Legislative Day 38 ... from the Senate

TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
Dueling legislations have created one of this session’s most contention issues, as lawmakers try to find a middle ground on funding local transportation projects. On the House side, lawmakers suggest allowing local communities to come up with a list of priority projects for the DOT. From the Senate, the proposal calls for either a county or regional voter referendum so residents can decide if a t-splost is needed for a specific project. Republican Jeff Mullis chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. He says it appears House leaders brushed aside the Senate’s concerns. “We feel the House hasn’t taken us seriously at this moment, because they put their entire language back on to our offer. Well, they’ve got to move to middle before we can agree on anything.” If the two sides can come to an agreement, Georgians will vote this fall whether or not to amend the state’s Constitution for a one cent tax to vote to fund local transportation projects.

CONTROVERSARY OVER GRADY HOSPITAL
A bill that would have prohibited vendors or competitors from serving on Grady Hospital’s governing board passed in the senate on Tuesday. It does not apply to the current board of directors, but would to any future board members. The measure also strips away any oversight committee provision, for the financially trouble hospital. Democratic Senator Vincent Fort co-chairs the Grady Coalition. Fort accused other senate leaders of backing away from earlier commitments calling for an oversight committee. “Senator Shafer had made a commitment back in January when Grady was controlled by a predominantly African American board to create an oversight committee for Grady. Unfortunately, he’s backed away from that now that the board is dominated by wealthy, white businessman.” The measure also provoked heated discussion as a last minute floor amendment was added, prohibiting Grady from performing abortions on any paying patients.

LIMITED SUNDAY LIQUOR SALES
Lawmakers voted to boost local economic development by allowing some businesses sell alcohol on Sundays. One immediate beneficiary of the measure ... the proposed Triple-A Braves stadium in Gwinnett County set to open in summer 2009. Senator Renee Unterman represents part of the county. Her floor amendment – which the Senate adopted -- allows alcohol to be sold at the stadium on Sunday. However, Unterman stopped short of endorsing a repeal of the state’s blue laws. “My bill was in no connection to Sunday sales. Unfortunately, in the House, they connected the two. And, that was against my wishes. I said that mine was single issue and I wanted it to stay a single issue.” Under the bill, operators of approved regional economic assistance projects, or REAPS will be permitted to sell alcohol for consumption on site. Projects like golf courses and conference centers. The measure does not however circumvent the power of local governments to prohibit such sales.

WATER WARS, PART DUEX
Competition at the capitol on Tuesday over who should control local water resources in light of Georgia’s on-going drought. One bill proposed by the House would prohibit local governments from imposing tighter water restrictions than those called for by the state. The other --- a Senate bill -- would give local governments the power to impose or lessen additional restrictions over state regulations if a compelling reason exists. Republican John Bulloch chairs the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. He says water restrictions fail to take local differences into account. “In a lot of cases, EPD has had a one size fit all for a large area. We have a lot of counties and water authorities that have adequate water and that’s not being considered.” The bill also requires the state’s Department of Natural Resources adopt regulations relating to drought management, which must be updated every five years.

TAX MEASURE PING-PONGS
(from the Associated Press)
House Republican leaders say they've found a way to settle the debate between two dueling tax plans: Adopt them both. House Speaker Glenn Richardson unveiled new versions of the two competing plans today, saying the state could afford the 2 billion dollars that the combined cuts would slash from the state budget. Richardson's plan to eliminate the car tag tax and freeze property taxes remains largely unchanged, although the newrevisions allow only Georgia residents to enjoy the tax breaks. It also removes a tax break sought by Governor Perdue that would have eliminated the state portion of property taxes, worth about 30 dollars a household. But House leaders for the first time signed onto a separate tax break pushed by Senate leaders that reduces the state income tax over five years. Under the new version, the cuts would not start until 2011. And the tax break could not be enacted unless the bill to eliminate the car tag tax is adopted. The two cuts would cost the state 2 billion dollars when they are fully implemented in 2015. There was no immediate comment from Senate leaders and the governor, who is on a weeklong trade mission in China. But Perdue has said the cash-strapped state can't afford either one of the plans. He's pushing for more than 300 million dollars in budget cuts to keep Georgia afloat as state tax collections slow to a trickle. He's accused his fellow Republicans of playing politics with the state's fiscal health.