Vance Smith Tapped As New DOT Commissioner

Department of Transportation board members Thursday unanimously chose state Representative Vance Smith to take over as the department's commissioner. The Pine Mountain Republican curently serves as chairman of the House Transportation Committee, but will give up the seat to move into the DOT commissioner's chair. Smith takes the reigns nearly four months after board members voted to oust Gena Evans as DOT chief.

Smith Still Wants Commissioner Post

State Representative Vance Smith says he'll try for the Department of Transportation commissioner's job again. The Pine Mountain Republican was beaten out for the post on a 7-6 vote by Gena Abraham Evans in October 2007. The State Transportation Board voted 9-3 in February to fire Evans. Evans controversial tenure included a romantic relationship with board chairman Mike Evans, leading to their marriage. The General Assembly passed a bill that takes some power and influence away from the DOT board and shifts it to the General Assembly and the governors office. Smith is chairman of the House Transportation Committee.

(Associated Press)

Perdue Defends Accepting Stimulus Funds

Governor Perdue today defended his stance on accepting federal stimulus money. The governor has come under criticism for saying he may not accept all the unemployment insurance money because it would mean Georgia might have to expand benefits.

He spoke to reporters after briefing state department heads on the stimulus package:

“We’re gonna take every dollar we can. That means long term benefits... Georgians have paid their taxes in and when the Congress passes a law like this, I want Georgians to get everything to which they’re entitled.”

Governor Perdue says Georgia has already received $340 million in Medicaid funds. More stimulus money is expected in coming weeks.

As for when other state agencies might start to receive federal funds-Department of Transportation Chief Gena Evans says her agency is at the front of the line:

“We anticipate that we’ll probably be one of the first ones out of the gate. We think our money will be available sometime around March 10. And we have to have 50 percent of our funds obligated in 120 days so we’ve got a little bit different time frame than everybody else.”

Evans projects her department should get up to $900 million to help fund potentially thousands of projects.

DOT's Evans Pleads For Help

State Department of Transportation commissioner Gena Evans had her turn in front of budget writers Thursday, pleading for help in trying to shore-up her agency’s shortfall.

"We’ve done everything that I know to do without hitting our personal services budget, and to be frank, I think my clock is pretty well cleaned at this point."

Evans says those cutbacks have included everything from equipment, to computer hardware, to landscaping contracts. Those cuts were combined with a pair of accounting moves to trim down from an original 456-million dollar deficit.

Still, Evans says she needs help. She asked lawmakers today to move a DOT debt-load off their books to the general treasury. Also, a request to move an additional one-percent of the state’s gas tax from the general fund, directly to the DOT.

"With no new taxes, those two things could generate almost 400-million dollars to the department without a single new tax."

The DOT has already had to push numerous projects back to future years in dealing with its budget.