Fifty Georgia Colleges, Universities to Increase GI Financial Aid

Nearly 50 colleges and universities in Georgia have signed on to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs program to improve financial aid for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

The 45 campuses include Georgia Tech and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Mercer University in Macon and Savannah College of Art and Design. The institutions have agreed to pay up to half of the tuition, housing and textbook expenses for veterans who sign up under the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The program is part of the new GI Bill passed last year, offering veterans the most significant expansion of educational benefits since the original GI Bill in 1944. The VA expects nearly half a million veterans to participate in the coming year.

On the Net: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov

(Associated Press)

Early bill takes on property taxes

Today a Georgia lawmaker filed the first "pre-bill" in anticipation of the upcoming 2009 legislative session. Republican Representative Ed Linsdsey wants to cap property tax assessments. House Speaker Glenn Richardson had sought to wipe out property taxes in the last legislative session but the plan died. The legislative session begins Jan. 12.

(Associated Press)

More people losing electricity

Georgia Power says more people are falling behind on utility bill payments and getting their power shut off. The company says disconnects due to nonpayment were up 11 percent between January to August of this year compared to last year. The power company cites job loses, higher mortgage payments and raising prices of food and fuel for the increasing number of power disconnects. The power company refuses to disclose how many of their 2.3 million customers have been disconnected.

(Associated Press)