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DEL.ICIO.USCagle on Perdue: ‘He showed a lot of character and a lot of courage’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle this afternoon declared himself squarely behind the decision by Gov. Sonny Perdue to put an end to the ‘07 legislative session, 18 days after lawmakers departed.
Said Cagle: “The governor has done the only thing that I think he could do, and that is take back the veto, and act responsibly for the state. Clearly with the revenue numbers that we’re looking at, and the circumstances around that, not being able to get a deal done with the House, it was very clear that this was the only option the governor had. He showed a lot of character and a lot of courage in what he did, and I’m very supportive of his action.”
Of the House, Cagle said, “You can’t be just an obstructionist. You’ve got to come to the table in good faith and work something out.”
The lieutenant governor acknowledged that he got some of what he had given up to the House in the budget fight — $100 million to be sent into state reserves. “We’ve constantly seen the budget used to fund pork-barrel projects,” Cagle said.
“We’ll come back next year and be talking about how we can pass meaningful tax cuts for the citizens of Georgia. I’ve never seen a tax cut I didn’t like, including this one,” Cagle said. “But under the financial circumstances that exist, it was difficult for the governor to agree to it. Now it’s time to move on, and not start the political posturing.”
Comments
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By Conservative Georgia Taxpayers
May 8, 2007 6:12 PM | Link to this
LtGov Cagle has an excellent opportunity to be a true fiscal conservative if he would publicly urge Governor Perdue to line-item veto the pork and waste found in the FY 08 budget! Such as:
Here’s another $5,550,000 in pork that can go into the reserve fund.
Dig a little deeper, there’s a whole lot more to be found!
By Conservative Georgia Taxpayers
May 8, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this
LtGov Cagle - please tell Governor Perdue to also line-item veto Item #218.7 in the FY 08 Budget appropriating $721,000 to expand and renovate DFACS offices in Liberty, Truetlan, Oconee, Walton and Carroll Counties. DFACS knows nothing about the $721,000 appropriation for these offices and senior DFACS officials correctly theorize they must be political pork. Look who represents these counties - Senior Appropriations Committee legislators - the very definition of pork barrel politics.
By Budget Watchdog
May 8, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this
Jim & Tom - I see where Conservative Georgia Taxpayer recommends some limited line-item vetoes for Governor Perdue. I agree there is a whole lot more to be found. Since this is fast becoming the season for being fiscally conservative and vetoing budget items to add to the reserve fund; perhaps your readers might want to read the entire 277 pages of HB 95 (FY 08 Budget) and make some line-item veto recommendations for Governor Perdue. The FY 08 budget link is:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/200708/senate/sbo/hb95cc.pdf
Perhaps your readers will want to forward their pork veto requests to LtGov Cagle to submit to the Governor. The LtGov’s e-mail address is:
casey.cagle@ltgov.ga.gov
By soeaga
May 8, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this
Casey Cagle is through. Conservatives have his number now. All he cares about is making liberal Democrats (INCLUDING turncoat Perdue) and the liberal media happy.
You guys can write all the puff pieces you want about him, but there’s no way Republican voters will nominate him for Governor after he helped Sonny boy block a tax cut.
By Budget watchdog
May 8, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
Buzz Guys:
The correct 277 page FY 08 Budget link is:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/200708/senate/sbo/hb95cc.pdf
By Budget Watchdog
May 8, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this
Buzz Guys,
I give up - you keep printing the wrong URL for the FY 08 Budget. It needs to be exact. Your link only gets them in the neighborhood. Too much clicking and linking after that to explain.
Oh well, I’m going to drink a few Coronas to celebrate ocho de Mayo.
By MrM30306
May 8, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
Sonny doesn’t have the legal authority to veto the tax refund. It isn’t a line item in the budget. It is a part of a larger appropriation. The act clearly says that figures like the 142 million are for information only. He’d have to veto the entire line item affecting a lot more than the tax refund. I worked on the figures - I know.
By tony robbins
May 8, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
He thinks there’s too much pork but he loads up the 08??? And didn’t he offer to the Speaker to meet in the middle and split the pork in the 07?
Is this guy stupid, a liar or does he think he’s being slick but really he’s just being disingenuous, coy and pathetically hypocritical?
either way, Cagle, just shut up and leave our tax dollars alone.
By Sam Sludge
May 8, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
Dear Mr. M. (in Atlanta @ zip code 30306) - e-mail me at:
samsludge@yahoo.com
Your point is quite intriguing. I’m sure the Supremes would be interested in this case.
By oldtime elephant
May 8, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this
Richardson is the big loser in this deal - his immaturity is out there for all the world to see and then he gets outmaneuvered to boot. Wonder how many house members will line up to follow him off the next cliff?
By Nancy
May 9, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
All I heard last night from Republican thatworked hard to get Perdue and Cagel elected was that they feel they have been betrayed. Does Cagle look weak or what he can’t even stand up for he believes is right?
By Darrell
May 9, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this
How is Richardson a loser? HE’s the one Leader who has stood up for the tax payers of GA, Cagle after unanimously seeing the Senate approve this bill and holding a press conference to brag about how great it was for GA; now says it took courage for the Gov. to line it out??? Cagle is the loser and Perdue is the pompus hot head who can’t stand not to get his way. Richadson has shown the true leadership on this issue and this voter will remember it.
By Tony
May 9, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
Wow….had any actually cared about the taxpayers of Georgia, they would have actually returned the money to ALL in the form of an income tax cut. Or was it already so insignificant the only way it could make the radar is squeak through as a property tax break that actually costs the local governments money to figure out how to refund it? Honestly people this was an attempt to pander. No one even knows how much this refund would amount to by the time the counties and everyone else processed them. If these ‘servants of the people’ truly cared, they’d have cut the pork across the board and refunded the money to EVERYONE who paid into the system. Stop pandering and get some real conservative values in there.
By EastPoint GOP
May 10, 2007 5:25 PM | Link to this
Conservative Georgia Taxpayers AKA Bill Kecskes why are you hiding now? Are the Black Helicopters after you?