Senate Nixes Transportation Compromise

A "thumbs down" from the state Senate today on a compromise transportation funding plan from the House. The Senate and the House are pushing competing plans that would allow voters to approve a one-cent sales tax hike to fund infrastructure projects. The Senate is pushing a regional approach while the House favors a statewide solution. The bill rejected by the Senate on Thursday tries to merge the two ideas - allowing counties to band together to levy a one-percent sales tax if a 2010 constitutional amendment for a statewide transportation sales tax hike fails. Now, a conference committee will be appointed to hash out differences between the chambers.

(Associated Press)

Clinton to raise funds in Atlanta

Democrat Jim Martin is getting some high-profile help in his bid for Georgia's US Senate seat. Former president Bill Clinton will be in Atlanta tomorrow to headline a fundraiser for Martin. Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss has more money in his campaign account than Martin, despite Martin raising more cash in the last quarter.

Martin assails Chambliss' fed bailout vote

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta, Sept, 16, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Jim Martin Thursday morning slammed Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss over his vote for the financial market bailout bill late Wednesday night:

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Saxby Chambliss voted for another typical Washington solution to a very real problem.”

“This updated package still fails to address the fundamental problems created by the deregulation of Wall Street, which Chambliss went to Washington and voted for every step of the way. And it lacks consumer protections to stem the abusive lending practices that are at the root of this crisis - practices that I sounded the alarm on two years ago, long before the mortgage crisis began.”

Martin, in a statement, said that if he wins Chambliss' seat in November, he'll take steps to prevent a similar situation in the future:

“If the bailout bill ultimately passes in its present form, I will work with our next president and the congressional leadership to address these flaws so that we can ensure that another crisis of this magnitude does not threaten our economy in the future.”

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'09 budget stands in way of Session's end

A joint state House-Senate appropriations committee met briefly Sunday to hammer-out their differences in the 2009 fiscal budget.

Lawmakers recessed shortly after getting underway. They've agreed instead to let the various House and Senate sub-committees work out the differences in their respective '09 budgets. A 32-page document details those differences, which comes out to about 15-million dollars.

One example of the gap--the House has proposed 2.5 million dollars for the Department of Community Affairs. The Senate proposed 5 million.

Republican Jack Hill chairs the state Senate Appropriations Committee.

"It keeps the folks who are the experts in the department budget talking instead of those of us at the table, who deal with it at a different level".

Lawmakers say they hope to wrap-up the '09 budget before the regular session ends this Friday.

Meanwhile, Governor Sonny Perdue has said cuts will have to be made as a result of falling revenue for the state.

-from Valarie Edwards

Lawmakers move many bills in busy Crossover Day

Yesterday was the 30th day of the legislation session--the final day for lawmakers to pass bills in one of the chambers.

In the House, Speaker Glenn Richardson got an altered tax reform plan approved with the help of Democrats--a vote of 166-5. The revised version would do away with the car tag tax and limit property tax assessments. Democrats jumped on board when a provision was dropped that would have restricted local spending of tax money.

Other measures out of the House yesterday--approved by a 164-7 vote was legislation to help fortify Georgia's struggling trauma system by adding a 10-dollar vehicle registration fee. Winning approval was a measure to deliver tougher penalties against students who falsely accuse teachers and school employees of inappropriate behavior.

A measure concerning billboard regulation was twice voted down however. It would have compensated billboad owners when they have to move their signs.

From the Senate, there was unanimous passage of legislation to give scholarships to students who have a parent killed or wounded in military combat. The program would cost the state up to 1.3 million dollars. A Governor Sonny Perdue-backed bill won passage that allows voters to oust school board members if that district loses accreditation. This came in the wake of Clayton County's troubles.

The sports of ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts would be regulated by the same panel that covers boxing. The Senate bill however doesn't put the money-making wrestling industry in Georgia under the same oversight.

Senate approves new hospital category

The state Senate today gave a national chain of cancer treatment hospitals an avenue to open shop in Georgia. Senators voted 31 to 23 to create a new category of "destination" hospitals. They would operate under different regulatory rules than other health care facilities. Critics say everyone should have to play by the same rules and that the for-profit company is receiving special treatment.

Transportation tax clears Senate

The Georgia Senate easily approved a plan today for counties or regions to impose a one-penny sales tax to pay for transportation projects as long as local voters agree. It is the strongest step yet toward finding a new way to raise revenue for roads, repair aging infrastructure and paying for other transportation projects. It also brings the Legislature one step closer to a possible showdown. Legislative leaders agree that a tax is needed to fund transportation projects but remain sharply divided over how best to raise the money.

Water plan clears Senate

The state's first water management plan is on its way to Governor Sonny Perdue's desk. With a 42-10 vote and no discussion, today the Georgia Senate approved a plan the House passed last month. The plan calls for three years of assessments to measure Georgia's water supply and demand. It creates 11 regional councils charged with drafting their own water plans. Opponents had wanted the council districts based on watershed boundaries, not political lines.

Obama makes strong comments in Georgia

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama held a grass-roots rally in Atlanta last night. The event drew a little over two-thousand people, with tickets priced affordably at 25-dollars a person.

Obama explained to the crowd why he was not present for a U.S. Senate vote yesterday to condemn a MoveOn.org newspaper ad that criticized General David Petraeus. Obama said the debate was a waste of time, and that it was a distraction to attack Petraeus as opposed to President Bush. The Senate approved the Republican-sponsored resolution in a 72-25 vote.

Obama also had strong words about the nation's justice system, saying it often treats black suspects more harshly than white suspects. Obama's comments came on the day of a massive protest in Louisiana where six black teens are charged in the beating of a white classmate.

Senate committtee backs PeachCare

Georgia’s health insurance program for poor children has a vote of confidence from the U.S. Senate. Today the Senate Finance Committee voted to re-authorize federal funding to subsidize state healthcare programs like PeachCare. Republicans on the committee defied President George Bush’s threat to veto the plan. Under the proposal, the government would pay for the subsidy through higher tobacco taxes.