New Middle Georgia Fishing Area

People in Middle Georgia now have one more place to go fishing, thanks to the state and recent rains.
Flat Rock Public Fishing Area opened this morning in Perry. The two-million dollar lake was delayed for a couple years due to the drought. Three years ago the state stocked it with large mouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill bream. It's nearly 100 acres.
The lake has been in the planning stages for ten years. It will eventually be part of a nearly 900 acre state park when the state has more money. Governor Sonny Perdue has been a big proponent of fishing with his multi-million dollar and widely criticized Go Fish campaign. He came for the opening and says fishing is a good investment.

"We spend money on reservoirs. We spend money on creating access opportunities. Go Fish is about having real access to these beautiful parts of Georgia that we want people to be exposed to. So it's an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars."

Perdue says fishing stands to bring millions in tourism dollars to the state. The Flat Rock Fishing Area is managed by the Department of Natural Resources and will employ two full-time employees.

State to build eight more boat mega-ramps

Eight more mega-boat ramps are set to be built around the state as part of the Go Fish Georgia program. The communities have agreed to match the state’s portion of construction costs. Locations include Buckeye Landing along the Oconee River in Laurens County, Lock and Dam Park on Lake Weiss in Floyd County, and George Bagby State Park in Clay County. The Go Fish Program is meant to attract boating and fishing tourism.

Governor questions budget compromise

The state legislature is expected to vote Friday on a midyear budget that contains $100 tax rebates for the typical homeowner, thanks to a late compromise between leaders of the Georgia House and Senate.

Senior GOP lawmakers couldn’t agree how best to use about $142 million in the state’s midyear budget, so they decided to spend it on the tax credits, which had never been mentioned before.

Gov. Sonny Perdue says it may not be a good idea.

“It came about in a strange fashion,” Perdue said. “I’m not sure the budget negotiations conference table is the place to really discuss and talk about tax strategy and fiscal policy decisions such as occurred.”

Perdue says he’ll consider the midyear budget carefully. There are several reasons why he could veto it. He reminded reporters that he had made a campaign promise to give seniors a new tax break, but lawmakers failed to act on his pledge. Secondly, there’s no money in this new version for some things Perdue wanted, including his “Go Fish” tourism initiative and a land conservation program.

In response, House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St Simons) says the budget negotiators—all senior GOP legislators—should be the ones directing tax policy. Besides, he says, there’s not enough time to follow through on Perdue’s promise of tax relief for seniors.

“It’s too late in the session to pass another bill,” says Keen. “The only avenue we had to return the money to the taxpayers was to take something in budget, and that was our only option.”

Keen says the House supports many of Governor Perdue’s projects, and may try to fund them in next year’s budget.

Without a budget, lawmakers would have to return to the Capitol for a special session.

The House appropriations committee plans to approve the 2008 budget Thursday.

State House and Senate standoff over budget

No sooner had the State House passed the midyear budget, than representatives learned they had a problem: too much pork, according to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Senate leaders.

In a statement, Cagle says the amended budget should be “reserved for limited spending on urgent matters.”

The House version would send more funds to the Peachcare and public defender programs, which are both running out of cash. But it also contains money for tourism projects, like Governor Sonny Perdue’s “Go Fish” initiative to add boat ramps and other amenities for anglers.

“We have all advocated that the amended budget should be for mid-year education adjustments and emergencies only,” Senate Speaker Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) said in a written statement. “We are not opposed to the projects and proposals put forth by the Governor or the House. We simply believe they should be debated within the FY 08 budget."

House members were not pleased with the Senate’s stand.

“For them to come here at the last minute with this little game, it’s unfortunate,” said House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans). “It doesn’t slow the process down, but it makes us have to work a little harder. But, if it’s the game they want to play, we’re going to make sure we send them a really good budget before we get it over there.”

Harbin says his committee will review the budget again tomorrow and Friday. But he stands by the House's product. As of now, he says, "nothing is negotiable."

The General Assembly must pass both the midyear budget and next year’s budget in the next 11 legislative days. It has delayed budgetary decisions because lawmakers wanted to know that the U.S. Congress would help fund Peachcare. Those assurances came last week.