House Budget Passes

The house version of the budget totals out at about 18.5 billion dollars.

1.4 billion of that comes from the federal stimulus spending. That federal money will keep school nurses employed, and help balance the state’s Medicaid budget. And while 18.5 billion dollars might sound like a lot of money, it’s a pretty steep drop off from the past two years where spending came in over the 20 billion dollar mark.

In short, as Republican Ben Harbin explains, there were deep cuts to spending.

"We've had to make some tough decisions, and those tough decisions didn't come with just a willy-nilly reaction to what we thought was way a to get this budget balanced..."

For example, this bill does not fund homeowner tax relief grants. That’s means some property owners and municipalities will have to make up that shortfall. Democrats like House leader Dubose Porter, voted against the bill, calling the gutting of the tax grants unacceptable.

“We, by passing this bill are authorizing the largest tax increase in Georgia History.”

While technically not a tax increase, the decision to cut the grants could end up costing individual homeowners hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars next year. Normally the state has pays a portion of each homeowners tax bill. Republicans say the choices are tough when state revenues are shrinking, layoffs are increasing and consumer spending is way down. The House budget now goes to the Senate for approval.

Good News For HOPE Scholarship Recipents... For Now

College students who get the HOPE scholarship will have a better chance of having their book fees covered under legislation passed in the state House today.

Under current law, if the lottery-funded reserves drop by even just one dollar, the HOPE scholarship would pay less for books. For this year and next, the reserves are fine.

But Representative Ben Harbin from Evans worries that demand for the scholarship is up while revenues have flattened. He says that could bring down the reserves.

"I think probably 2011 we would've seen the book allowances cut in half the first year, eliminated the second year, and then the student fees gone the third year."

To prevent that, the House unanimously passed a bill that would put percentages to those cuts. Only when the reserves dropped by 8% would book funding be cut in half. At 16%, the scholarship would no longer cover books. And if the reserves took a 25% hit, student fees would be eliminated from funding as well.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Ben Harbin speaks on arrest for DUI

For nearly a year, Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans) didn't speak about an arrest for allegedly driving under the influence in Atlanta.

But in a letter to constituents this past weekend, he says he's sorry for the silence.

"As I'm sure you're aware, last year I was involved in an automobile accident, and was subsequently charged with DUI," he said in the letter. "In the days following this event, I had two ways to deal with the situation. The first, which was suggested to me by many close friends and supporters, was to aggressively engage the media by going on radio and television programs to 'make my case' in order to prevent political fallout from the incident."

"The second was to simply allow the legal process to run its course, and to avoid any effort to try and manipulate my case through the media," the letter continued. Harbin also said he considered his family's privacy.

"Well, they say hindsight is 20/20, and unfortunately I made the wrong choice," he says.

There's apparently been little political fallout following Harbin's arrest, but there's still no resolution of the case either, due to several continuances.

Harbin has denied using his position as chairman of the house appropriations committee to postpone his court dates.

His defense attorney, however, says he sought some of those continuances citing a state law exempting legislators from attending court while they tend to state business.

"I deeply regret the events of last May and the embarrassment that this incident has created -- not only for me and my family, but for you, the people of my district," his letter continued. "You are entitled to straight answers from those who represent you, and I apologize if the legal process in this case has created the appearance that I have not been completely forthcoming."

Harbin, however, did not discuss details of the incident, nor did he admit guilt or maintain innocence. His letter also did not discuss any plans for a future court date.