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Thursday, July 19, 2007
The Legislature gears up to take on the state DOT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One month ago, out of the blue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle warned a set of newspaper publishers gathered in Savannah to brace themselves for an overhaul of the state Department of Transportation — and the way the state of Georgia handles road-building.
How big an overhaul, Cagle wouldn’t say.
But now we know something of the scope. The week before Cagle teased the news hounds, he and House Speaker Glenn Richardson put their signatures to a letter addressed to State Auditor Russell Hinton.
Only now has the letter become available. See it here.
The two men who control the Legislature demanded a sweeping “special performance audit” of the state DOT, including:
— An analysis of “a selected sample” of DOT projects, with a focus of whether engineering specs are written with the focus of getting the maximum value out of taxpayer dollars.
In June, Cagle came close to accusing the DOT of corruption. “There was a bridge that was designed by the [DOT] in Augusta to be built, and unfortunately they designed it in such a way that it was a one-of-a-kind bridge and only one bidder could bid on the project,” he told those newspaper publishers.
— An analysis of DOT project management, with recommendations for bringing “projects to completion more rapidly.”
— A cost-comparison of DOT management practices with private-public partnerships of the same kind.
The moribund state of transportation in Georgia — particularly metro Atlanta — has been the subject of much complaint among business leaders and local government officials — not to mention the people who must travel from Point A to Point B.
For the first time we can remember, you’ve got a unified Legislature questioning the basic operation of the state Department of Transportation — in a comprehensive way that only a few governors have dared. None of them have been named Perdue.
The Associated Press was the first to come across a copy of the letter. John Abbey, director of performance audit operations for the state Department of Audits and Accounts, told the news agency that the requested review was underway. Initial results could be available by November.
The Legislature convenes Jan. 14.
Keen: The Vick case could unleash anti-dogfighting bills
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) said the Michael Vick case could give new life to efforts to shut down dog-fighting in Georgia.
“It’s horrifying. I don’t know if it’s true — it is an indictment. But if they are, it’s hard to imagine human beings being able to do that to animals,” the No. 3 Republican in the House said today in a press conference at the state Capitol. “I’ve already had calls from members of the [House Republican] caucus, asking if we’re going to address this.”
Two anti-dog fighting bills, S.B. 16 sponsored by state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and H.B. 301 sponsored by state Rep. Bobby Reese (R-Sugar Hill), stalled in the House during this year’s legislative session.
“I would not be surprised if one or both of those bills get some legs,” Keen said. One loophole in the current state law may be a lack of prohibitions against the training of fighting dogs, “rather than the actual act,” Keen said.
Rogers has said much the same thing about the impact of the Vick investigation on animal law in Georgia — but Keen’s remarks are more significant. S.B. 16 passed the Senate unanimously. The antagonism toward tighter restrictions has come from the lower chamber.
Jekyll Island residents say they see the shaft coming
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Residents of Jekyll Island fought long and hard during this last session of the Legislature to keep the south end of their sandbar out of the hands of developers.
But they don’t see appointments to a legislative watchdog committee going their way, according to a report today by the Morris News Service.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s three Senate appointments didn’t include any of the resident’s recommendations, including their No. 1 champion, state Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick). They expect to fare no better when House Speaker Glenn Richardson makes his appointments.
Blogwatch: John Edwards and wife at a “small change” rally in Atlanta next week
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Macon blogger Amy Morton of Georgia Women Vote says Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards and wife Elizabeth will be at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta late Tuesday afternoon for a $15 dollar-a-head fund-raiser.
Here’s her link to the invitation.
No more shilly-shallying: Broun claims victory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This statement from Athens physician Paul Broun came over late last night, describing his victory in the 10th District congressional seat as “a mathematical certainty:”
“I am deeply honored and appreciative that the majority of voters decided to cast their ballot for me. Yes, the election was close, but close does not mean indecisive. Historically, here in Georgia and across the country there have always been close elections.
Based on information transmitted from all twenty-one counties to the Secretary of State and to the media, with no actual precincts unreported in any county, my lead stands at 373 votes.
Having consulted with the election boards in each county, we have been informed that there only 166 uncounted military, overseas, and provisional ballots. We expect to receive a good share of those votes also.
Therefore, it is a mathematical certainty that the outcome of the election cannot be altered.
I fully understand the certification process that is the responsibility of the Secretary of State. I believe those duties will be discharged in a professional manner.
As soon as the election results are certified, I plan to go to Washington to begin energetically serving all of the people of the District from Augusta to Athens and from Putnam County northward to the North Carolina state line.
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