Eric Johnson Jumps Into Governor's Race

Another hat is into the ring for the 2010 Georgia governor’s race. Savannah Republican state senator Eric Johnson had been in the race for Lieutenant Governor, but decided to switch races when Casey Cagle withdrew from a run for Governor. Cagle has announced he will instead seek re-election for his current Lieutenant governor seat.

Johnson will join three other Republicans already declared in the Governor’s race--Secretary of State Karen Handel, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, and state Representative Austin Scott.

Gov. Perdue: State Transportation System Is Broken

State lawmakers announced new legislation Thursday that would overhaul Georgia's transportation system.

Governor Sonny Perdue says the transportation system in Georgia is broken. That's why he, House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle are joining forces to combine two state agencies into one - the State Transportation Authority.

Perdue says right now, the state is likely losing money because of poorly managed projects and too much gridlock on the streets. But he believes the new agency will create stronger oversight and accountability.

"It will abandon the scattered approach that spreads resources too thin and will instead focus the investment that will actually move the needle on congestion and job creation."

Mismanagement at the current Department of Transportation has left the agency millions of dollars in debt with hundreds of projects unfinished.

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Lawmakers Gather for Eggs and Issues

The state’s top political leaders will gather Tuesday morning for the annual Eggs and Issues breakfast in Atlanta. Governor Sonny Perdue, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, and House Speaker Glenn Richardson are among those to address the gathering. They'll outline their key agenda points for the 2009 Legislature.

Ahead tomorrow for Perdue, he will deliver his State of the State address to all lawmakers in the House chambers. GPB will provide live coverage of Perdue's speech Wednesday at 10am--it can be heard on all GPB radio stations, and online at gpb.org.

Cagle remarks on state gun law

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle says he’s not for loosening the state’s gun law this year. Cagle signaled yesterday, he doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s heated gun battle that put Georgia in the cross-hairs of the National Rifle Association.

A state Senate study committee has been looking into expanding the gun law to allow Georgians to carry concealed weapons into churches and university campuses.

Last year, lawmakers approved a concealed carry law that stretched to state parks, restaurants serving alcohol and on public transit. The law spurred a legal battle at Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport after gun rights advocates argued the airport qualified as public transportation.

Tour de Georgia cancelled for '09

The state's top cycling event will not be held in 2009, but plans a return for 2010. The Tour de Georgia made the announcement on its website.

Longtime member of the organization, Tom Saddlemire, spoke on behalf of the Tour's Board of Directors.

"We believe this unique and exciting event willl endure. We've decided to use 2009 as a time to plan ahead and properly position the Tour de Georgia to make best use of new partnerships we forged in 2008."

Chairman of the Tour's Board, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, had these comments.

"This is a decision I feel is wise and one that will strengthen the Tour for years to come".

The 7-day-long Tour de Georgia bills itself as North America’s premier professional cycling event. But it's struggled financially as it could not find a title sponsor the last two years.

Support in the Tour de Georgia declined following Lance Armstrong’s retirement. The announcement to cancel the race came despite Armstrong’s recent comeback, including tenative plans to return to the Georgia event.

Perdue asks Bush for help to ease state gas crisis

The gas supply crisis for much of north Georgia continues, with drivers still fighting long lines at stations that have gas. This afternoon, Governor Sonny Perdue took another step in hopes of easing the shortage, by sending a letter to President Bush. Perdue is asking the White House to release a "significant amount" of crude oil from the Strategic petroleum reserve, to refineries in the Gulf. The hope is to more quickly bring the system back on-line, and get gas through the pipeline to Georgia. Late Monday afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle commented on Perdue’s letter in a press conference inside the State Capitol rotunda:

"I think the Governor's actions today to announce that he's calling on the President to get into the (Strategic National) Reserve is a very important process, because everyone is being impacted, because the Gulf is a huge supplier of fuel--not only to our state, but to the Southeast..."

Cagle says he expects the situation to improve "soon".

Cagle explores run for Governor

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has become the second Georgia Republican to jump into the race for governor. Today Cagle filed paperwork setting up an exploratory committee for the 2010 contest. Setting up the committee will allow Cagle to accept donations. State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, a Republican, has also said he will run. David Poythress, the former commander of the Georgia National Guard is the only Democrat to enter the race so far.

(Associated Press)

Newest state college to hold commencement

The state’s newest public four-year college will hold its first commencement ceremony tomorrow. Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle will be there to deliver a commencement address to graduates of Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville. From a first-year enrollment of 119 students, the college now is up to 1,000 students. The school hopes to boast an enrollment of 10,000 students in the next five years.

Cagle critical of DHR mental health management

A legislative committee Thursday agreed to transfer over five million dollars from a mental health program to other programs within the state's Department of Human Resources. However, the move angered some lawmakers who accused the Department of poor planning.

The committee voted 8-to-4 to allow the money transfer after DHR commissioner B.J. Walker said if they didn't approve it, the money would lapse. She says the five million is left-over from a program that provides mental health care for foster children. It will how help pay for case workers in the foster care system--federal money for that program was cut-off in March.

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle voted against the money transfer because he says there is a lack of leadership within the department.

"I have questions about the strategy of addressing mental health by the department. I have huge concerns relative to not being able to anticipate the funds that were coming from the change in federal policy".

Mental health care in Georgia in general is under scrutiny from the U.S Department of Justice. State officials say they are addressing those concerns.

Columbus: GOP convention gets underway

The nomination, credentials and resolution committees met as the session opened at 2 p.m.

Counties across the state elected 1945 delegates and 1,200 alternates to the event, held at the city's Civic Center arena.


Senator Saxby Chambliss addressing the delegates at the afternoon session. (Dave Bender).

The delegates will elect 30 delegates and alternates to the national party convention in September in Minnesota. They will also choose the party committee man and committee woman for the Republican National Committee.

Muscogee County representative Richard Smith:

“Our purpose is to get together as a party, and do whatever's necessary to elect quality Republican candidates, who believe in the principles that Republicans believe in: smaller government, less spending – all the things that make a Republican a Republican.”

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle is the keynote speaker at the afternoon session.

Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Michael Steele will give the keynote address at a festive dinner Friday evening.

On Saturday, Governor Sonny Perdue, House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer will head the lineup of speakers.

The convention concludes Saturday night.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the presidential race.

Cagle changes stance on Sunday sales measure

A measure to allow Sunday sales of alcohol in Georgia failed to get a Senate vote during the 2008 legislative session. But the Senate may get a second chance.

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle – one of the bill’s chief opponents – says he will allow the Senate to consider a voter referendum. In a letter to nearly 2,000 constituents, Cagle says he opposes Sunday sales for religious reasons but respects the right of voters to decide for themselves.

Advocates for Sunday sales were pleased with Cagle’s change of heart. Jim Tudor is a lobbyist for the convenience store industry.

“The support of someone… the Lt. Governor… with his ability and the importance of his opinion… he is a very valuable ally and we look forward to working with him.”

Georgians can currently buy alcohol on Sundays at restaurants, ballgames and farm wineries. The measure would allow individual communities to decide whether to add grocery stores to that list.

Oxendine running for Governor

Georgia Insurance commissioner John Oxendine announced today that he will make a run for the Governor's office in 2 years. Oxendine, a Republican, says it was the bitter infighting among his own party during the past legislative session that convinced him to run. He says Issues like tax reform, transportation and trauma care were left unfinished because the state house and senate did not get along.

“I am disappointed,” Oxendine says. “We have some of the finest Georgians are in the House and the Senate the results that have been coming out have been disappointing.”

Oxendine says the fact that he has never been a senator or state representative would be a plus, given the current environment under the gold dome.

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson have also been mentioned as possible gubernatorial candidates.

No Tax Reform, No Transportation or Trauma Funds

The 2008 legislative session ended last night with name calling and no tax reform.
It was in the 11th our, when it became clear that the State Senate would not give in to House demands for a constitutional amendment to cut the ad valorem tax on cars . House speaker Glenn Richardson had tried all session to get some kind of tax cut to voters. He has started with the so called GREAT Plan that would eliminate all property taxes in lieu of expanded sales taxes. When the only measure left of his original idea did not make it through the House/Senate conference committee he blamed the failure on the Lieutenant governor, a fellow republican.

"It's called the Cagle birthday tax, and every time they pay it they can thank Casey Cagle for leaving it on there," the speaker told his colleagues.

He urged Georgians to flood his office with phone calls and elect a new Lieutenant Governor. For his part Cagle took the comments in stride.

"What's most unfortunate is the name calling and to have a person over there attack your caracter, that's sad, but life goes on."

Cagle defended his position saying he wanted to cut income taxes and the tag tax cut would have taken too much money out of local government funds.

Democrats looked at the in-party fighting with an eye on the November elections.

"What you campaign on is the infighting. The result of the infighting is that the major issues of the state did not get addressed and resolved," said house minority leader Dubose Porter.

The State senate failed to approve a constitutional amendment for a one cent regional transportation tax.,The measure was meant to raise money to ease traffic congrestion, especially in Metro Atlanta. It fell 3 votes short of passing in the Senate.

A ten dollar fee on cars to fund trauma care also failed.
House Majority Leader Jerry Keen said he's not too concerned over trauma care not getting funded this time. He said there is $59 million dollars in the suplemental budget, which should hold the system over until next January. That's when lawmakers could try to fix it again.

Some bills did make it this session. HB 89, the famed parking lot bill made it through but with a lot of alterations. For one, property rights supersede gun rights. The small percentage of Georgians who hold a concealed weapons permint would be allowed to carry guns into some restaurants, but they can't drink. Churches and public sporting events are still off limits.

In some ways the session ended just as it began, with water. The first measure passed by both chambers was the Statewide water plan, the last bill to pass was about reservoirs. That bill enables the construction of reservoirs, but not everyone is happy. Conservationists wanted to add language that prohibits inner- basin transfers. They worry that Metro Atlanta could one day take water from the Savannah or other rivers. But that language did not make it into the bill.

Lawmakers did do what they are constitutionally required to do in 40 days, pass a budget. They approved a 21.2 billion dollar spending plan for the fiscal year which starts July 1. It includes a 2 and half percent pay raise for teachers and state employees.

Cagle strikes down effort to restrict Jekyll Island development

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle struck down an attempt yesterday to restrict construction on Jekyll Island’s beach-front property.

Cagle ruled that an effort to curtail development CANNOT be tacked on to a separate bill guiding dock construction.

Jekyll Island is a state-owned barrier island required by law to remain 65 percent untouched.

The amendment would have required contractors to secure a permit before building along dune fields.

Developer Linger Longer's 352 million dollar plan includes a new town center to the park, along with some thousand hotel, condo and other units.

State Senate seeks income tax cuts

Georgia Senate Republicans introduced yesterday a plan to cut state income taxes by 10 percent over five years. Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle announced the proposal, which immediately caused a stir among House Republicans who have been pushing their own tax cut plan.

Last week, the House GOP passed a measure to eliminate the state’s car tax and the state portion of property taxes. The Senate plan, introduced in the final days of the legislative session, is expected to deepen tension between the two chambers and Governor Sonny Perdue, who has been skeptical of tax cuts during the current economic slowdown.

State House sends strong message to Governor Pedue

The Legislative session started with a show of power by the State House. It decided to make History by overriding 12 of Govenor Perdue's vetos from last year.
They range from tax credits for the construction of concert halls to a higher book allowance for the hope scholarship. House Speaker Pro Temp Mark Burkhalter said it's not about teaching
the governor a lesson.

"There's no message, particularly, these are bills on the issue we feel passionately about," he said. "

Burkhalter said he genuinely looks forward to working with the governor throughout the session. By law veto overrides have to be considered by the state senate. There Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle called the overrides petty politics. He said he's worried about this year's session.

"I'm very concerned that this is a distraction. If we're not careful veto overrides are going to dominate the session," he said. "Healthcare, transportation and water will go on the backburner and we can't afford to do that.

Cagle says the Senate is not expected to take up the veto overrides this week.
Governor Perdue called the action "yet another example of
House leadership insisting on making a statement rather than making the
state better. The Governor issued a statement saying while he respects the constitutional
provision for veto overrides, he is also mindful that there has not been
a groundswell of support for any of these bills from Georgians.