State House Dems Unveil $1B Revenue Plan

Georgia House Democrats say they have a plan to generate $1 billion or more for the state-without raising taxes.

The measure targets the collection of sales taxes in Georgia. It calls for a transfer of control from the state Department of Revenue-to local governments. Local governments could then contract private firms for collection.

House Democrats say currently, hundreds of millions of dollars in uncollected tax revenue slips between the cracks in Georgia’s collection system.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Calvin Smyre of Columbus says local government control would eliminate excess costs in the revenue collection process:

"This is an efficiency in government...streamlining government...providing additional revenues for our budgetary woes that are facing the state of Georgia. We think this is a very-very first step toward reforming our tax codes."

House Democrats say a similar plan in Alabama has already netted that state a spike of more than $1 billion.

House Bill 356 made its debut at the State Capitol today-its sponsor is Democrat Virgil Fludd of Tyrone.

Columbus man running for state rep slot

Zephaniah Baker (Courtesy)

Columbus native 31-year-old Zephaniah Baker, plans to run for District 132 as an independent on the November 4 ballot.

Running what he calls a “people over politics” campaign, Baker says he's calling for better educational opportunities, especially in the district's middle and high schools. He says he wants to create a more welcoming business climate for industry, that would bring, in his words, “high paying jobs,” to the area.

Baker says he started canvassing the district in January, and has received a requisite 990 verified signatures to be added to the ballot as an independent candidate.

Baker tells the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer newspaper that he's running, in his words, "for the post," and not against the current Democratic representative, Calvin Smyre.

Smyre is a 30-year veteran of Georgia politics and serves as House Minority Whip.

Click here for more GPB political news coverage.

Smyre Supporting Clinton

Smyre

U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton received another boost from a prominent black leader today when the head of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators threw his support
behind her presidential campaign.

Georgia state Representative Calvin Smyre says Clinton has "the strength and experience" to bring about needed change.

Clinton is locked in a battle for the black vote with U.S. Senator Barack Obama, who is trying to become the nation's first black president.

That fight is heated in Georgia where blacks have made up nearly half the vote in the state's recent Democratic primaries. Georgia's presidential primary is February 5.

Clinton has already been endorsed by Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, a hero of the civil rights struggle.

Attorney General Thurbert Baker and Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, the state's only two black statewide elected officials, are also supporting Clinton.

Obama has the support of another pair of black U.S. congressmen from Georgia, Sanford Bishop of Albany and Hank Johnson of Lithonia.

Smyre has served for nearly 30 years in Georgia's legislature, where he has held a number of leadership roles.

He' s a past Chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and a past President of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials. He is an executive vice president for corporate affairs at Synovus Financial Corporation.

(The Associated Press)

Click here for more GPB News political coverage.