House Speaker Glenn Richardson Says Grady Board Must Take Additional Steps to Earn State Dollars

Addressing an Atlanta Press Club luncheon today Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson he has sent the Grady Memorial Hospital board "signal after signal" that state financial support will only be forthcoming if the current board is replaced by a non-profit group. Richardson said the majority of board members should be appointed by Fulton and Dekalb counties because they provide the largest portion of the hospital's funding. If the board takes these steps, Richardson said the hospital may be entitled to $30 million from the governor's proposed $53-million-dollar trauma budget.

Speaker Richardson said the most important topic of the legislative session is education. He and Dunwoody Representative Fran Millar are introduing legislation aimed at increasing high school graduation rates by directing more students to technical and vocational education instead of college preparatory tracks. The plan may cost up to $1 billion, but Richardson said there will be $15 billion in lost wages to students who dropped out of high school in 2007.

Richardson also said he believes there is a direct correlation between low-wealth school systems and high dropout rates. He said that HR 900, also called the GREAT Plan, will equalize education by funding education with a statewide sales tax insead of ad valorem taxes.