Legislature opens in bipartisan spirit

The symbolic banging of the gavel to open the 2009 legislative session Monday brought promises of bipartisanship in the shadow of Draconian budget cuts expected in the weeks ahead.

Whether that lasts or falls away under the pressure of deep divides and deeper cuts will be determined during the next 39 legislative days —- all the time lawmakers have to balance a budget while accounting for up to $2 billion in lost revenue.

Democrats and Republicans must “work together this session to handle the tough issues, to make the hard decisions for the people of the state of Georgia,” said Rep. Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram), moments after he was elected without opposition to a third term as speaker of the House.

Democrats, in fact, took the unusual step of not offering a symbolic opponent to Richardson. Instead, House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) said the business of dealing with the crisis should begin immediately.

Democrats, he said, see “the urgency and seriousness of this year’s session” and promised to “put aside the partisan rancor.”

It was a startling move, the leader of the Republican caucus said afterward.

“I can’t remember the last time the minority party, us included, didn’t put up a candidate for speaker,” Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) said. “It shows we’re all focused this year on solving this severe budget problem.”

Some talk of bipartisan cooperation surfaced in the Senate as well.

Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), 53, owner of a pine straw business, was elected Senate president pro tem with no opposition.

It’s the No. 2 position in the Senate behind Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who runs the show.

Cagle referred to the state’s $2 billion deficit as “the most since the Great Depression” and emphasized he would cut government services rather than increase revenues.

“There are many things in that state budget that are ‘wants’ and not ‘have to’s,” Cagle told his colleagues.

But bipartisanship has limits. In the House, Porter said the Democrats were not endorsing Richardson, but rather acknowledging that there are more important matters at hand.

And when Keen took the floor to explain proposed changes to House rules, Porter and other Democrats argued for their defeat. Porter and Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) said the rules continue to include the so-called “hawks” system they say is unfair.

The speaker can appoint hawks who can serve on any committee at any time. In theory, hawks can tilt the balance of power on a particular committee anytime Richardson believes a particular piece of legislation is in danger or needs killing.

“Give everybody a level playing field,” Smyre urged the House. “The hawks system strikes directly at one-man, one-vote. It’s just not fair play.”

Republicans, he said, “have the deck. You have the jokers. You know when the deck is going to be shuffled. “

Eventually the rules passed on a partisan vote. But upon adjournment, Porter and Keen gathered together near the House well to do joint interviews, promising cooperation to come.

And it will be needed soon. Lawmakers will receive Gov. Sonny Perdue’s budget plan Wednesday.

After breaking for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday and the presidential inauguration on Tuesday, budget writers in the House and Senate will meet Wednesday-Friday next week on the spending plan.

The full General Assembly will reassemble Jan. 26.