill Hembree / (404) 656-5141 and ask him to pass SB206 out of Rules.
- Contact Speaker Ralston/ (404) 656-5020 and tell him that you support SB 206.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Upcoming news to watch
This week, the big news is the 2011 budget. I just heard that yesterday the House met semi- privately to discuss changes but on Tuesday, I will be following meetings that discuss the Behavioral Health and DD portion and will keep you updated. There is also a BHDD Board meeting on the 31st to follow, and we are still very hopeful that Senate Bill 22 will start making its way through the House. SB 22 would call for a coordinating council on transportation for all six agencies that provide transportation for the purpose of leveraging resources and federal dollars. These agencies provide transportation to people who have disabilities and would look to build efficiencies that could benefit our folks.
We are also advocating for SB 206 that calls for a tax expenditure budget and you should get an alert on that shortly.I know there is so much to keep up with! You are not the only one who might be feeling overwhelmed!
We are also advocating for SB 206 that calls for a tax expenditure budget and you should get an alert on that shortly.I know there is so much to keep up with! You are not the only one who might be feeling overwhelmed!
Conversations Around Georgia
We have been super busy these days traveling around the state to do Conversations That Matter. We were in Fitzgerald earlier this month, and last week, we made it to Savannah. A big thank you to all who came out to talk about advocacy and especially to our hosts Jill Alexander in Fitzgerald and Jennifer McGee in Savannah. It was great to see old friends and make new ones.
One thing I know for sure is that there is so much energy around improving services and the lives of people with disabilities. This is the fifth year we have been traveling around Georgia, and I hear both the frustration and the possibilities around how we build community and resources for people. In Savannah,I met an aging mom and her 57 year old son who needed help connecting her son to friendships and meaningful activity, and in Fitzgerald I listened as a proud community described the transportation initiatives that they are working on that would benefit everyone in their town.
In a year when it appears that there will be no new services for people with disabilities for a while due to our rough economy, advocacy becomes more important than ever. At our meetings, we talked about the importance of telling your story to our state leaders so that they can put a face to the need and by doing so you can not only possibly help your family but others as well.
We are planning to convene another round of these smaller advocacy training gatherings for this fall. If you would like us to come to your town and you can host a meeting, send me a message.
One thing I know for sure is that there is so much energy around improving services and the lives of people with disabilities. This is the fifth year we have been traveling around Georgia, and I hear both the frustration and the possibilities around how we build community and resources for people. In Savannah,I met an aging mom and her 57 year old son who needed help connecting her son to friendships and meaningful activity, and in Fitzgerald I listened as a proud community described the transportation initiatives that they are working on that would benefit everyone in their town.
In a year when it appears that there will be no new services for people with disabilities for a while due to our rough economy, advocacy becomes more important than ever. At our meetings, we talked about the importance of telling your story to our state leaders so that they can put a face to the need and by doing so you can not only possibly help your family but others as well.
We are planning to convene another round of these smaller advocacy training gatherings for this fall. If you would like us to come to your town and you can host a meeting, send me a message.
Georgia House OKs New Revenue Streams
By TRAVIS FAIN
Macon Telegraph
News-Politics
March 27, 2010
ATLANTA — Bills to raise fees, tax hospital revenues, tax some Internet sales and eventually overhaul Georgia’s entire tax code passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Friday, setting the stage for state leaders to balance a difficult budget not only through continued spending cuts but also with new revenue.
The House also passed a series of job tax credits and a rollback in the state’s capital gains tax, both of which were a centerpiece of the Republican agenda last year until Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed them. This year, the capital gains credit wouldn’t go into effect until state revenues recover and the state’s rainy day fund grows from almost nothing to $1 billion, which likely will take years.
Perdue had sought the hospital tax — which his office prefers to call a fee — last year as the state’s budget situation began to worsen. After much back and forth with hospital executives, the tax amounts to 1.45 percent on hospital revenues, instead of Perdue’s initial proposal of 1.6 percent.
To read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/03/27/1074275/georgia-house-oks-new-revenue.html?storylink=addthis#ixzz0jZiQqshf
To contact reporter: tfain@macon.com
Macon.com copyright notice
Material published on Macon.com, including articles, photos, graphics, videos, bulletin board postings and other content, is copyrighted by The Telegraph or by other information providers who have licensed their content for use on Macon.com. The entire contents of Macon.com are also copyrighted as a collective work under the United States copyright laws.
Macon Telegraph
News-Politics
March 27, 2010
ATLANTA — Bills to raise fees, tax hospital revenues, tax some Internet sales and eventually overhaul Georgia’s entire tax code passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Friday, setting the stage for state leaders to balance a difficult budget not only through continued spending cuts but also with new revenue.
The House also passed a series of job tax credits and a rollback in the state’s capital gains tax, both of which were a centerpiece of the Republican agenda last year until Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed them. This year, the capital gains credit wouldn’t go into effect until state revenues recover and the state’s rainy day fund grows from almost nothing to $1 billion, which likely will take years.
Perdue had sought the hospital tax — which his office prefers to call a fee — last year as the state’s budget situation began to worsen. After much back and forth with hospital executives, the tax amounts to 1.45 percent on hospital revenues, instead of Perdue’s initial proposal of 1.6 percent.
To read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/03/27/1074275/georgia-house-oks-new-revenue.html?storylink=addthis#ixzz0jZiQqshf
To contact reporter: tfain@macon.com
Macon.com copyright notice
Material published on Macon.com, including articles, photos, graphics, videos, bulletin board postings and other content, is copyrighted by The Telegraph or by other information providers who have licensed their content for use on Macon.com. The entire contents of Macon.com are also copyrighted as a collective work under the United States copyright laws.
Hospital Tax Clears Georgia House
by Dave Williams
Staff Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 26, 2010
The Georgia House approved legislation Friday that would levy a new fee on hospitals to shore up the state’s financially ailing Medicaid program.
The bill, which passed 141-23, and now goes to the Senate, would impose a 1.45 percent tax on net patient revenues. It would raise $169 million for Medicaid, the joint state-federal health-care program for the poor and disabled.
Medicaid enrollment has been growing steadily, in large part a byproduct of the recession’s impact on Georgians’ finances
The version of the bill that cleared the House was a compromise between Gov. Sonny Perdue and the state’s hospital lobby.
For further reading please tap link: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/daily85.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Staff Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 26, 2010
The Georgia House approved legislation Friday that would levy a new fee on hospitals to shore up the state’s financially ailing Medicaid program.
The bill, which passed 141-23, and now goes to the Senate, would impose a 1.45 percent tax on net patient revenues. It would raise $169 million for Medicaid, the joint state-federal health-care program for the poor and disabled.
Medicaid enrollment has been growing steadily, in large part a byproduct of the recession’s impact on Georgians’ finances
The version of the bill that cleared the House was a compromise between Gov. Sonny Perdue and the state’s hospital lobby.
For further reading please tap link: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/daily85.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Legislators Shift Gears to the Other Chamber's Bills
By Walter C. Jones
Morris News Service
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 29, 2010
ATLANTA - The major action this week in the Georgia General Assembly will be passage in the House of the budget for the coming fiscal year.
Bills that passed Friday would raise $96 million through higher fees and $175 million from a new tax on hospital revenues, paving the way for legislators to consider the budget. If those bills had failed, the income assumptions used to draft the budget would have had to be changed.
To read further please tap on the link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032910/gen_597584546.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Morris News Service
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 29, 2010
ATLANTA - The major action this week in the Georgia General Assembly will be passage in the House of the budget for the coming fiscal year.
Bills that passed Friday would raise $96 million through higher fees and $175 million from a new tax on hospital revenues, paving the way for legislators to consider the budget. If those bills had failed, the income assumptions used to draft the budget would have had to be changed.
To read further please tap on the link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032910/gen_597584546.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
What Health Care Reform Will Feel Like
By BLAKE AUED
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 28, 2010
Congress put the finishing touches on health care reform Thursday, and President Obama is expected to sign the law early this week.
The plan touched off perhaps the most contentious political debate since the Iraq war - a national argument that promises to continue at least through Election Day. Beyond the rhetoric, here's a look at how the bill will affect Northeast Georgia residents.
HOW IT WORKS
The law is intended to extend health coverage to 94 percent of Americans and bring costs down over the long term.
It has three main components. It requires insurance companies to offer plans to everyone. To stop people from waiting until they get sick to buy insurance, it mandates everyone to buy a plan or pay a fine. Not everyone can afford insurance, so it provides subsidies to low- and middle-income individuals and families.
To read further please tap on the link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032810/new_597342555.shtml
To contact reporter: blake.aued@onlineathens.com
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 28, 2010
Congress put the finishing touches on health care reform Thursday, and President Obama is expected to sign the law early this week.
The plan touched off perhaps the most contentious political debate since the Iraq war - a national argument that promises to continue at least through Election Day. Beyond the rhetoric, here's a look at how the bill will affect Northeast Georgia residents.
HOW IT WORKS
The law is intended to extend health coverage to 94 percent of Americans and bring costs down over the long term.
It has three main components. It requires insurance companies to offer plans to everyone. To stop people from waiting until they get sick to buy insurance, it mandates everyone to buy a plan or pay a fine. Not everyone can afford insurance, so it provides subsidies to low- and middle-income individuals and families.
To read further please tap on the link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032810/new_597342555.shtml
To contact reporter: blake.aued@onlineathens.com
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Thursday, March 25, 2010
State Financial Crisis Weighs On Local Schools
Schools statewide may see reduced days, school configuration to remain the same
Reporter: Christie Pool
The Pickens County Progress
March 25, 2010
With state finances in trouble, area officials are wondering just how much will wind up cut from local school budgets when final numbers come from the legislature this spring. Pickens County School Superintendent Mike Ballew said last week he anxiously awaits news from the legislature (possibly not available until the end of April) on exactly how much money will be cut from local schools.
“The legislature is still looking at cuts – at different ways to make cuts or raise revenue,” Ballew said. “The legislature is considering a sales tax holiday, a tobacco tax, all sorts of things. We don’t have any allocation sheets yet. Once they do a budget and have some numbers on it, then we’ll have a chance to work on ours.”
Ballew said the local system works to have their budget completed by June of each year for their upcoming fiscal year, which runs July 1 through June 30.
“We’re going back and just trying to review everything, but until we get some definite numbers out of the state, it’s difficult to do,” he said.
For the whole article please tap on link:
http://www.pickensprogress.com/articleinfo.asp?Link=1998
Reporter: Christie Pool
The Pickens County Progress
March 25, 2010
With state finances in trouble, area officials are wondering just how much will wind up cut from local school budgets when final numbers come from the legislature this spring. Pickens County School Superintendent Mike Ballew said last week he anxiously awaits news from the legislature (possibly not available until the end of April) on exactly how much money will be cut from local schools.
“The legislature is still looking at cuts – at different ways to make cuts or raise revenue,” Ballew said. “The legislature is considering a sales tax holiday, a tobacco tax, all sorts of things. We don’t have any allocation sheets yet. Once they do a budget and have some numbers on it, then we’ll have a chance to work on ours.”
Ballew said the local system works to have their budget completed by June of each year for their upcoming fiscal year, which runs July 1 through June 30.
“We’re going back and just trying to review everything, but until we get some definite numbers out of the state, it’s difficult to do,” he said.
For the whole article please tap on link:
http://www.pickensprogress.com/articleinfo.asp?Link=1998
Georgians Among U.S. Lowest Spenders
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 24, 2010
Georgians were a thrifty lot in 2009, according to research by Bundle.
Georgians spent an average $29,752 a year on expenses other than housing, ranking 46th out of the 50 states, the social media company said. This includes an average of $637 on shopping, $592 on getting around, $559 on house and home goods, $559 on health and family, $544 on food and drink and $175 on travel and leisure.
The social media company compiled the data from the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as third-party research.
Deeply recession rocked Detroit spent the least last year, about $16,446, on items including food and drink, shopping, gas, travel and entertainment.
Connecticut spent the most on average at $57,331.
The U.S. average was $37,782.
Americans spent about 23 percent of their daily budget on shopping, 14.5 percent on gas and auto expenses, 17.5 percent on food and drink, 7 percent on travel and leisure, 17 percent on house-related expenses and 21 percent on health and family.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/daily45.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
March 24, 2010
Georgians were a thrifty lot in 2009, according to research by Bundle.
Georgians spent an average $29,752 a year on expenses other than housing, ranking 46th out of the 50 states, the social media company said. This includes an average of $637 on shopping, $592 on getting around, $559 on house and home goods, $559 on health and family, $544 on food and drink and $175 on travel and leisure.
The social media company compiled the data from the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as third-party research.
Deeply recession rocked Detroit spent the least last year, about $16,446, on items including food and drink, shopping, gas, travel and entertainment.
Connecticut spent the most on average at $57,331.
The U.S. average was $37,782.
Americans spent about 23 percent of their daily budget on shopping, 14.5 percent on gas and auto expenses, 17.5 percent on food and drink, 7 percent on travel and leisure, 17 percent on house-related expenses and 21 percent on health and family.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/daily45.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Georgia Governor Wants to Sue, But AG Doesn't
Associated Press
Athens Banner-Herald
March 25, 2010
ATLANTA - Gov. Sonny Perdue is butting heads with the state's top lawyer, threatening to "go it alone" and sue the federal government over a new federal health care law.
Attorney General Thurbert Baker on Wednesday declined the Republican's governor request to sue over the health care law, arguing the state doesn't have a "a viable legal claim."
"I cannot in good conscience file a lawsuit against the United States that I believe has little or no chance of success and will undoubtedly consume significant state resources in a time of severe budgetary crisis," Baker wrote in a letter to the governor. Baker is seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Perdue.
But Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley fired back that the state could "go it alone" with an outside counsel.
Late Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Senate Republicans urged Perdue to file a lawsuit, calling the federal health law "an unprecedented attack on our citizens' liberty and our state's sovereignty."
Brantley said several lawyers have volunteered to handle the state's lawsuit pro bono - removing the concerns about cost for the cash-strapped state.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, March 25, 2010
http://onlineathens.com/stories/032510/new_595864088.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Athens Banner-Herald
March 25, 2010
ATLANTA - Gov. Sonny Perdue is butting heads with the state's top lawyer, threatening to "go it alone" and sue the federal government over a new federal health care law.
Attorney General Thurbert Baker on Wednesday declined the Republican's governor request to sue over the health care law, arguing the state doesn't have a "a viable legal claim."
"I cannot in good conscience file a lawsuit against the United States that I believe has little or no chance of success and will undoubtedly consume significant state resources in a time of severe budgetary crisis," Baker wrote in a letter to the governor. Baker is seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Perdue.
But Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley fired back that the state could "go it alone" with an outside counsel.
Late Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Senate Republicans urged Perdue to file a lawsuit, calling the federal health law "an unprecedented attack on our citizens' liberty and our state's sovereignty."
Brantley said several lawyers have volunteered to handle the state's lawsuit pro bono - removing the concerns about cost for the cash-strapped state.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, March 25, 2010
http://onlineathens.com/stories/032510/new_595864088.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Atlanta In Top 10 Metro Areas, Census Says
Associated Press
The Augusta Chronicle
March 24, 2010
ATLANTA - New Census Bureau numbers have bumped the Atlanta region into the top 10 list of metropolitan areas by population.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that 2009 Census numbers put the Atlanta metro area's population at more than 5.4 million, an increase of more than 1.2 million people. That growth helped Atlanta move from No. 11 in the rankings in 2000 to No. 9 in the latest tally of metro areas in the United States.
The top three cities - New York, Los Angeles and Chicago - held their rankings
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-24/census-tally-bumps-atlanta-top-10-metro-areas?v=1269409323
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
The Augusta Chronicle
March 24, 2010
ATLANTA - New Census Bureau numbers have bumped the Atlanta region into the top 10 list of metropolitan areas by population.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that 2009 Census numbers put the Atlanta metro area's population at more than 5.4 million, an increase of more than 1.2 million people. That growth helped Atlanta move from No. 11 in the rankings in 2000 to No. 9 in the latest tally of metro areas in the United States.
The top three cities - New York, Los Angeles and Chicago - held their rankings
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-24/census-tally-bumps-atlanta-top-10-metro-areas?v=1269409323
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
Doctors Says Patients Can't Wait Until 2014
By Tom Corwin
Staff Writer
The Augusta Chronicle
March 24,2010
Sometimes, as she sleeps, Janie Padgett will stop breathing for up to 20 seconds and wake in the morning tired from constant sleep disruptions. While a sleep study diagnosed her problem, she can't afford the machine that would provide constant air pressure to treat her sleep apnea. She is also battling arthritis and depression.
"These things affect me, and I'm really not getting all of the care that I need to get," she said.
Padgett, a part-time substitute teacher for the Richmond County Board of Education, is like many uninsured patients who must hunt among assistance programs to get their health care needs met but often end up in a gap. Others, such as Tamara Rajah, are happy insurance companies won't be able to use her lupus to deny her coverage again but thinks it should happen sooner than 2014.
For Homer Clark, the legislation could start closing the "doughnut hole" in his Medicare Part D coverage that sucked $4,000 last year out of his family's bank account.
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA was signing health care reform legislation in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Padgett was sitting on an exam table at Belle Terrace Health and Wellness Center talking with Dr. Angela Overstreet-Wright, who is helping her file a disability claim for her arthritis.
"This is the shoulder where you're having a problem?" Overstreet-Wright asked, kneading Padgett's left shoulder.
"This is the shoulder that's giving me fits," she said.
About half of Overstreet-Wright's patients are uninsured, and for many of them it is the little things they can't afford. Many are diabetics, for instance, but can't do the necessary testing to know whether their glucose level is under control because they lack glucometers and testing supplies, she said.
"Somebody will have Diabetes Day and give you a glucometer and they won't give you strips (for testing)," Overstreet-Wright said. "Everybody gives you a glucometer; some people have seven, 10 glucometers; they can't get the strips."
Or rescue inhalers for asthmatics. A mandated change in the propellant used in inhalers meant companies stopped making the generic versions, Overstreet-Wright said. Walmart sells a $9 inhaler. but others retail for at least $50. Or it is a visit to a specialist, which the center is trying to wrangle for a patient with suspected bone cancer.
"How long do you want to wait when you know you have something bad on an X ray?" she asked.
THE LEGISLATION sets up a high-risk pool for coverage within 90 days of enactment, and Overstreet-Wright suspects her patients likely would go into that coverage pool. Within six months, it will also prohibit denying children coverage because of pre-existing conditions -- but the prohibition for adults won't kick in until 2014. That's a long time to Rajah, the chief executive officer of Skip to My Lupus support group in Augusta, who has seen it used against her clients.
To see whole story please tap on link: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-24/doctor-says-patients-cant-wait-until-2014?v=1269420128
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
Staff Writer
The Augusta Chronicle
March 24,2010
Sometimes, as she sleeps, Janie Padgett will stop breathing for up to 20 seconds and wake in the morning tired from constant sleep disruptions. While a sleep study diagnosed her problem, she can't afford the machine that would provide constant air pressure to treat her sleep apnea. She is also battling arthritis and depression.
"These things affect me, and I'm really not getting all of the care that I need to get," she said.
Padgett, a part-time substitute teacher for the Richmond County Board of Education, is like many uninsured patients who must hunt among assistance programs to get their health care needs met but often end up in a gap. Others, such as Tamara Rajah, are happy insurance companies won't be able to use her lupus to deny her coverage again but thinks it should happen sooner than 2014.
For Homer Clark, the legislation could start closing the "doughnut hole" in his Medicare Part D coverage that sucked $4,000 last year out of his family's bank account.
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA was signing health care reform legislation in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Padgett was sitting on an exam table at Belle Terrace Health and Wellness Center talking with Dr. Angela Overstreet-Wright, who is helping her file a disability claim for her arthritis.
"This is the shoulder where you're having a problem?" Overstreet-Wright asked, kneading Padgett's left shoulder.
"This is the shoulder that's giving me fits," she said.
About half of Overstreet-Wright's patients are uninsured, and for many of them it is the little things they can't afford. Many are diabetics, for instance, but can't do the necessary testing to know whether their glucose level is under control because they lack glucometers and testing supplies, she said.
"Somebody will have Diabetes Day and give you a glucometer and they won't give you strips (for testing)," Overstreet-Wright said. "Everybody gives you a glucometer; some people have seven, 10 glucometers; they can't get the strips."
Or rescue inhalers for asthmatics. A mandated change in the propellant used in inhalers meant companies stopped making the generic versions, Overstreet-Wright said. Walmart sells a $9 inhaler. but others retail for at least $50. Or it is a visit to a specialist, which the center is trying to wrangle for a patient with suspected bone cancer.
"How long do you want to wait when you know you have something bad on an X ray?" she asked.
THE LEGISLATION sets up a high-risk pool for coverage within 90 days of enactment, and Overstreet-Wright suspects her patients likely would go into that coverage pool. Within six months, it will also prohibit denying children coverage because of pre-existing conditions -- but the prohibition for adults won't kick in until 2014. That's a long time to Rajah, the chief executive officer of Skip to My Lupus support group in Augusta, who has seen it used against her clients.
To see whole story please tap on link: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-24/doctor-says-patients-cant-wait-until-2014?v=1269420128
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
Health Bill Signed Into Law
By Jennifer Loven
Associated Press
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 24, 2010
WASHINGTON - Claiming a historic triumph that could define his presidency, a jubilant President Obama signed a massive, nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul Tuesday that, for the first time, will cement insurance coverage as the right of every U.S. citizen and begin to reshape the way virtually all Americans receive and pay for treatment.
After more than a year of hyperpartisan struggle - and numerous near-death moments for the measure - Obama declared "a new season in America" as he sealed a victory denied to a line of presidents stretching back more than half a century. Democratic lawmakers cheered him on, giving the White House signing ceremony a rally-like atmosphere as they shouted and snapped photos with pocket cameras or cell phones.
Not everyone was cheering. The Democrats pushed the bill through Congress without GOP support, and the Republicans said Tuesday those Democratic lawmakers would pay dearly in this November's elections. Opinion polls show the public remains skeptical, too, and Obama will fly to Iowa on Thursday for the first of a number of appearances that will be more like a continuing sales job than a victory lap.
Aside from the huge, real-life changes in store for many Americans, the White House hopes the victory - even as a companion Senate "fix-it" bill moves through the Senate - will revitalize an Obama presidency that has been all but preoccupied with health care for his first year and three months in office.
To see the whole story please tap on link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032410/nat_595379887.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Associated Press
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 24, 2010
WASHINGTON - Claiming a historic triumph that could define his presidency, a jubilant President Obama signed a massive, nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul Tuesday that, for the first time, will cement insurance coverage as the right of every U.S. citizen and begin to reshape the way virtually all Americans receive and pay for treatment.
After more than a year of hyperpartisan struggle - and numerous near-death moments for the measure - Obama declared "a new season in America" as he sealed a victory denied to a line of presidents stretching back more than half a century. Democratic lawmakers cheered him on, giving the White House signing ceremony a rally-like atmosphere as they shouted and snapped photos with pocket cameras or cell phones.
Not everyone was cheering. The Democrats pushed the bill through Congress without GOP support, and the Republicans said Tuesday those Democratic lawmakers would pay dearly in this November's elections. Opinion polls show the public remains skeptical, too, and Obama will fly to Iowa on Thursday for the first of a number of appearances that will be more like a continuing sales job than a victory lap.
Aside from the huge, real-life changes in store for many Americans, the White House hopes the victory - even as a companion Senate "fix-it" bill moves through the Senate - will revitalize an Obama presidency that has been all but preoccupied with health care for his first year and three months in office.
To see the whole story please tap on link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/032410/nat_595379887.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Efforts Falls Short In House To Block Health Care Overhaul in Georgia
The Georgia General Assembly for the second time failed to block Obamacare.
By Aaron Gould Sheinin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 22, 2010
For the second time in a week, the Republican-dominated General Assembly on Monday fell short in an attempt to pre-emptively block federal health care legislation that gained final passage Sunday night.
The Georgia House voted 111-61 in favor of HR 1086, a proposed constitutional amendment from Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton) that sought to bar the federal government from requiring individuals to buy private health insurance and forcing businesses to pay fines if their workers don’t have coverage.
But, because Hill’s proposal would have put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, it required two-thirds of the 180 House members, or 120 votes, to advance. The Senate last week also failed to get a two-thirds majority for a similar resolution sponsored by Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta).
For the whole story tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/effort-falls-short-in-393678.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Aaron Gould Sheinin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 22, 2010
For the second time in a week, the Republican-dominated General Assembly on Monday fell short in an attempt to pre-emptively block federal health care legislation that gained final passage Sunday night.
The Georgia House voted 111-61 in favor of HR 1086, a proposed constitutional amendment from Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton) that sought to bar the federal government from requiring individuals to buy private health insurance and forcing businesses to pay fines if their workers don’t have coverage.
But, because Hill’s proposal would have put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, it required two-thirds of the 180 House members, or 120 votes, to advance. The Senate last week also failed to get a two-thirds majority for a similar resolution sponsored by Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta).
For the whole story tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/effort-falls-short-in-393678.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thomas Oliver: We Are Crippling Our Young
By Thomas Oliver
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Business News
March 19, 2010
There are some issues that we as a country seem oddly silent about.
Like the unemployment rate of our young people, particularly young blacks.
One can’t help but think that if the other party occupied the White House this would be a raging issue.
Fingers would be pointed. And wagged.
Regardless, while the official unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent, the rate for those ages 16 to 19 hovers at 25 percent. Among black teens, the unemployment rate is at 42 percent.
These teens’ parents know that it is during these years and during their first jobs that their children learn the ins and outs of working and responsibility.
But few of us are willing to admit to the role adults have played in this ongoing calamity.
No, our youth’s elders take cover behind the recession.
Certainly the recession raises the unemployment rate for everyone including the young. But a closer look reveals one of the great examples of the unintended consequences of politicians who would help us -- who believe they know how to pull on one lever of the economy without causing harm in another area.
It was our benighted leaders who set in motion a series of cost increases to hiring young people just as the recession was getting ready to destroy 8.5 million payroll jobs.
To see the whole story tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/business/thomas-oliver-we-are-382530.html
Thomas Oliver writes the Sunday business column. He can be reached at toliver.writeright@gmail.com
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Business News
March 19, 2010
There are some issues that we as a country seem oddly silent about.
Like the unemployment rate of our young people, particularly young blacks.
One can’t help but think that if the other party occupied the White House this would be a raging issue.
Fingers would be pointed. And wagged.
Regardless, while the official unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent, the rate for those ages 16 to 19 hovers at 25 percent. Among black teens, the unemployment rate is at 42 percent.
These teens’ parents know that it is during these years and during their first jobs that their children learn the ins and outs of working and responsibility.
But few of us are willing to admit to the role adults have played in this ongoing calamity.
No, our youth’s elders take cover behind the recession.
Certainly the recession raises the unemployment rate for everyone including the young. But a closer look reveals one of the great examples of the unintended consequences of politicians who would help us -- who believe they know how to pull on one lever of the economy without causing harm in another area.
It was our benighted leaders who set in motion a series of cost increases to hiring young people just as the recession was getting ready to destroy 8.5 million payroll jobs.
To see the whole story tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/business/thomas-oliver-we-are-382530.html
Thomas Oliver writes the Sunday business column. He can be reached at toliver.writeright@gmail.com
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Obama To Sign Health Bill, Celebrate With Allies
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
The Associated Press
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Business News
March 23, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: selling the sweeping changes to a skeptical public.
House and Senate Democrats who backed the bill as well as lesser-known people whose health care struggles have touched Obama were expected to join him Tuesday for the ceremony in the East Room. Afterward, Obama and much of that audience were heading to the Interior Department for an even larger celebration.
For the whole story tap link: http://www.ajc.com/business/obama-to-sign-health-395403.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Associated Press
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Business News
March 23, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: selling the sweeping changes to a skeptical public.
House and Senate Democrats who backed the bill as well as lesser-known people whose health care struggles have touched Obama were expected to join him Tuesday for the ceremony in the East Room. Afterward, Obama and much of that audience were heading to the Interior Department for an even larger celebration.
For the whole story tap link: http://www.ajc.com/business/obama-to-sign-health-395403.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, March 22, 2010
Transportation Funding Bill May Fail Again
By Dave Williams
Staff Writer
and
Maria Saporta
Contributing Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 19, 2010
Metro Atlanta’s hopes for a way to fund gridlock-easing transportation improvements may be about to die in the General Assembly for a third straight year.
With the 2010 legislative session approaching a make-or-break deadline, a transportation funding bill proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue could fall victim to the same political tensions that blew up the last two years of work.
“This year, because the governor actually introduced legislation himself ... we were very optimistic that we would finally get a comprehensive transportation package approved,” said Bill Linginfelter, chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and area president for Regions Bank.
“[But] if we bogged down for the third straight year, what it proves is that it’s not only a complex issue that we have to deal with, it’s also a highly political one.”
Perdue’s bill tries to find middle ground between meeting Georgia’s transportation needs statewide, an approach the House of Representatives favored last year, and a regional strategy that acknowledges the issue is more critical in metro Atlanta than rural Georgia.
For the full story go to: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/story3.html?b=1269230400^3054971
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Staff Writer
and
Maria Saporta
Contributing Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 19, 2010
Metro Atlanta’s hopes for a way to fund gridlock-easing transportation improvements may be about to die in the General Assembly for a third straight year.
With the 2010 legislative session approaching a make-or-break deadline, a transportation funding bill proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue could fall victim to the same political tensions that blew up the last two years of work.
“This year, because the governor actually introduced legislation himself ... we were very optimistic that we would finally get a comprehensive transportation package approved,” said Bill Linginfelter, chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and area president for Regions Bank.
“[But] if we bogged down for the third straight year, what it proves is that it’s not only a complex issue that we have to deal with, it’s also a highly political one.”
Perdue’s bill tries to find middle ground between meeting Georgia’s transportation needs statewide, an approach the House of Representatives favored last year, and a regional strategy that acknowledges the issue is more critical in metro Atlanta than rural Georgia.
For the full story go to: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/22/story3.html?b=1269230400^3054971
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Congress Clears Historic Health Care Bill
Reporter: David Espo
The Associated Press
The Albany Herald
March 22, 2010
Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.
For the full story tap on link: http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88790287.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
The Associated Press
The Albany Herald
March 22, 2010
Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.
For the full story tap on link: http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88790287.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Georgia Lawmakers Pledge Tax Reforms
By Dave Williams
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 18, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue and former Gov. Zell Miller could take part in an effort to overhaul Georgia’s outdated tax laws, members of the General Assembly’s Republican leadership announced Thursday.
Legislation introduced in the state House of Representatives calls for Perdue and Miller to be among 11 members of a newly created 2010 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians.
The council, which also would include business leaders, economists and appointees of the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House, would examine the state’s revenue systems and recommend reforms in time for next winter’s legislative session.
The inability of Georgia’s revenue structure to adjust to declining tax collections resulting from the current recession shows the need for change, Speaker David Ralston told reporters during a news conference held by House and Senate GOP leaders.
More than a year of plunging revenues are forcing lawmakers to swallow deep spending cuts that are hurting the state’s ability to deliver core services, including education and health care.
“Georgians expect to build a tax code that will withstand future challenges,” said Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.
“We have a broken property tax system, a personal income tax system that is clearly tied to unemployment, a corporate income tax that discourages companies from coming to Georgia and a sales tax system that exempts more than it taxes,” added Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock.
Previous attempts at tax reform in the General Assembly have fallen flat over the years, most recently former Speaker Glenn Richardson’s failed bid to eliminate state property taxes.
But the new bill includes provisions aimed at requiring an up-or-down vote on the council’s recommendations.
“It will avoid having something thrown in the trashcan like we’ve had with so many study committees,” said Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the Senate.
The bill would establish a joint House-Senate committee that would be required to take up the new council’s recommendations during the 2011 session.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/15/daily54.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 18, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue and former Gov. Zell Miller could take part in an effort to overhaul Georgia’s outdated tax laws, members of the General Assembly’s Republican leadership announced Thursday.
Legislation introduced in the state House of Representatives calls for Perdue and Miller to be among 11 members of a newly created 2010 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians.
The council, which also would include business leaders, economists and appointees of the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House, would examine the state’s revenue systems and recommend reforms in time for next winter’s legislative session.
The inability of Georgia’s revenue structure to adjust to declining tax collections resulting from the current recession shows the need for change, Speaker David Ralston told reporters during a news conference held by House and Senate GOP leaders.
More than a year of plunging revenues are forcing lawmakers to swallow deep spending cuts that are hurting the state’s ability to deliver core services, including education and health care.
“Georgians expect to build a tax code that will withstand future challenges,” said Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.
“We have a broken property tax system, a personal income tax system that is clearly tied to unemployment, a corporate income tax that discourages companies from coming to Georgia and a sales tax system that exempts more than it taxes,” added Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock.
Previous attempts at tax reform in the General Assembly have fallen flat over the years, most recently former Speaker Glenn Richardson’s failed bid to eliminate state property taxes.
But the new bill includes provisions aimed at requiring an up-or-down vote on the council’s recommendations.
“It will avoid having something thrown in the trashcan like we’ve had with so many study committees,” said Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the Senate.
The bill would establish a joint House-Senate committee that would be required to take up the new council’s recommendations during the 2011 session.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/15/daily54.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc.
Provisions of the Health Care Bill
Reporter: J.D. Sumner
The Albany Herald
March 19, 2010
COST: $940 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
HOW MANY COVERED: 32 million uninsured. Major coverage expansion begins in 2014. When fully phased in, 95 percent of eligible Americans would have coverage, compared with 83 percent today.
INSURANCE MANDATE: Almost everyone is required to be insured or else pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people. Mandate takes effect in 2014.
INSURANCE MARKET REFORMS: Major consumer safeguards take effect in 2014. Insurers prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. Higher premiums for women would be banned. Starting this year, insurers would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, and from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing medical problems. Parents would be able to keep older kids on their policies up to age 26. A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion goes into high gear.
MEDICAID: Expands the federal-state Medicaid insurance program for the poor to cover people with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014. The federal government would pay 100 percent of the tab for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016. A special deal that would have given Nebraska 100 percent federal financing for newly eligible Medicaid recipients in perpetuity is eliminated. A different, one-time deal negotiated by Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu for her state, Louisiana, worth as much as $300 million, remains.
TAXES: Dramatically scales back a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans that was opposed by House Democrats and labor unions. The tax would be delayed until 2018, and the thresholds at which it is imposed would be $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. To make up for the lost revenue, the bill applies an increased Medicare payroll tax to investment income as well as wages for individuals making more than $200,000, or married couples above $250,000. The tax on investment income would be 3.8 percent.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Gradually closes the “doughnut hole” coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit that seniors fall into once they have spent $2,830. Seniors who hit the gap this year will receive a $250 rebate. Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap receive a discount on brand name drugs, initially 50 percent off. When the gap is completely eliminated in 2020, seniors will still be responsible for 25 percent of the cost of their medications until Medicare’s catastrophic coverage kicks in.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY: As in the Senate bill, businesses are not required to offer coverage. Instead, employers are hit with a fee if the government subsidizes their workers’ coverage. The $2,000-per-employee fee would be assessed on the company’s entire workforce, minus an allowance. Companies with 50 or fewer workers are exempt from the requirement. Part-time workers are included in the calculations, counting two part-timers as one full-time worker.
SUBSIDIES: The proposal provides more generous tax credits for purchasing insurance than the original Senate bill did. The aid is available on a sliding scale for households making up to four times the federal poverty level, $88,200 for a family of four. Premiums for a family of four making $44,000 would be capped at around 6 percent of income.
HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Small businesses, the self-employed and the uninsured could pick a plan offered through new state-based purchasing pools called exchanges, opening for business in 2014. The exchanges would offer the same kind of purchasing power that employees of big companies benefit from. People working for medium-to-large firms would not see major changes. But if they lose their jobs or strike out on their own, they may be eligible for subsidized coverage through the exchange.
GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: No government-run insurance plan. People purchasing coverage through the new insurance exchanges would have the option of signing up for national plans overseen by the federal office that manages the health plans available to members of Congress. Those plans would be private, but one would have to be nonprofit.
ABORTION: The proposal keeps the abortion provision in the Senate bill. Abortion opponents disagree on whether restrictions on taxpayer funding go far enough. The bill tries to maintain a strict separation between taxpayer dollars and private premiums that would pay for abortion coverage. No health plan would be required to offer coverage for abortion. In plans that do cover abortion, policyholders would have to pay for it separately, and that money would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money. States could ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.
http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88511697.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
The Albany Herald
March 19, 2010
COST: $940 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
HOW MANY COVERED: 32 million uninsured. Major coverage expansion begins in 2014. When fully phased in, 95 percent of eligible Americans would have coverage, compared with 83 percent today.
INSURANCE MANDATE: Almost everyone is required to be insured or else pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people. Mandate takes effect in 2014.
INSURANCE MARKET REFORMS: Major consumer safeguards take effect in 2014. Insurers prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. Higher premiums for women would be banned. Starting this year, insurers would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, and from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing medical problems. Parents would be able to keep older kids on their policies up to age 26. A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion goes into high gear.
MEDICAID: Expands the federal-state Medicaid insurance program for the poor to cover people with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014. The federal government would pay 100 percent of the tab for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016. A special deal that would have given Nebraska 100 percent federal financing for newly eligible Medicaid recipients in perpetuity is eliminated. A different, one-time deal negotiated by Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu for her state, Louisiana, worth as much as $300 million, remains.
TAXES: Dramatically scales back a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans that was opposed by House Democrats and labor unions. The tax would be delayed until 2018, and the thresholds at which it is imposed would be $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. To make up for the lost revenue, the bill applies an increased Medicare payroll tax to investment income as well as wages for individuals making more than $200,000, or married couples above $250,000. The tax on investment income would be 3.8 percent.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Gradually closes the “doughnut hole” coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit that seniors fall into once they have spent $2,830. Seniors who hit the gap this year will receive a $250 rebate. Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap receive a discount on brand name drugs, initially 50 percent off. When the gap is completely eliminated in 2020, seniors will still be responsible for 25 percent of the cost of their medications until Medicare’s catastrophic coverage kicks in.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY: As in the Senate bill, businesses are not required to offer coverage. Instead, employers are hit with a fee if the government subsidizes their workers’ coverage. The $2,000-per-employee fee would be assessed on the company’s entire workforce, minus an allowance. Companies with 50 or fewer workers are exempt from the requirement. Part-time workers are included in the calculations, counting two part-timers as one full-time worker.
SUBSIDIES: The proposal provides more generous tax credits for purchasing insurance than the original Senate bill did. The aid is available on a sliding scale for households making up to four times the federal poverty level, $88,200 for a family of four. Premiums for a family of four making $44,000 would be capped at around 6 percent of income.
HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Small businesses, the self-employed and the uninsured could pick a plan offered through new state-based purchasing pools called exchanges, opening for business in 2014. The exchanges would offer the same kind of purchasing power that employees of big companies benefit from. People working for medium-to-large firms would not see major changes. But if they lose their jobs or strike out on their own, they may be eligible for subsidized coverage through the exchange.
GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: No government-run insurance plan. People purchasing coverage through the new insurance exchanges would have the option of signing up for national plans overseen by the federal office that manages the health plans available to members of Congress. Those plans would be private, but one would have to be nonprofit.
ABORTION: The proposal keeps the abortion provision in the Senate bill. Abortion opponents disagree on whether restrictions on taxpayer funding go far enough. The bill tries to maintain a strict separation between taxpayer dollars and private premiums that would pay for abortion coverage. No health plan would be required to offer coverage for abortion. In plans that do cover abortion, policyholders would have to pay for it separately, and that money would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money. States could ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.
http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88511697.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Bishop Unsure on Health Care Vote
Twenty-six Blue Dog Democrats voted against President Obama’s health care overhaul last November.
Reporter: J.D. Sumner
The Albany Herald
March 19, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic Congressman Sanford Bishop’s staff says that the Blue Dog Democrat remains undecided on whether he will support a contentious health care reform bill unveiled Thursday in the House.
Support from Bishop and other Democrats who are currently on the fence will be key if the measure is to make it out of the House.
Fellow Georgia Blue Dog Democrats Jim Marshall, D-Macon, and John Barrow, D-Augusta, are expected to vote against the bill.
Bishop’s Press Chief Jennie Gibson told the Herald Thursday afternoon that the congressman was “still undecided until he has a chance to read the bill.”
A vote on the measure will likely come as soon as Sunday, officials say. House rules bar officials from voting on the bill for 72 hours after it has been distributed to the public.
Gibson confirmed media reports that Bishop wants stricter language than was in the Senate bill to ensure that it doesn’t authorize federal funds for abortions. The bill unveiled Thursday keeps the same language that was in the Senate bill in terms of abortions. That means no plans would be required to offer abortions, and any plan that did offer it would have to force policyholders to pay for the procedure separately. The money used would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money.
Under the new plan, states could ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange program, but exceptions still exist in cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.
Bishop, who faces opposition from at least two Republican candidates for his seat in the 2nd Congressional District, has been the focus of heavy criticism within the South Georgia conservative community from those who have denounced his support of the bill.
The bill, which is estimated to cost roughly $940 billion over the next 10 years, has drawn fire-and-brimstone rhetoric from those who oppose the issue, including a call to the public from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, Wednesday to storm the capital in a move similar to one undertaken in Czechoslovakia during the Velvet Revolution.
The bill would mandate all Americans have some type of health insurance coverage by 2014 or pay a fine equal to 2.5 percent of their total income.
A preliminary estimate by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office concluded that the changes to the Senate bill would reduce the deficit by $138 billion in the first decade and by $1.3 trillion in the first 20 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reporter's e-mail: j.d.sumner@albanyherald.com
http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88511697.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Reporter: J.D. Sumner
The Albany Herald
March 19, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic Congressman Sanford Bishop’s staff says that the Blue Dog Democrat remains undecided on whether he will support a contentious health care reform bill unveiled Thursday in the House.
Support from Bishop and other Democrats who are currently on the fence will be key if the measure is to make it out of the House.
Fellow Georgia Blue Dog Democrats Jim Marshall, D-Macon, and John Barrow, D-Augusta, are expected to vote against the bill.
Bishop’s Press Chief Jennie Gibson told the Herald Thursday afternoon that the congressman was “still undecided until he has a chance to read the bill.”
A vote on the measure will likely come as soon as Sunday, officials say. House rules bar officials from voting on the bill for 72 hours after it has been distributed to the public.
Gibson confirmed media reports that Bishop wants stricter language than was in the Senate bill to ensure that it doesn’t authorize federal funds for abortions. The bill unveiled Thursday keeps the same language that was in the Senate bill in terms of abortions. That means no plans would be required to offer abortions, and any plan that did offer it would have to force policyholders to pay for the procedure separately. The money used would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money.
Under the new plan, states could ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange program, but exceptions still exist in cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.
Bishop, who faces opposition from at least two Republican candidates for his seat in the 2nd Congressional District, has been the focus of heavy criticism within the South Georgia conservative community from those who have denounced his support of the bill.
The bill, which is estimated to cost roughly $940 billion over the next 10 years, has drawn fire-and-brimstone rhetoric from those who oppose the issue, including a call to the public from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, Wednesday to storm the capital in a move similar to one undertaken in Czechoslovakia during the Velvet Revolution.
The bill would mandate all Americans have some type of health insurance coverage by 2014 or pay a fine equal to 2.5 percent of their total income.
A preliminary estimate by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office concluded that the changes to the Senate bill would reduce the deficit by $138 billion in the first decade and by $1.3 trillion in the first 20 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reporter's e-mail: j.d.sumner@albanyherald.com
http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/88511697.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
REDUCED CUTS SAVE ASU PROGRAM
By Preston Sparks
The Augusta Chronicle
March 18, 2010
Augusta State University nursing students and many others at the college can breathe a sigh of relief.
At a Wednesday news conference to detail ASU's latest master plan, ASU President William Bloodworth said potential state funding cuts for next year aren't looking as bleak and programs that might have been cut, including the nursing program, no longer seem in danger.
"The governor has made another proposal that gives us some hope," the president said. "I think it's highly unlikely we would be eliminating those programs."
Bloodworth said the governor's latest proposal is about a third of the cuts that had been discussed previously through the University System of Georgia Chancellor's Office, which had asked state universities to respond with a list of potential cuts should $300 million more in statewide funding be slashed for the next fiscal year.
Bloodworth said cuts that might come now would most likely be to nonacademic areas.
To see the whole article please tap on the link: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-18/reduced-cuts-save-asu-programs?v=1268876569
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
The Augusta Chronicle
March 18, 2010
Augusta State University nursing students and many others at the college can breathe a sigh of relief.
At a Wednesday news conference to detail ASU's latest master plan, ASU President William Bloodworth said potential state funding cuts for next year aren't looking as bleak and programs that might have been cut, including the nursing program, no longer seem in danger.
"The governor has made another proposal that gives us some hope," the president said. "I think it's highly unlikely we would be eliminating those programs."
Bloodworth said the governor's latest proposal is about a third of the cuts that had been discussed previously through the University System of Georgia Chancellor's Office, which had asked state universities to respond with a list of potential cuts should $300 million more in statewide funding be slashed for the next fiscal year.
Bloodworth said cuts that might come now would most likely be to nonacademic areas.
To see the whole article please tap on the link: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-18/reduced-cuts-save-asu-programs?v=1268876569
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
House Approves Measure To Strengthen Sales Tax Collection
By Nancy Badertscher
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 17, 2010
The state could have a new tool for identifying businesses that should -- but aren’t -- paying potentially millions in sales tax.
The Georgia House passed legislation Wednesday that would require cities and counties to furnish the state Department of Revenue with information about businesses that are licensed locally.
The department could cross-check that information against its records to go after businesses that aren’t submitting sales tax to the state, said Ways & Means Vice Chairman David Knight (R-Griffin).
The state could bring in $100 million or more from the crackdown, Ways & Means Chairman Larry O’Neal has said.
Local governments also stand to benefit since they receive a portion of all sales tax collections, lawmakers said.
To see the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/house-approves-measure-to-379303.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 17, 2010
The state could have a new tool for identifying businesses that should -- but aren’t -- paying potentially millions in sales tax.
The Georgia House passed legislation Wednesday that would require cities and counties to furnish the state Department of Revenue with information about businesses that are licensed locally.
The department could cross-check that information against its records to go after businesses that aren’t submitting sales tax to the state, said Ways & Means Vice Chairman David Knight (R-Griffin).
The state could bring in $100 million or more from the crackdown, Ways & Means Chairman Larry O’Neal has said.
Local governments also stand to benefit since they receive a portion of all sales tax collections, lawmakers said.
To see the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/house-approves-measure-to-379303.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Senate Dems Block Proposed Constitutional Amendment To Opt Out Of Federal Health Care
By Ernie Suggs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 17, 2010
Republican Sen. Judson Hill tried to send a message Wednesday to President Barack Obama about health care.
Instead, the Democrats in the Georgia Senate sent the GOP a message by rejecting Hill’s proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Georgians to opt out of federally mandated health care.
"We stand united, at least within the Republican Caucus, to say your health care and your health care freedoms of choice are critically important,” said Hill, of Marietta.
Senate Resolution 794 was part of a nationwide effort launched by Republicans to defeat the health care overhaul being considered in Congress.
There are currently 38 states pushing constitutional amendments that would give the states the option of not participating in federal health care. Hill’s resolution was meant to block any federal health care bill.
It would have allowed Georgia to invoke the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says that any power not explicitly granted the federal government in the Constitution is preserved for the states.
Hill argued that a proposed health care overhaul -- for which support and opposition are sharply split along party lines -- would protect Georgians from having to participate in a federal program.
To see the whole article please tap on the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/senate-dems-block-proposed-378963.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 17, 2010
Republican Sen. Judson Hill tried to send a message Wednesday to President Barack Obama about health care.
Instead, the Democrats in the Georgia Senate sent the GOP a message by rejecting Hill’s proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Georgians to opt out of federally mandated health care.
"We stand united, at least within the Republican Caucus, to say your health care and your health care freedoms of choice are critically important,” said Hill, of Marietta.
Senate Resolution 794 was part of a nationwide effort launched by Republicans to defeat the health care overhaul being considered in Congress.
There are currently 38 states pushing constitutional amendments that would give the states the option of not participating in federal health care. Hill’s resolution was meant to block any federal health care bill.
It would have allowed Georgia to invoke the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says that any power not explicitly granted the federal government in the Constitution is preserved for the states.
Hill argued that a proposed health care overhaul -- for which support and opposition are sharply split along party lines -- would protect Georgians from having to participate in a federal program.
To see the whole article please tap on the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/senate-dems-block-proposed-378963.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
‘Where Are Our Children Going To Go?'
By Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DeKalb County News
March 16, 2010
Like fans rallying for their football team, parents wore school colors, carried signs and shouted while waving pom-poms.
But instead of cheering for their home team, parents spent Tuesday night at a citizens’ meeting rallying for survival of their home schools across DeKalb County.
Each parent brought their own argument why their local elementary school stands out and should not be closed.
“I treat the school like it’s my house,” said Tiffany Holloway, president of the Sky Haven Elementary School PTA. “I’m not going to let a mortgage company come in and take my house.”
The 20-member Citizens’ Planning Task Force is charged with reviewing data and recommending at least four elementary schools to close at the end of the school year. School officials have proposed two scenarios for the closings, involving seven schools – all in south DeKalb.
Meadowview first grade teacher Teresa Favors said she was disappointed that the schools are being chosen for closure based on location, enrollment and money – and not student achievement.
“The south is learning just like the north end of the county,” she said. “If you close this many schools in the south end of the county, where are our children going to go?”
School officials say the closures are necessary to help with an anticipated $88-million deficit. The four school closures are expected to save about $2.3 million.
To see the whole article please tap the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/where-are-our-children-375829.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DeKalb County News
March 16, 2010
Like fans rallying for their football team, parents wore school colors, carried signs and shouted while waving pom-poms.
But instead of cheering for their home team, parents spent Tuesday night at a citizens’ meeting rallying for survival of their home schools across DeKalb County.
Each parent brought their own argument why their local elementary school stands out and should not be closed.
“I treat the school like it’s my house,” said Tiffany Holloway, president of the Sky Haven Elementary School PTA. “I’m not going to let a mortgage company come in and take my house.”
The 20-member Citizens’ Planning Task Force is charged with reviewing data and recommending at least four elementary schools to close at the end of the school year. School officials have proposed two scenarios for the closings, involving seven schools – all in south DeKalb.
Meadowview first grade teacher Teresa Favors said she was disappointed that the schools are being chosen for closure based on location, enrollment and money – and not student achievement.
“The south is learning just like the north end of the county,” she said. “If you close this many schools in the south end of the county, where are our children going to go?”
School officials say the closures are necessary to help with an anticipated $88-million deficit. The four school closures are expected to save about $2.3 million.
To see the whole article please tap the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/where-are-our-children-375829.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Transition Fair Focuses On Gwinnett Special Needs Students
By Patrick Fox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett County News
March 16, 2010
Gwinnett County Public Schools is sponsoring a Transition Fair for students with special needs and their families.
The fair is to help patrons learn about services and programs to prepare students for the move from high school to adulthood. The event is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Peachtree Ridge High School, 1555 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss employment and educational options with agency representatives in the areas of employment support, residential services, day-habilitation programs, recreation and leisure, and assistive technology. They also can meet with members of other organizations that offer support. In addition, participants can attend breakout sessions to learn more about topics such as Medicaid waivers, Social Security income, financial planning and guardianship, transition planning and employment support options, among other topics.
More information is available by calling 678-301-7137.
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/transition-fair-focuses-on-375390.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett County News
March 16, 2010
Gwinnett County Public Schools is sponsoring a Transition Fair for students with special needs and their families.
The fair is to help patrons learn about services and programs to prepare students for the move from high school to adulthood. The event is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Peachtree Ridge High School, 1555 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss employment and educational options with agency representatives in the areas of employment support, residential services, day-habilitation programs, recreation and leisure, and assistive technology. They also can meet with members of other organizations that offer support. In addition, participants can attend breakout sessions to learn more about topics such as Medicaid waivers, Social Security income, financial planning and guardianship, transition planning and employment support options, among other topics.
More information is available by calling 678-301-7137.
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/transition-fair-focuses-on-375390.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House Approves Vote on DeKalb Tax Freeze
By Nancy Badertscher
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 16, 2010
The Georgia House reversed itself Tuesday and passed local legislation calling for a November election on extending DeKalb County’s property tax freeze.
The five-year freeze on assessments is set to expire next year.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), would extend the freeze indefinitely if voters approved. An amendment, expected to be proposed in the Senate, would change the bill so the freeze extension would sunset in five years, Millar said.
The measure sparked a rare, local-bill floor debate Thursday, showing some residual bitterness over passage last year of legislation that ultimately led to the creation of the city of Dunwoody.
After that debate, the bill fell 13 votes short of the necessary 120 for passage. It passed Tuesday 144 to 23 despite some requests for delay.
To see the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/house-approves-vote-on-374990.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 16, 2010
The Georgia House reversed itself Tuesday and passed local legislation calling for a November election on extending DeKalb County’s property tax freeze.
The five-year freeze on assessments is set to expire next year.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), would extend the freeze indefinitely if voters approved. An amendment, expected to be proposed in the Senate, would change the bill so the freeze extension would sunset in five years, Millar said.
The measure sparked a rare, local-bill floor debate Thursday, showing some residual bitterness over passage last year of legislation that ultimately led to the creation of the city of Dunwoody.
After that debate, the bill fell 13 votes short of the necessary 120 for passage. It passed Tuesday 144 to 23 despite some requests for delay.
To see the whole article please tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/house-approves-vote-on-374990.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, March 15, 2010
DeKalb Transition Forum: For Parents of Teenagers and Adults With Disabilities
Please forward to students and families in DeKalb:
“Planning for the Future Starts Today”
For Parents of Teenagers and Adults with Disabilities
Thursday, March 18, 2010
5:30pm-8:30pm
Shamrock Middle School Cafeteria
3100 Mt. Olive Drive
Decatur, GA 30033
(directions below)
Program:
5:30pm – 6:15pm Exhibits Open
6:15pm – 7:30pm Panel Discussion and Questions/Answer session
7:30pm – 8:30pm Exhibits Open
Panelists to include representatives from:
All About Developmental Disabilities
Benefits Navigator
Parent Mentor
Professional Case Management Services of America
Region III Board
Vocational Rehabilitation, Georgia Department of Labor
This event is sponsored by:
All About Developmental Disabilities
DeKalb County Schools
DeKalb Developmental Disabilities Council
Georgia Learning Resources System – GLRS
For more information call Karen Tallent, DeKalb County School System at 678-676-2161 or Emily Severtson, AADD at 404-881-9777 ext. 205
Where:
Shamrock Middle School
3100 Mt. Olive Drive
Decatur 30033
Directions:
From US Hwy 78 West (Stone Mountain Freeway)
Follow US-78 W toward Decatur
Take exit 1/ N Druid Hills Rd toward Valley Brook Rd
Slight right at N Druid Hills Rd
Take the 2nd right onto Mistletoe Rd by fire station
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
From I-285 traveling South
Take exit 38 / US-29/Lawrenceville Hwy
Turn right at Lawrenceville Hwy/US-29 toward Decatur
Turn right at the traffic light at Harcourt Drive
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
From I-285 traveling North
Take exit 38 / US-29/Lawrenceville Hwy
Turn left at Lawrenceville Hwy/US-29 toward Decatur
Turn right at the traffic light at Harcourt Drive
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
Parking:
Park on the street or in the second parking lot next to the cafeteria.
Drive past the front of the school to reach the second parking lot.
“Planning for the Future Starts Today”
For Parents of Teenagers and Adults with Disabilities
Thursday, March 18, 2010
5:30pm-8:30pm
Shamrock Middle School Cafeteria
3100 Mt. Olive Drive
Decatur, GA 30033
(directions below)
Program:
5:30pm – 6:15pm Exhibits Open
6:15pm – 7:30pm Panel Discussion and Questions/Answer session
7:30pm – 8:30pm Exhibits Open
Panelists to include representatives from:
All About Developmental Disabilities
Benefits Navigator
Parent Mentor
Professional Case Management Services of America
Region III Board
Vocational Rehabilitation, Georgia Department of Labor
This event is sponsored by:
All About Developmental Disabilities
DeKalb County Schools
DeKalb Developmental Disabilities Council
Georgia Learning Resources System – GLRS
For more information call Karen Tallent, DeKalb County School System at 678-676-2161 or Emily Severtson, AADD at 404-881-9777 ext. 205
Where:
Shamrock Middle School
3100 Mt. Olive Drive
Decatur 30033
Directions:
From US Hwy 78 West (Stone Mountain Freeway)
Follow US-78 W toward Decatur
Take exit 1/ N Druid Hills Rd toward Valley Brook Rd
Slight right at N Druid Hills Rd
Take the 2nd right onto Mistletoe Rd by fire station
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
From I-285 traveling South
Take exit 38 / US-29/Lawrenceville Hwy
Turn right at Lawrenceville Hwy/US-29 toward Decatur
Turn right at the traffic light at Harcourt Drive
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
From I-285 traveling North
Take exit 38 / US-29/Lawrenceville Hwy
Turn left at Lawrenceville Hwy/US-29 toward Decatur
Turn right at the traffic light at Harcourt Drive
Turn right at Mt Olive Dr
School will be on the left
Parking:
Park on the street or in the second parking lot next to the cafeteria.
Drive past the front of the school to reach the second parking lot.
Lawmakers Rush To Beat 'Crossover Day' Deadline
Morris News Service
Athens Banner-Herald
March 15, 2010
ATLANTA - Legislators will take a day off today and return to session over the final four days of the week as they rush to beat an internal deadline to keep their bills alive.
"Crossover day," the deadline for bills to pass in the chamber where they were introduced and cross over to the other chamber, likely will fall on March 25.
"What I think you'll see (this) week is a whole lot of committee activity," House Majority Leader Jerry Keen said.
The House Appropriations Committee will be working in overdrive this week as it prepares a balanced budget for the full House to vote on.
Part of that process will be to figure out how rank-and-file Republicans want to address the revenue shortfall Gov. Sonny Perdue officially announced Friday - tax hikes, fee increases, spending cuts or a combination.
"Now the tough part is just making those decisions," said Keen, R-St. Simons.
The House is scheduled Tuesday to consider a bill proposed by Speaker David Ralston and sponsored by state Rep. Jill Chambers, R-Atlanta, that would prohibit government agencies from releasing investigators' crime-scene photos of an injured or slain victim without family permission. An expected revision in the bill would allow credentialed journalists to inspect the photos under supervision of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation..
The bill is in response to a request by a freelance writer on assignment for Hustler magazine who asked for all the files - including the photos - of the murder of Meredith Emerson, a University of
Georgia graduate who was kidnapped while hiking in the North Georgia mountains, beaten and beheaded in 2008.
Also this week, the Senate is expected to vote on a controversial bill to expand where people with permits may legally carry concealed weapons.
The sponsor, state Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, said he intends to remove confusion about where guns can be taken.
The bill would allow guns in parks, churches and the portion of airports not under federal control.
Also in the Senate, a task force appointed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is scheduled to present its recommendations for ways the state government can cut costs.
"I think there will be some very constructive ideas. They won't solve all the problems," said Kelly McCutcheon, president of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. "There are some significant savings over the next four or five years."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, March 15, 2010
http://onlineathens.com/stories/031510/new_590068505.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Athens Banner-Herald
March 15, 2010
ATLANTA - Legislators will take a day off today and return to session over the final four days of the week as they rush to beat an internal deadline to keep their bills alive.
"Crossover day," the deadline for bills to pass in the chamber where they were introduced and cross over to the other chamber, likely will fall on March 25.
"What I think you'll see (this) week is a whole lot of committee activity," House Majority Leader Jerry Keen said.
The House Appropriations Committee will be working in overdrive this week as it prepares a balanced budget for the full House to vote on.
Part of that process will be to figure out how rank-and-file Republicans want to address the revenue shortfall Gov. Sonny Perdue officially announced Friday - tax hikes, fee increases, spending cuts or a combination.
"Now the tough part is just making those decisions," said Keen, R-St. Simons.
The House is scheduled Tuesday to consider a bill proposed by Speaker David Ralston and sponsored by state Rep. Jill Chambers, R-Atlanta, that would prohibit government agencies from releasing investigators' crime-scene photos of an injured or slain victim without family permission. An expected revision in the bill would allow credentialed journalists to inspect the photos under supervision of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation..
The bill is in response to a request by a freelance writer on assignment for Hustler magazine who asked for all the files - including the photos - of the murder of Meredith Emerson, a University of
Georgia graduate who was kidnapped while hiking in the North Georgia mountains, beaten and beheaded in 2008.
Also this week, the Senate is expected to vote on a controversial bill to expand where people with permits may legally carry concealed weapons.
The sponsor, state Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, said he intends to remove confusion about where guns can be taken.
The bill would allow guns in parks, churches and the portion of airports not under federal control.
Also in the Senate, a task force appointed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is scheduled to present its recommendations for ways the state government can cut costs.
"I think there will be some very constructive ideas. They won't solve all the problems," said Kelly McCutcheon, president of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. "There are some significant savings over the next four or five years."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, March 15, 2010
http://onlineathens.com/stories/031510/new_590068505.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Perdue, Cox To Pitch For State Schools
Georgia in running for part of education fund
By Kristina Torres
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 15, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue and state schools Superintendent Kathy Cox will lead a delegation Wednesday to Washington to make their pitch for a piece of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top education fund.
The fund will distribute up to $4 billion to states that embrace education reform. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced March 4 that Georgia is one of 16 finalists chosen for face-to-face meetings.
Reviewers will talk to officials about their application and, according to the federal department, “ensure that the state has the understanding, knowledge, capacity and the will to truly deliver on what is proposed.”
The delegation includes Gwinnett County Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks. His system is one of 23 in Georgia that will pilot Georgia’s reforms.
Georgia is estimated to be eligible for up to a $400 million grant from the fund, although the state’s 200-page application — submitted in January — requests about $460 million. However, Duncan said in a statement that each finalist “has a shot at winning, but most of them will go home as finalists — not as winners.”
For the whole article tap the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/perdue-cox-to-pitch-371103.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Kristina Torres
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Politics
March 15, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue and state schools Superintendent Kathy Cox will lead a delegation Wednesday to Washington to make their pitch for a piece of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top education fund.
The fund will distribute up to $4 billion to states that embrace education reform. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced March 4 that Georgia is one of 16 finalists chosen for face-to-face meetings.
Reviewers will talk to officials about their application and, according to the federal department, “ensure that the state has the understanding, knowledge, capacity and the will to truly deliver on what is proposed.”
The delegation includes Gwinnett County Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks. His system is one of 23 in Georgia that will pilot Georgia’s reforms.
Georgia is estimated to be eligible for up to a $400 million grant from the fund, although the state’s 200-page application — submitted in January — requests about $460 million. However, Duncan said in a statement that each finalist “has a shot at winning, but most of them will go home as finalists — not as winners.”
For the whole article tap the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/perdue-cox-to-pitch-371103.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sandy Springs Takes Fresh Look At Private Services
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
North Fulton County News
March 15, 2010
Four years after launching the state’s most privatized government, Sandy Springs is considering some changes to the concept.
This time the north Fulton County city is not looking at a blank canvas. Other new cities have since formed and put their own mark on how to outsource services.
Sandy Springs has more than a year to explore its options, and few expect it will dump the privatization model going forward. But it could make significant changes, such as contracting with several firms for different services rather than relying on one to handle everything.
Chattahoochee Hills and Milton tried the Sandy Springs model of contracting with just one firm but backed out of the deals, citing financial pressures.
Neighboring Dunwoody says it saved taxpayers $2 million by finding three, not one, companies to run its city.
To read the whole article tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/sandy-springs-takes-fresh-371123.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
North Fulton County News
March 15, 2010
Four years after launching the state’s most privatized government, Sandy Springs is considering some changes to the concept.
This time the north Fulton County city is not looking at a blank canvas. Other new cities have since formed and put their own mark on how to outsource services.
Sandy Springs has more than a year to explore its options, and few expect it will dump the privatization model going forward. But it could make significant changes, such as contracting with several firms for different services rather than relying on one to handle everything.
Chattahoochee Hills and Milton tried the Sandy Springs model of contracting with just one firm but backed out of the deals, citing financial pressures.
Neighboring Dunwoody says it saved taxpayers $2 million by finding three, not one, companies to run its city.
To read the whole article tap on link: http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/sandy-springs-takes-fresh-371123.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, March 12, 2010
U.S. Attorney Confirmed For North Georgia
Associated Press
The Augusta Chronicle
March 12, 2010
ATLANTA - Sally Quillian Yates has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Yates has been serving as acting U.S. attorney for the district since August. The previous U.S. attorney, David Nahmias, was appointed to the state Supreme Court.
She served as first assistant U.S. attorney for seven years. She has been with the U.S. attorney's office since 1989.
She's a 1986 graduate of the University of Georgia law school.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-12/us-attorney-confirmed-north-ga?v=1268386847
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010.
The Augusta Chronicle
March 12, 2010
ATLANTA - Sally Quillian Yates has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Yates has been serving as acting U.S. attorney for the district since August. The previous U.S. attorney, David Nahmias, was appointed to the state Supreme Court.
She served as first assistant U.S. attorney for seven years. She has been with the U.S. attorney's office since 1989.
She's a 1986 graduate of the University of Georgia law school.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-12/us-attorney-confirmed-north-ga?v=1268386847
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010.
PSC Votes Higher Fuel Costs For Georgia Power
by Dave Williams
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 11, 2010
The Georgia Public Service Commission Thursday gave Georgia Power Co. permission to raise rates by $3.9 billion to cover higher fuel costs.
The rate hike, which commissioners approved 4-1, will add an average of $5.59 per month to customer bills, down slightly from the increase originally sought by the utility.
In an agreement with the PSC’s public interest staff, Georgia Power lowered the per-month increase in exchange for a longer cost recovery period of 42 months.
The agreement includes an interim fuel rider (IFR) that allows Georgia Power, a unit of Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) to increase rates by an additional $330 million to $390 million without having to file data with the PSC justifying the move.
Commissioner Bobby Baker, the only PSC member voting against the proposal, objected to letting the utility raise fuel recovery costs within the next year without a formal hearing.
“You have taken the easy road out by accepting the IFR,” Baker told the other commissioners.
But Commissioner Chuck Eaton said the PSC was only following Georgia law.
“Georgia Power gets recovery on fuel cost increases,” Eaton said. “The statute is written so that we don’t shirk our responsibility on fuel costs.”
Fuel cost recoveries compensate electric utilities for the costs of the coal and natural gas that fire their power plants.
The new rates take effect April 1.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/08/daily66.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 11, 2010
The Georgia Public Service Commission Thursday gave Georgia Power Co. permission to raise rates by $3.9 billion to cover higher fuel costs.
The rate hike, which commissioners approved 4-1, will add an average of $5.59 per month to customer bills, down slightly from the increase originally sought by the utility.
In an agreement with the PSC’s public interest staff, Georgia Power lowered the per-month increase in exchange for a longer cost recovery period of 42 months.
The agreement includes an interim fuel rider (IFR) that allows Georgia Power, a unit of Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) to increase rates by an additional $330 million to $390 million without having to file data with the PSC justifying the move.
Commissioner Bobby Baker, the only PSC member voting against the proposal, objected to letting the utility raise fuel recovery costs within the next year without a formal hearing.
“You have taken the easy road out by accepting the IFR,” Baker told the other commissioners.
But Commissioner Chuck Eaton said the PSC was only following Georgia law.
“Georgia Power gets recovery on fuel cost increases,” Eaton said. “The statute is written so that we don’t shirk our responsibility on fuel costs.”
Fuel cost recoveries compensate electric utilities for the costs of the coal and natural gas that fire their power plants.
The new rates take effect April 1.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/08/daily66.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors.
Perdue Pitches New Round of Cutbacks
By Shannon McCaffrey
Associated Press
Athens Banner-Herald
March 12, 2010
ATLANTA - Georgia's hospitals and health care providers were hammered as part of a new round of cuts proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday to deal with a gaping budget shortfall.
With state tax collections in freefall, Perdue is pushing to cancel the state's weeklong back-to-school sales tax holiday. Georgians also will face a host of new or increased fees totaling some $96 million as the state scrambles to balance its books.
Perdue told a state Capitol news conference that the state is undergoing "a government reset."
"We're taking a step back from a lot of things that were nice to do in good times," the Republican governor said.
The bad budget news has been expected since February's revenue numbers dipped for the 15th straight month. Perdue on Thursday lowered the revenue estimate for the fiscal year that begins in July by $443 million, effectively giving legislators fewer dollars to spend. The budget will drop from $18.2 billion to $17.7 billion.
The governor brought the current fiscal year's books out of the red by moving forward $342 million in federal stimulus dollars that he has intended to spend next year.
The new cuts rippled throughout state government. Many state agencies that already have endured round after round of reductions will be asked to slash another 3 percent from their spending. There are a few exceptions, such as elementary and secondary schools and the Department of Corrections, which won't be cut as much.
But hospitals, which had been protected so far from Medicaid cuts, were hit hard in Perdue's new blueprint.
To read the whole article: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031210/new_585569448.shtml
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, March 12, 2010
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Associated Press
Athens Banner-Herald
March 12, 2010
ATLANTA - Georgia's hospitals and health care providers were hammered as part of a new round of cuts proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday to deal with a gaping budget shortfall.
With state tax collections in freefall, Perdue is pushing to cancel the state's weeklong back-to-school sales tax holiday. Georgians also will face a host of new or increased fees totaling some $96 million as the state scrambles to balance its books.
Perdue told a state Capitol news conference that the state is undergoing "a government reset."
"We're taking a step back from a lot of things that were nice to do in good times," the Republican governor said.
The bad budget news has been expected since February's revenue numbers dipped for the 15th straight month. Perdue on Thursday lowered the revenue estimate for the fiscal year that begins in July by $443 million, effectively giving legislators fewer dollars to spend. The budget will drop from $18.2 billion to $17.7 billion.
The governor brought the current fiscal year's books out of the red by moving forward $342 million in federal stimulus dollars that he has intended to spend next year.
The new cuts rippled throughout state government. Many state agencies that already have endured round after round of reductions will be asked to slash another 3 percent from their spending. There are a few exceptions, such as elementary and secondary schools and the Department of Corrections, which won't be cut as much.
But hospitals, which had been protected so far from Medicaid cuts, were hit hard in Perdue's new blueprint.
To read the whole article: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031210/new_585569448.shtml
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, March 12, 2010
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Perdue To Announce Bleak Budget Numbers Today
Gov. Sonny Perdue is expected to announce new, lower budget projections today at a 4 p.m. news conference.
By Blake Aued
Athens Banner-Herald
March 11, 2010
Perdue has proposed a $17 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning in July based on rosy economic projections that show revenue growing at a 4 percent clip.
But tax collections dropped nearly 10 percent in February compared to a year earlier, according to figures Perdue’s administration released Monday.
Legislators say they must fill a $2 billion hole in next year’s budget. Proposals for meeting the shortfall include more employee furloughs, laying off 8,000 state employees, steep cuts to higher education, cutting highly-paid administrators’ salaries, a tax on hospitals, a $1-per-pack cigarette tax, raising fees and taxing the wealthy.
Perdue may also announce more budget cuts for the current fiscal year.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, March 11, 2010
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031110/bre_584598773.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
By Blake Aued
Athens Banner-Herald
March 11, 2010
Perdue has proposed a $17 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning in July based on rosy economic projections that show revenue growing at a 4 percent clip.
But tax collections dropped nearly 10 percent in February compared to a year earlier, according to figures Perdue’s administration released Monday.
Legislators say they must fill a $2 billion hole in next year’s budget. Proposals for meeting the shortfall include more employee furloughs, laying off 8,000 state employees, steep cuts to higher education, cutting highly-paid administrators’ salaries, a tax on hospitals, a $1-per-pack cigarette tax, raising fees and taxing the wealthy.
Perdue may also announce more budget cuts for the current fiscal year.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, March 11, 2010
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031110/bre_584598773.shtml
© 2010 OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
Democrats, White House Close In On Health Bill
Democracts Look To Health Vote Without Abortion Foes
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press Writer
Albany Herald
Beamount Enterprise
March 11, 2010
WASHINGTON (AP) -- House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama's health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats.
A break on abortion would remove a major obstacle for Democratic leaders in the final throes of a yearlong effort to change health care in America. But it sets up a risky strategy of trying to round up enough Democrats to overcome, not appease, a small but possibly decisive group of Democratic lawmakers in the House.
Democratic leaders are working to rally rank-and-file members around last-minute agreements on several sticking points, health insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage among them, and dozens of other complicated issues - all as Republicans stand ready to oppose the overhaul en masse.
Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said the leadership will press ahead without reworking the abortion provision, which opponents say falls short in restricting taxpayer dollars for abortion coverage. He predicted some of the anti-abortion lawmakers in the party will end up voting for the overhaul anyway.
One point on which Obama may not get his way is the White House demand for a vote by March 18, a week away. Speaking to reporters after Democrats met for a status report on the emerging health care agreements, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the deadline merely "an interesting date."
Before a vote, Pelosi, D-Calif., said lawmakers must first receive a cost report from the Congressional Budget Office on changes to the bill being worked out among the White House and Democratic congressional leaders. After that, it could be a week or more before the legislation goes to the floor.
House Democrats were meeting behind closed doors Thursday to hear a point-by-point briefing on the latest health care compromise from White House health reform director Nancy Ann DeParle. Pelosi asked the members whether they wanted to vote sooner rather than later. They responded with a broad shout of "Yes!" according to lawmakers coming out of the session.
It will come down to a phenomenal effort by congressional leaders and the White House to win over skittish lawmakers after a year of incendiary debate, even as Obama keeps up campaign-style appearances designed to fire up public support.
At stake is the fate of the president's call to expand health care to some 30 million people who lack insurance and to prohibit insurance company practices such as denial of coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. Almost every American would be affected by the legislation, which would change the ways many people receive and pay for health care, from the most routine checkup to the most expensive, lifesaving treatment.
White House officials and congressional Democratic leaders met Wednesday evening in Pelosi's office. Aides said they agreed on scaling back a health insurance tax that unions oppose, and on gradually closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap. They were not far apart on other major issues, including Medicaid financing for states that already provide above-average benefits, and on improving subsidies that would be available under the plan to help individuals and families pay their premiums.
Several Democrats expressed frustration, however, with the absence of cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office on the latest provisions. They want to ensure the total price tag stays around $950 billion over 10 years.
Those costs would be covered through a combination of Medicare cuts and tax increases. Among the new levies, the Medicare payroll tax would be applied to the investment earnings of upper-income people, including proceeds from capital gains. Until now, the tax has solely been levied on wages.
In a bit of bookkeeping, the Congressional Budget Office on Thursday released its final cost estimates for the bill the Senate passed on Christmas Eve. That 10-year, $875 billion plan would reduce the federal deficit and cover 31 million people who'd otherwise be uninsured. The Senate bill is the foundation of the proposal that Obama wants Congress to pass in the next few weeks. But the numbers will change yet again with the new version.
Obama invited members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to meet him Thursday at the White House to discuss the health legislation.
House and Senate Democrats are working on a complex rescue mission for the health care legislation, which appeared on the cusp of passage late last year before Senate Republicans gained the strength to sustain a filibuster that could prevent final passage. The White House is pushing for a vote by the House before Obama leaves on a foreign trip at the end of next week.
The current plan is for the House to approve the Senate-passed bill from late last year, despite serious objections to numerous provisions. Both houses then would pass a second bill immediately, making changes in the first measure before both could take effect. The second bill would be debated under rules that bar a filibuster, meaning it could clear by majority vote in the Senate without Democrats needing the 60-vote supermajority now beyond their reach.
That strategy would leave in place the Senate language on abortion. It would allow health plans receiving federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace to cover abortion, provided they pay for it only with money collected from policyholders. The House bill would have prohibited health plans receiving subsidies from covering abortions.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., has been pushing for the stricter House provisions, saying that he and a dozen or so abortion opponents would vote against the health care bill if the Senate language is retained. But the leadership appears to be moving to call his bluff.
Republicans have vowed to do everything they can to thwart the plan, and for the Democrats, some policy questions remain unsettled.
Obama already has moved to eliminate a couple of special deals in the Senate bill that turned off voters when they became public, including extra Medicaid money for Nebraska - derided by critics as the "Cornhusker kickback." Late Wednesday the White House said the president was pushing to strip out a number of deals that remain, possibly including a provision sought by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., providing Medicare coverage for residents of Libby, Mont., who suffer from asbestos-related illnesses because of a now-closed mining operation.
Politico first reported the list.
---
Associated Press writers David Espo, Philip Elliott, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Alan Fram and Charles Babington contributed to this report.
http://www.albanyherald.com/nation
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_CARE_OVERHAUL?SITE=TXBEA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Copyright © 2010 The Beaumont Enterprise
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press Writer
Albany Herald
Beamount Enterprise
March 11, 2010
WASHINGTON (AP) -- House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama's health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats.
A break on abortion would remove a major obstacle for Democratic leaders in the final throes of a yearlong effort to change health care in America. But it sets up a risky strategy of trying to round up enough Democrats to overcome, not appease, a small but possibly decisive group of Democratic lawmakers in the House.
Democratic leaders are working to rally rank-and-file members around last-minute agreements on several sticking points, health insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage among them, and dozens of other complicated issues - all as Republicans stand ready to oppose the overhaul en masse.
Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said the leadership will press ahead without reworking the abortion provision, which opponents say falls short in restricting taxpayer dollars for abortion coverage. He predicted some of the anti-abortion lawmakers in the party will end up voting for the overhaul anyway.
One point on which Obama may not get his way is the White House demand for a vote by March 18, a week away. Speaking to reporters after Democrats met for a status report on the emerging health care agreements, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the deadline merely "an interesting date."
Before a vote, Pelosi, D-Calif., said lawmakers must first receive a cost report from the Congressional Budget Office on changes to the bill being worked out among the White House and Democratic congressional leaders. After that, it could be a week or more before the legislation goes to the floor.
House Democrats were meeting behind closed doors Thursday to hear a point-by-point briefing on the latest health care compromise from White House health reform director Nancy Ann DeParle. Pelosi asked the members whether they wanted to vote sooner rather than later. They responded with a broad shout of "Yes!" according to lawmakers coming out of the session.
It will come down to a phenomenal effort by congressional leaders and the White House to win over skittish lawmakers after a year of incendiary debate, even as Obama keeps up campaign-style appearances designed to fire up public support.
At stake is the fate of the president's call to expand health care to some 30 million people who lack insurance and to prohibit insurance company practices such as denial of coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. Almost every American would be affected by the legislation, which would change the ways many people receive and pay for health care, from the most routine checkup to the most expensive, lifesaving treatment.
White House officials and congressional Democratic leaders met Wednesday evening in Pelosi's office. Aides said they agreed on scaling back a health insurance tax that unions oppose, and on gradually closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap. They were not far apart on other major issues, including Medicaid financing for states that already provide above-average benefits, and on improving subsidies that would be available under the plan to help individuals and families pay their premiums.
Several Democrats expressed frustration, however, with the absence of cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office on the latest provisions. They want to ensure the total price tag stays around $950 billion over 10 years.
Those costs would be covered through a combination of Medicare cuts and tax increases. Among the new levies, the Medicare payroll tax would be applied to the investment earnings of upper-income people, including proceeds from capital gains. Until now, the tax has solely been levied on wages.
In a bit of bookkeeping, the Congressional Budget Office on Thursday released its final cost estimates for the bill the Senate passed on Christmas Eve. That 10-year, $875 billion plan would reduce the federal deficit and cover 31 million people who'd otherwise be uninsured. The Senate bill is the foundation of the proposal that Obama wants Congress to pass in the next few weeks. But the numbers will change yet again with the new version.
Obama invited members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to meet him Thursday at the White House to discuss the health legislation.
House and Senate Democrats are working on a complex rescue mission for the health care legislation, which appeared on the cusp of passage late last year before Senate Republicans gained the strength to sustain a filibuster that could prevent final passage. The White House is pushing for a vote by the House before Obama leaves on a foreign trip at the end of next week.
The current plan is for the House to approve the Senate-passed bill from late last year, despite serious objections to numerous provisions. Both houses then would pass a second bill immediately, making changes in the first measure before both could take effect. The second bill would be debated under rules that bar a filibuster, meaning it could clear by majority vote in the Senate without Democrats needing the 60-vote supermajority now beyond their reach.
That strategy would leave in place the Senate language on abortion. It would allow health plans receiving federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace to cover abortion, provided they pay for it only with money collected from policyholders. The House bill would have prohibited health plans receiving subsidies from covering abortions.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., has been pushing for the stricter House provisions, saying that he and a dozen or so abortion opponents would vote against the health care bill if the Senate language is retained. But the leadership appears to be moving to call his bluff.
Republicans have vowed to do everything they can to thwart the plan, and for the Democrats, some policy questions remain unsettled.
Obama already has moved to eliminate a couple of special deals in the Senate bill that turned off voters when they became public, including extra Medicaid money for Nebraska - derided by critics as the "Cornhusker kickback." Late Wednesday the White House said the president was pushing to strip out a number of deals that remain, possibly including a provision sought by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., providing Medicare coverage for residents of Libby, Mont., who suffer from asbestos-related illnesses because of a now-closed mining operation.
Politico first reported the list.
---
Associated Press writers David Espo, Philip Elliott, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Alan Fram and Charles Babington contributed to this report.
http://www.albanyherald.com/nation
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_CARE_OVERHAUL?SITE=TXBEA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Copyright © 2010 The Beaumont Enterprise
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
S. Carolina Spending Plan Could Cut Almost 2,300 Jobs
The Augusta Chronicle
Associated Press
March 9, 2010
COLUMBIA --- South Carolina agencies say planned spending cuts will eliminate nearly 2,300 jobs.
House members on Tuesday were briefed on the $5 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. It was their first detailed look at how state agencies will handle more than $337 million in cuts.
Agencies are considering eliminating 2,287 regular, temporary and contract jobs. That includes 1,000 Department of Disabilities and Special Needs workers.
The state has more than 62,000 regular, full-time workers. Many of those would be affected by unpaid furloughs.
"This is what this budget is going to cause them to do," state Rep. Brian White told House members as the Anderson Republican explained what agency proposals meant.
"There are not many options unless some of you want to propose a tax increase," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper of Piedmont told legislators as the briefing began. Tax increase proposals aren't expected to gain much ground in a Legislature Republicans control, particularly in an election year for all 124 House seats.
Legislators hope that the U.S. Senate and House will agree on plans to send more money to struggling states before they debate the budget next week. That could head off deep cuts in health care programs.
State Rep. Tracy Edge, R-Myrtle Beach, handles health care agency spending for the Ways and Means Committee and was uncertain the U.S. House and Senate would reach compromises before the budget debate begins Monday.
"It's looking less and less likely," Edge said.
Edge also said a technical glitch in writing the disabilities agency's budget will be addressed in a budget amendment next week and that would address some of the spending reductions that would end services for nearly 26,000 people with disabilities ranging from autism to spinal cord injuries.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-09/s-carolina-spending-plan-could-cut-almost-2300-jobs?v=1268183475
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010.
Associated Press
March 9, 2010
COLUMBIA --- South Carolina agencies say planned spending cuts will eliminate nearly 2,300 jobs.
House members on Tuesday were briefed on the $5 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. It was their first detailed look at how state agencies will handle more than $337 million in cuts.
Agencies are considering eliminating 2,287 regular, temporary and contract jobs. That includes 1,000 Department of Disabilities and Special Needs workers.
The state has more than 62,000 regular, full-time workers. Many of those would be affected by unpaid furloughs.
"This is what this budget is going to cause them to do," state Rep. Brian White told House members as the Anderson Republican explained what agency proposals meant.
"There are not many options unless some of you want to propose a tax increase," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper of Piedmont told legislators as the briefing began. Tax increase proposals aren't expected to gain much ground in a Legislature Republicans control, particularly in an election year for all 124 House seats.
Legislators hope that the U.S. Senate and House will agree on plans to send more money to struggling states before they debate the budget next week. That could head off deep cuts in health care programs.
State Rep. Tracy Edge, R-Myrtle Beach, handles health care agency spending for the Ways and Means Committee and was uncertain the U.S. House and Senate would reach compromises before the budget debate begins Monday.
"It's looking less and less likely," Edge said.
Edge also said a technical glitch in writing the disabilities agency's budget will be addressed in a budget amendment next week and that would address some of the spending reductions that would end services for nearly 26,000 people with disabilities ranging from autism to spinal cord injuries.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-03-09/s-carolina-spending-plan-could-cut-almost-2300-jobs?v=1268183475
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010.
Lawmakers Take Issue With Transportation Funding Bill
by Ariel Hart
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 9, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue’s proposal for transportation funding is running into serious issues in the House Transportation Committee, where the proposal was debated again Tuesday.
A subcommittee on Monday passed its own version of the bill (HB 1218) on to the full committee. But it’s a version that Perdue’s floor leader, Jim Cole (R-Forsyth), said the governor would veto.
Moreover, Legislative Counsel Rick Ruskell told the committee Tuesday it wasn’t entirely clear the governor’s proposal was constitutional.
Perdue’s proposal would divide the state up into 12 regions. Each region, working with the state, would draw up a project list and submit the list to the region’s voters for their approval, along with a proposal for a one-cent sales tax to fund the projects. If a region passed its tax, the money would be spent only in one region.
However, the House’s new version would allow a region to decline to hold a referendum, if its leaders don’t come to agreement on a project list. That amounts to opting out of the vote, Cole said, and Perdue can’t accept that.
Rep. Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla), chairman of the committee, said the bill was “a work in progress” and an opt-out provision was not a dealbreaker now.
Likewise, Cole said there weren’t “roadblocks” appearing, but “speedbumps.”
For some committee members, even the House version didn’t give enough power back to the local governments. They pressed the legislative counsel on whether it was constitutional to force an individual county into a region’s tax if that county alone opposed the tax. Where members of Perdue’s staff said they were certain it was, Ruskell said he thought it wasn’t “quite as cut and dried.”
“I will go so far as to say nothing in the [state] constitution says you can’t do it. That is kind of what they’re relying on,” Ruskell said. “The other side of that coin is nothing in the constitution says you can do it…It’s unclear is best at this point.” He added that this is type of issue that often takes a court to decide. Legislators suggested that could mean the tax would get tied up in court.
Kevin Clark, Perdue’s deputy COO, defended Perdue’s proposal to the committee along with Cole and Perdue aide Jannine Miller. Clark said that most new taxes were challenged in court and they assumed this one would be too. But it legally resembled other local district taxes that had passed muster, he said, and “We think we’re on firm ground.”
http://blogs.ajc.com/gold-dome-live/2010/03/09/lawmakers-take-issue-with-transportation-funding-bill/?cxntfid=blogs_gold_dome_live
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 9, 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue’s proposal for transportation funding is running into serious issues in the House Transportation Committee, where the proposal was debated again Tuesday.
A subcommittee on Monday passed its own version of the bill (HB 1218) on to the full committee. But it’s a version that Perdue’s floor leader, Jim Cole (R-Forsyth), said the governor would veto.
Moreover, Legislative Counsel Rick Ruskell told the committee Tuesday it wasn’t entirely clear the governor’s proposal was constitutional.
Perdue’s proposal would divide the state up into 12 regions. Each region, working with the state, would draw up a project list and submit the list to the region’s voters for their approval, along with a proposal for a one-cent sales tax to fund the projects. If a region passed its tax, the money would be spent only in one region.
However, the House’s new version would allow a region to decline to hold a referendum, if its leaders don’t come to agreement on a project list. That amounts to opting out of the vote, Cole said, and Perdue can’t accept that.
Rep. Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla), chairman of the committee, said the bill was “a work in progress” and an opt-out provision was not a dealbreaker now.
Likewise, Cole said there weren’t “roadblocks” appearing, but “speedbumps.”
For some committee members, even the House version didn’t give enough power back to the local governments. They pressed the legislative counsel on whether it was constitutional to force an individual county into a region’s tax if that county alone opposed the tax. Where members of Perdue’s staff said they were certain it was, Ruskell said he thought it wasn’t “quite as cut and dried.”
“I will go so far as to say nothing in the [state] constitution says you can’t do it. That is kind of what they’re relying on,” Ruskell said. “The other side of that coin is nothing in the constitution says you can do it…It’s unclear is best at this point.” He added that this is type of issue that often takes a court to decide. Legislators suggested that could mean the tax would get tied up in court.
Kevin Clark, Perdue’s deputy COO, defended Perdue’s proposal to the committee along with Cole and Perdue aide Jannine Miller. Clark said that most new taxes were challenged in court and they assumed this one would be too. But it legally resembled other local district taxes that had passed muster, he said, and “We think we’re on firm ground.”
http://blogs.ajc.com/gold-dome-live/2010/03/09/lawmakers-take-issue-with-transportation-funding-bill/?cxntfid=blogs_gold_dome_live
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
State Gets $12 Million in Funding
MARTA to receive $2.3 million for operating expenses
The Associated Press
The Gwinnett Daily Post
Mar 5, 2010
ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Georgia more than $12 million in stimulus dollars for transit improvements across the state.
The Georgia Department of Transportation will get the bulk of the award, including more than $8 million to buy dozens of vans and buses, bus shelters, computer systems and security cameras.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, or MARTA, will get $2.3 million for operating assistance. Agencies in Cobb, Henry, Chatham, Cherokee and Gwinnett counties will also get funds for operating assistance and various projects.
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/state/headlines/86698102.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
The Associated Press
The Gwinnett Daily Post
Mar 5, 2010
ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Georgia more than $12 million in stimulus dollars for transit improvements across the state.
The Georgia Department of Transportation will get the bulk of the award, including more than $8 million to buy dozens of vans and buses, bus shelters, computer systems and security cameras.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, or MARTA, will get $2.3 million for operating assistance. Agencies in Cobb, Henry, Chatham, Cherokee and Gwinnett counties will also get funds for operating assistance and various projects.
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/state/headlines/86698102.html
Triple Crown Media. - Copyright © 2002-2010
Alzheimer's Conference Set Saturday at Ft. Gordon
Staff
The Augusta Chronicle
March 9, 2010
Families and caregivers are invited to the 11th Annual Alzheimer's Education Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event will be held at the Gordon Club in Building 18402, 19th St., Fort Gordon.
Speakers include Dr. Larry Tune of Emory University who will give a research update and information on vaccines, Teepa Snow, Becky Waller of Elmcroft Assisted Living Communities in Martinez, and Patrick Smith of the Smith Law firm in Augusta, who will be covering elder law issues.
The cost of the conference per person is $25, which includes lunch. For more information, call (706) 731-9160.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-09/alzheimers-conference-set-saturday-ft-gordon-0?v=1268132581
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
The Augusta Chronicle
March 9, 2010
Families and caregivers are invited to the 11th Annual Alzheimer's Education Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event will be held at the Gordon Club in Building 18402, 19th St., Fort Gordon.
Speakers include Dr. Larry Tune of Emory University who will give a research update and information on vaccines, Teepa Snow, Becky Waller of Elmcroft Assisted Living Communities in Martinez, and Patrick Smith of the Smith Law firm in Augusta, who will be covering elder law issues.
The cost of the conference per person is $25, which includes lunch. For more information, call (706) 731-9160.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-03-09/alzheimers-conference-set-saturday-ft-gordon-0?v=1268132581
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
State Revenue Still Spirals Downward
By Aaron Gould Sheinin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 9, 2010
If there is a linchpin to the 2010 legislative session, the moment when the speculation over sink or swim ended, it most likely was when e-mail in-boxes all over the Gold Dome started pinging Monday with bad news from Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The news is the same as it has been: Tax and fee collections are down for the 15th consecutive month. In other words, a child born the last time the state saw positive revenue growth ought to be on solid food by now.
This is the moment lawmakers, teachers, students, hospitals and anyone else touched by state government or state revenue have been waiting for. If the numbers were good, the word was the cuts might not be as bad. If the numbers were bad, well, as the top budget-writer in the House said Monday: If the state doesn’t have to do something, it no longer will.
The answer: Revenue collections in February were down 10 percent over the same month a year ago. The significance of that isn’t immediately obvious. But February 2009 was so horrendous, many denizens of the Capitol figured it couldn’t, or wouldn’t, get worse. February 2009, after all, saw tax collections fall 35 percent from the previous year.
“The only thing growing is unemployment,” said Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans), the chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. “If we don’t need to be doing it, we’re probably going to stop.”
The immediate impact won’t be clear for a day or two, when Perdue makes his next move. The way the state budget process works, the governor sets a revenue estimate for each fiscal year, or how much money he and his economists believe the state will bring in. Lawmakers use that estimate to write a budget. But, when the actual revenue collections fall short of the estimate, cuts to spending are necessary to ensure a balanced budget.
Perdue is expected to announce a lowering of his revenue estimate for the current fiscal year and for fiscal 2011, which begins July 1, sometime this week.
The current estimate for cuts to the 2011 budget? More than $1 billion, which comes on top of more than $3 billion in cuts the past two years.
“What this means is exactly what we’ve been preparing for,” Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said. “These are unprecedented economic times that we face. You have to prioritize what the essential government functions that we do that are going to have to go by the wayside.”
But, on a hopeful note, Perdue’s office said that of February’s $62.2 million drop in revenue, about $50 million is due to a spike in income tax refunds. More taxpayers are filing electronically than a year ago, the Department of Revenue said.
Things also looked less dire for the state’s higher education system. After two weeks of fighting and proclamations that the system was all but doomed to disproportionate cuts, one key lawmaker said Monday that colleges and universities will fare better despite the new revenue numbers.
“It’ll be a manageable cut,” said Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), who chairs the higher education budget subcommittee.
“What we’re going to come out with,” he said, “is something significantly less” than the projected $300 million cut that led to fears last week of thousands of layoffs at colleges and universities, massive tuition increases, and an end to popular programs.
But if higher education is spared, the cuts must come from somewhere. Unless, as some have suggested, lawmakers look to other sources of new revenue.
Alan Essig, executive director of the nonpartisan Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said the state should consider a combination of cuts and modest tax increases. Essig suggests a 1 percent income tax increase on all Georgians making above $400,000 a year.
“The expectation was February was the month we would start to increase revenues,” Essig said before the revenue numbers were released Monday. “I think the governor was expecting that month-to-month growth starting in January. Based on February [2009], it should be up considerably. If it’s not, it’s a bad sign.”
But tax increases are a difficult sell in a Republican-controlled General Assembly in an election year. If any tax has a chance this year, it could be a proposal to increase the levy on cigarettes by $1 a pack.
A Capitol rally by the Georgia Alliance for Tobacco Prevention kicked off a tug-of-war between those hoping to increase cigarette taxes and opponents who will hold an anti-tax rally Tuesday.
More than 100 health care professionals and members of the faith community showed up Monday, many of them wearing “Pass the Buck” badges with dollar bills pinned to them.
The proposed tax would raise an estimated $354 million annually and — proponents say — decrease the number of smokers.
But Ehrhart and others said revenue figures released Monday show the tax is not a dependable source of revenue. The state’s tobacco tax collections dropped by 20 percent in February (from February 2009), and are off by 30 percent for the fiscal year.
“That ought to be the death knell for that concept,” Ehrhart said. But House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) wasn’t willing to go that far.
“I’ve said we’re open to talking about all sorts of issues,” he said, before quickly adding that he generally opposes tax increases and worrying, like Ehrhart, that tobacco revenues are not stable.
If not taxes, the money to fill the hole in the current budget will come from more cuts and the use of one-time money taken from a variety of sources. It’s likely lawmakers will bring forward federal stimulus money they had hoped to use next year. But, as Cagle said, doing so “means the cuts in ’11 are far, far more severe.”
Cagle believes lawmakers also will consider raising certain user fees.
“There is no silver bullet in this,” Cagle said. “You have to address it on the expense side of the ledger.”
Staff writer Jim Tharpe contributed to this article.
http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/state-revenue-still-spirals-356675.html?imw=Y
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 9, 2010
If there is a linchpin to the 2010 legislative session, the moment when the speculation over sink or swim ended, it most likely was when e-mail in-boxes all over the Gold Dome started pinging Monday with bad news from Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The news is the same as it has been: Tax and fee collections are down for the 15th consecutive month. In other words, a child born the last time the state saw positive revenue growth ought to be on solid food by now.
This is the moment lawmakers, teachers, students, hospitals and anyone else touched by state government or state revenue have been waiting for. If the numbers were good, the word was the cuts might not be as bad. If the numbers were bad, well, as the top budget-writer in the House said Monday: If the state doesn’t have to do something, it no longer will.
The answer: Revenue collections in February were down 10 percent over the same month a year ago. The significance of that isn’t immediately obvious. But February 2009 was so horrendous, many denizens of the Capitol figured it couldn’t, or wouldn’t, get worse. February 2009, after all, saw tax collections fall 35 percent from the previous year.
“The only thing growing is unemployment,” said Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans), the chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. “If we don’t need to be doing it, we’re probably going to stop.”
The immediate impact won’t be clear for a day or two, when Perdue makes his next move. The way the state budget process works, the governor sets a revenue estimate for each fiscal year, or how much money he and his economists believe the state will bring in. Lawmakers use that estimate to write a budget. But, when the actual revenue collections fall short of the estimate, cuts to spending are necessary to ensure a balanced budget.
Perdue is expected to announce a lowering of his revenue estimate for the current fiscal year and for fiscal 2011, which begins July 1, sometime this week.
The current estimate for cuts to the 2011 budget? More than $1 billion, which comes on top of more than $3 billion in cuts the past two years.
“What this means is exactly what we’ve been preparing for,” Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said. “These are unprecedented economic times that we face. You have to prioritize what the essential government functions that we do that are going to have to go by the wayside.”
But, on a hopeful note, Perdue’s office said that of February’s $62.2 million drop in revenue, about $50 million is due to a spike in income tax refunds. More taxpayers are filing electronically than a year ago, the Department of Revenue said.
Things also looked less dire for the state’s higher education system. After two weeks of fighting and proclamations that the system was all but doomed to disproportionate cuts, one key lawmaker said Monday that colleges and universities will fare better despite the new revenue numbers.
“It’ll be a manageable cut,” said Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), who chairs the higher education budget subcommittee.
“What we’re going to come out with,” he said, “is something significantly less” than the projected $300 million cut that led to fears last week of thousands of layoffs at colleges and universities, massive tuition increases, and an end to popular programs.
But if higher education is spared, the cuts must come from somewhere. Unless, as some have suggested, lawmakers look to other sources of new revenue.
Alan Essig, executive director of the nonpartisan Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said the state should consider a combination of cuts and modest tax increases. Essig suggests a 1 percent income tax increase on all Georgians making above $400,000 a year.
“The expectation was February was the month we would start to increase revenues,” Essig said before the revenue numbers were released Monday. “I think the governor was expecting that month-to-month growth starting in January. Based on February [2009], it should be up considerably. If it’s not, it’s a bad sign.”
But tax increases are a difficult sell in a Republican-controlled General Assembly in an election year. If any tax has a chance this year, it could be a proposal to increase the levy on cigarettes by $1 a pack.
A Capitol rally by the Georgia Alliance for Tobacco Prevention kicked off a tug-of-war between those hoping to increase cigarette taxes and opponents who will hold an anti-tax rally Tuesday.
More than 100 health care professionals and members of the faith community showed up Monday, many of them wearing “Pass the Buck” badges with dollar bills pinned to them.
The proposed tax would raise an estimated $354 million annually and — proponents say — decrease the number of smokers.
But Ehrhart and others said revenue figures released Monday show the tax is not a dependable source of revenue. The state’s tobacco tax collections dropped by 20 percent in February (from February 2009), and are off by 30 percent for the fiscal year.
“That ought to be the death knell for that concept,” Ehrhart said. But House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) wasn’t willing to go that far.
“I’ve said we’re open to talking about all sorts of issues,” he said, before quickly adding that he generally opposes tax increases and worrying, like Ehrhart, that tobacco revenues are not stable.
If not taxes, the money to fill the hole in the current budget will come from more cuts and the use of one-time money taken from a variety of sources. It’s likely lawmakers will bring forward federal stimulus money they had hoped to use next year. But, as Cagle said, doing so “means the cuts in ’11 are far, far more severe.”
Cagle believes lawmakers also will consider raising certain user fees.
“There is no silver bullet in this,” Cagle said. “You have to address it on the expense side of the ledger.”
Staff writer Jim Tharpe contributed to this article.
http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/state-revenue-still-spirals-356675.html?imw=Y
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, March 08, 2010
Senate Bill 391 and 22
Today, I testified in support of Senate Bill 391 for AADD to the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 391 would give youth who have developmental disabilities, have been charged with committing a crime,and are deemed incompetent to stand trial, an alternative and secure community based placement instead of a forensic setting.
The state is closing most of the forensic units for youth, and the Department of Behavioral Health is wanting to change to more community based type facilities to serve this small group of youth. The bill saves taxpayer dollars by keeping these kids out of more costly placements and provides treatment in the least restrictive environment.
The bill passed out of the Senate Judicial Committee today and will next go to the Senate Rules Committee.
Also, Senate Bill 22 made it out of the Senate Rules Committee and will go to the Senate Floor for a vote tomorrow. AADD supports SB 22 and believes that getting the state agencies together that provide transportation to people who are aging and people with disabilities would only serve to help create a more efficient system.
More tomorrow, as the Nurse Practice Act goes in front of a House Subcommittee. - Rita
The state is closing most of the forensic units for youth, and the Department of Behavioral Health is wanting to change to more community based type facilities to serve this small group of youth. The bill saves taxpayer dollars by keeping these kids out of more costly placements and provides treatment in the least restrictive environment.
The bill passed out of the Senate Judicial Committee today and will next go to the Senate Rules Committee.
Also, Senate Bill 22 made it out of the Senate Rules Committee and will go to the Senate Floor for a vote tomorrow. AADD supports SB 22 and believes that getting the state agencies together that provide transportation to people who are aging and people with disabilities would only serve to help create a more efficient system.
More tomorrow, as the Nurse Practice Act goes in front of a House Subcommittee. - Rita
Friday, March 05, 2010
Atlanta's United Way Celebrates $79.3 Million
by Maria Saporta
Contributing Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 5, 2010
In the end, the 2009 campaign of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta raised $79.3 million, less than 1.5 percent shy of its $80.5 million goal.
But given the economic struggles of the past year, United Way leaders were celebrating Thursday night when they heard the news.
Before announcing the campaign results, John Somerhalder, the 2009 campaign chair who is chairman and CEO of AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: AGL), set the stage by preparing the crowd of several hundred that bad news was coming.
First, the goal was the same amount that United Way was able to raise in 2008.
“That was a bold and aggressive goal,” said Somerhalder, explaining that such a goal was important because the community’s needs were so great.
United Way knew other organizations were struggling in their fundraising efforts, often coming in with double-digit decreases in their campaigns.
The 2009 campaign had to stretch even more because in 2008, United Way had launched a one-time Critical Needs Campaign. That special campaign raised $3.7 million, which was included in the 2008 campaign numbers.
“We knew we weren’t going to ask for those (dollars) again,” Somerhalder said. That meant the campaign cabinet would have to work even harder to reach the goal.
Given all those odds, Somerhalder declared the 2009 campaign a success.
Publix Super Markets is one of the reasons metro Atlanta’s United Way did as well as it did. For the first time Atlanta’s history, one company -- Publix -- raised more than $5 million.
Somerhalder also recognized four companies that have been loaning executives to United Way for five decades or more -- Georgia Power Co., Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC), SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Milton Little, United Way’s Atlanta president, gave credit to Somerhalder for the successful campaign.
“Any time any of us were dodging bullets, John said, ‘We are going to get through this,’” Little said.
Later Little said United Way employees donated a total $173,152 to the campaign.
Toward the end of the program at the Loudermilk Center, Little said that normally would be the time for this upcoming year’s campaign chair would come on stage to accept the baton from last year’s campaign chairman.
But Little said that wouldn’t be possible this year because last year’s campaign chair was the same person as this year’s campaign chair. Somerhalder agreed to serve as campaign chair for a second year, the first time that has happened in the history of Atlanta’s United Way.
So Little called Somerhalder on stage to receive a couple of gifts. One gift was a boomerang, a toy that when thrown returns to its same spot.
“Thank you for returning,” Little told Somerhalder.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/01/daily75.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Contributing Writer
Atlanta Business Chronicle
March 5, 2010
In the end, the 2009 campaign of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta raised $79.3 million, less than 1.5 percent shy of its $80.5 million goal.
But given the economic struggles of the past year, United Way leaders were celebrating Thursday night when they heard the news.
Before announcing the campaign results, John Somerhalder, the 2009 campaign chair who is chairman and CEO of AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: AGL), set the stage by preparing the crowd of several hundred that bad news was coming.
First, the goal was the same amount that United Way was able to raise in 2008.
“That was a bold and aggressive goal,” said Somerhalder, explaining that such a goal was important because the community’s needs were so great.
United Way knew other organizations were struggling in their fundraising efforts, often coming in with double-digit decreases in their campaigns.
The 2009 campaign had to stretch even more because in 2008, United Way had launched a one-time Critical Needs Campaign. That special campaign raised $3.7 million, which was included in the 2008 campaign numbers.
“We knew we weren’t going to ask for those (dollars) again,” Somerhalder said. That meant the campaign cabinet would have to work even harder to reach the goal.
Given all those odds, Somerhalder declared the 2009 campaign a success.
Publix Super Markets is one of the reasons metro Atlanta’s United Way did as well as it did. For the first time Atlanta’s history, one company -- Publix -- raised more than $5 million.
Somerhalder also recognized four companies that have been loaning executives to United Way for five decades or more -- Georgia Power Co., Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC), SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Milton Little, United Way’s Atlanta president, gave credit to Somerhalder for the successful campaign.
“Any time any of us were dodging bullets, John said, ‘We are going to get through this,’” Little said.
Later Little said United Way employees donated a total $173,152 to the campaign.
Toward the end of the program at the Loudermilk Center, Little said that normally would be the time for this upcoming year’s campaign chair would come on stage to accept the baton from last year’s campaign chairman.
But Little said that wouldn’t be possible this year because last year’s campaign chair was the same person as this year’s campaign chair. Somerhalder agreed to serve as campaign chair for a second year, the first time that has happened in the history of Atlanta’s United Way.
So Little called Somerhalder on stage to receive a couple of gifts. One gift was a boomerang, a toy that when thrown returns to its same spot.
“Thank you for returning,” Little told Somerhalder.
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/03/01/daily75.html
© 2010 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Call To Cut Admin Pay
Lawmaker targets high salaries; Perdue weighs in
By Lee Shearer
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 5,2010
Buzz up!The battle over higher education funding escalated Thursday as a key legislator called for colleges to cut the pay of high-paid administrators and professors, while Gov. Sonny Perdue vowed to protect the state's public colleges from deep cuts proposed by legislators.
"It's not going to happen on my watch," Perdue said.
But state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, dismissed speculation that legislators might back off a plan to cut as much as $300 million in funding to the 35 public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia, in addition to the $265 million reduction colleges already faced this year.
Leaders of a joint House-Senate appropriations committee, including Harp, last week directed University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis to tell legislators how the university system would eliminate $300 million in spending, without raising tuition. Davis' response, released Monday, touched off protests.
The list included more than 4,000 layoffs, reduced enrollment at the University of Georgia and other colleges, and even closing some schools such as the Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing at Athens.
"We certainly hope that the $300 million cuts may be less, but we do not know that. We are operating under the assumption that that is the number that we have to have," said Harp, chairman of the Senate's higher education committee.
Harp also suggested a way the university system might make up some of the budget shortfall: Cutting compensation for the highest paid administrators and faculty members.
"Some things that are not being used by the chancellor are things that are very, very strongly favored by the people of Georgia. I'm specifically referring to cutting income, cutting salaries of high-paid employees," Harp said.
Instead, University System administrators this week proposed a slate of program closings and layoffs they might adopt to meet that $300 million target.
In Athens, most of the financial pain would fall on the University of Georgia, which would slash $60 million in spending.
But deep cuts also could force administrators to close the Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing at Athens and scuttle plans to begin graduate medical education programs at Athens-area hospitals in conjunction with Athens' new medical campus.
The state could save $1.7 million a year by closing the Athens nursing school and a smaller graduate nursing program in Columbus, according to Medical College of Georgia financial planners.
Ending plans for internships and residencies in Athens-area hospitals for new doctors trained at the new UGA-MCG medical campus in Athens could save more than $2.5million next year, said William Bowes, senior vice president for finance and administration at the medical college.
But the long-term costs would outweigh by far the short-term savings, said Bowes and other medical college administrators.
New doctors tend to stay in the area where they complete their post-graduate residencies, Bowes said. If medical college administrators have to cut back on residencies in Georgia, the young doctors will have to take residencies in other states, he said.
"We know that when that happens, many of those students never come back to Georgia," Bowes said.
Closing the nursing school in Athens - called SONAT for short - could have even more serious effects on area health care.
Georgia already has a shortage of nurses, said Christy Berding, co-director of the bachelor of science in nursing program at SONAT.
The shortage only would grow worse if the school stopped turning out about 60 new nurses a year, she said.
"One of the main reasons we're having this shortage is that there's a lack of education programs for nursing now," Berding said.
SONAT has trained about 2,000 nurses since it was founded here in 1974, and most of them find jobs in the Athens area, she said.
Students and alumni of the school have organized to fight the possible closure, said Lindsay McLear of Athens, a SONAT senior nursing student who will graduate later this year.
More than 700 people have joined a Facebook group aimed at saving the school and an online petition drive has garnered more than 1,000 signatures, she said.
• Morris News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, March 05, 2010
lee.shearer@onlineathens.com
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/030510/new_570960855.shtml
© 2010 | OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
By Lee Shearer
The Athens Banner-Herald
March 5,2010
Buzz up!The battle over higher education funding escalated Thursday as a key legislator called for colleges to cut the pay of high-paid administrators and professors, while Gov. Sonny Perdue vowed to protect the state's public colleges from deep cuts proposed by legislators.
"It's not going to happen on my watch," Perdue said.
But state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, dismissed speculation that legislators might back off a plan to cut as much as $300 million in funding to the 35 public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia, in addition to the $265 million reduction colleges already faced this year.
Leaders of a joint House-Senate appropriations committee, including Harp, last week directed University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis to tell legislators how the university system would eliminate $300 million in spending, without raising tuition. Davis' response, released Monday, touched off protests.
The list included more than 4,000 layoffs, reduced enrollment at the University of Georgia and other colleges, and even closing some schools such as the Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing at Athens.
"We certainly hope that the $300 million cuts may be less, but we do not know that. We are operating under the assumption that that is the number that we have to have," said Harp, chairman of the Senate's higher education committee.
Harp also suggested a way the university system might make up some of the budget shortfall: Cutting compensation for the highest paid administrators and faculty members.
"Some things that are not being used by the chancellor are things that are very, very strongly favored by the people of Georgia. I'm specifically referring to cutting income, cutting salaries of high-paid employees," Harp said.
Instead, University System administrators this week proposed a slate of program closings and layoffs they might adopt to meet that $300 million target.
In Athens, most of the financial pain would fall on the University of Georgia, which would slash $60 million in spending.
But deep cuts also could force administrators to close the Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing at Athens and scuttle plans to begin graduate medical education programs at Athens-area hospitals in conjunction with Athens' new medical campus.
The state could save $1.7 million a year by closing the Athens nursing school and a smaller graduate nursing program in Columbus, according to Medical College of Georgia financial planners.
Ending plans for internships and residencies in Athens-area hospitals for new doctors trained at the new UGA-MCG medical campus in Athens could save more than $2.5million next year, said William Bowes, senior vice president for finance and administration at the medical college.
But the long-term costs would outweigh by far the short-term savings, said Bowes and other medical college administrators.
New doctors tend to stay in the area where they complete their post-graduate residencies, Bowes said. If medical college administrators have to cut back on residencies in Georgia, the young doctors will have to take residencies in other states, he said.
"We know that when that happens, many of those students never come back to Georgia," Bowes said.
Closing the nursing school in Athens - called SONAT for short - could have even more serious effects on area health care.
Georgia already has a shortage of nurses, said Christy Berding, co-director of the bachelor of science in nursing program at SONAT.
The shortage only would grow worse if the school stopped turning out about 60 new nurses a year, she said.
"One of the main reasons we're having this shortage is that there's a lack of education programs for nursing now," Berding said.
SONAT has trained about 2,000 nurses since it was founded here in 1974, and most of them find jobs in the Athens area, she said.
Students and alumni of the school have organized to fight the possible closure, said Lindsay McLear of Athens, a SONAT senior nursing student who will graduate later this year.
More than 700 people have joined a Facebook group aimed at saving the school and an online petition drive has garnered more than 1,000 signatures, she said.
• Morris News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, March 05, 2010
lee.shearer@onlineathens.com
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/030510/new_570960855.shtml
© 2010 | OnlineAthens • Athens Banner-Herald
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