Capitol Ideas

By Robert

February 20, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

First and foremost, I want an accountability of where our State money is going! Our State revenue collections have continued to set records (as reported by the AJC last quarter). Where is this money going? As a taxpayer, I think that we deserve to know!!!

As a teacher, I can definitely say that it is not going to education!

Next, I would like to see the State of Georgia spend real money to better regulate our public services. For example, I feel that we have the most slack building inspectors in the States. We need to follow up these guys to ensure that they are doing the right thing. Too many buildings are being thrown up, and I can vouch for how poorly they are built. Another example is for the State to improve the Insurance Commissioners office. I have experienced and I have friends that have experienced nightmares trying to get health insurance companies to pay up.

The State of Georgia citizens should not be held hostage to insurance companies nor poor construction (due to building inspectors getting paid under the table) nor to any other supposed service that we rely on our government to provide.

By bill kecskes

February 20, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this

I want the General Assembly to reform the marriage age law (OCGA 19-3) by raising the marriage age to 18 with absolutely no exceptions and simultaneously mandate no one be legally emanicipated until they are 18 years old. Parents must be legally obligated for their children for a full 18 years! Both mandates strengthen the family and actually clear up welfare (WIC & DFCS) abuses.

By Dick

February 20, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

I wish they would adjorn and go home. All they usually do is spend money while making no positive changes. You can rest assured, the working tax payers won’t be helped.

By Paul Scanling

February 20, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this

40 days should mean 40 calendar days, regardless of what silly rules they have about what consititutes a day or not. Spend less money, cut taxes, stop passing laws that intrude on our lives and GO HOME!!!!!

By Syed

February 20, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this

I am not a citizen, but I have been in Atlanta for long and I am a Legal Alien. I should say something because I am also a law abiding tax paying individual. I don’t mind if our tax payers money helps Katrina victim, But if it is used to pay some ‘victim’ ‘s 438/day hotel bill in NY City, then I guess we are the victim. Also, seems like city is totally ignorant about the horrible traffic we face everyday wasting money, time gas.

By RFSOsInRevolt

February 20, 2006 01:43 PM | Link to this

The legislators should stop lying to Georgia citizens about how their legislation is going to protect the public from * !!! SEX OFFENDERS !!! * and go home. They are doing NOTHING that will prevent sexual offenses. What they are doing will cost literally billions of dollars, decrease public safety, and result in more sexual offenses occurring.

The legislators are only interested in sexual offenses with respect to what it means to them being reelected. If that were not the case, they would actually listen to ALL of the experts and promote at least just the tiniest little bit of prevention. They are focused exclusively on reactive measures, punishment, and retroactively harassing former offenders.

The legislators intend to increase the areas where Registered Former * !!! SEX OFFENDERS !!! * are banned from living and working. But their legislation is ONLY needed to control people who have already fully and successfully completed their legal sentences. It is not needed at all for people who are on probation or parole. It is intended to affect people who completed their sentences years ago.

The legislators intend to bring their pitchforks and torches to THOUSANDS of people’s homes and quite literally force the families from them. In the past, they have been decent and moral enough to give those families 1 week to get out of their home. This will be the 3rd time in less than 3 years that they have done this. This time though they also plan to force the family’s likely breadwinner from any employment. There are so many people in this country who worry about the Patriot Act and similar destructions of civil rights but heinous violations like this go virtually unnoticed.

One other thing - if you support these laws please don’t complain about your taxes. You will be paying out the nose for these for a very, very long time and the cost estimates are in the billions. It will not be possible to reverse these bad laws if they are enacted - the legislature will NEVER have the courage to do it. We will be stuck paying for more counter-productive, feel-good, worse than worthless laws.

Read more about the lies here or e-mail me for more information.

Peace (for now).

By angrytaxpayingvotingstateworker

February 20, 2006 02:00 PM | Link to this

Hey you guys hit it on the head. Where is the money going?? Hmmm lets look shall we…Illegal Pot Lollipop and Cold Water Trout. Hmmm public safety people are starving and leaving the state at a rapid pace. Other state employees have to take second and third jobs and finally leave so customer service stinks because no one is dedicated. Morale bites. Health care coverage goes up and salaries go no where. Teachers scream about raises and the Governor and Legislature open thier wallets. I agree teachers have a tough job, but what about those other deserving state workers who keep getting shafted. Hey here is a thought, put the burden for education back on the local systems. My state taxes keep going up, and services going down. Tax revenue is back up to the pre-recession numbers. A good business reinvests in itself when times are good, and takes care of its employees. The state is not being ran like a good business. See the posts under the Pop Suckers Blog for specific info. Push the legislators with your vote to do the right thing, and not push for the re-election vote. Those of us not that are not teachers see the writing on the wall….teachers will re-elect Purdue because he helped them…oh wait that is their union’s position, and the rest of us can not join. Stupid laws, stupid spending, just plain stupid.

By marcus

February 20, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this

this go round they need to give more of the unused money that is left over every year or lost, to the georgia fatherhood program, to help fathers on child support get some type of technical training that will give them a better paying job, not just some 7 or 8 dollar an hour job and then expect the father to pay 300 or 400 dollars a month/how can he survive on that do the math. 40 hrs a week times 7 dollars an hour/take out the taxes then take out about 75 to 100 dollars a week out of that/ how is he gonna pay his rent car insurance, light bill etc, these law makers got it all messed up…… there sitting up there deligating over laws that hardly affect the lower class or even the middle class… put the money in the right place// BUT OF COURSE THEY WONT.

By Reid

February 20, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

How about they get something done on one of Sonny’s election promises: synchronizing traffic lights to improve traffic flow? None of the transportation proposals so far have any mention of this that I can find, and I think it’s something that would immensely improve our work commute. Plus, it’s been four years, and that particular election promise was one the Governor spoke of often on the campaign trail… Get something done already!

By Tommy_a2b

February 20, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this

I want to agree with Robert the 1st person to comment, “First and foremost, I want an accountability of where our State money is going!” I think he is off base when it comes to spending on Education. Over half the states budget is spent on education plus all the Federal money that goes to local education and county money that goes to education. How much money do “Educators” need to educate kids? If they would put out a number they need they would probably get it. Are we still 50th in education in this state? Back to the issue of “First and foremost, I want an accountability of where our State money is going!” How about the state stop pandering in an election year and cut more fat from the budget. Just because revenue is up does not mean we NEED or MUST spend more. I wonder how many people who posted here have ever seen a copy of the state budget. Anyone who says they have probably has only seen the supplemental budget. I am pretty sure the state does not even print a singular copy of the complete budget. Just some thoughts!

By RFSOsInRevolt

February 21, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

Don’t forget while you are struggling to make ends meet - the legislature is going to pass laws that will cost additional BILLIONS. The purpose of these laws is to harass former SEX OFFENDERS who are living law abiding lives and trying to contribute to society. It is known that these laws are nothing but a feel-good panacea and will only increase offenses. Billions of dollars is the legislature’s estimate, not mine. I personally think even a million dollars is too much to waste on laws that cause more crime just to make ignorant people feel better.

By stinky.pete@aol.com

February 21, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this

is the legislature going to address the issue of advanced practice nurses’ prescriptive authority? This one is a real hoot. It seem that GA is the ONLY state not to grant these rights- and the legislature keeps shelving the issue, because of the fat cat lobbying group funded by the AMA

wow dont you just love politics?