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Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The sleeper provision in Richardson’s newest idea
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So you’d think, now that House Speaker Glenn Richardson has put out the Revised Standard Version of his GREAT plan — this one ditching his efforts to abolish school property taxes, that boards of education would be doing sock-hops in gyms across Georgia.
Trouble is, they read the fine print.
First, the RSV of the Richardson plan caps the money that cities, counties and school districts can take in at the rate of government inflation.
That rate doesn’t always cover teacher pay raises because many educators get two hikes each year: a cost-of-living raise approved by the General Assembly and a longevity raise built into the state’s “career ladder.”
If school districts want more money, they’ll have to ask voters. That may wind up happening every time the state grants teachers a big pay raise.
But more worrisome to school officials, according to our colleague James Salzer, is a sleeper provision that would allow the General Assembly to eliminate school property taxes — at a later date — through a simple majority vote.
The previous version of the GREAT plan that eliminated school property taxes — let’s call it the King James Version rather than RSV — required 120 votes to pass the 180-member chamber. So does this one.
But if the Senate agrees, and voters approve in November, the General Assembly could then come back and eliminate school property taxes next year. And in the House, only 91 votes would be required.
“In some ways, this is more dangerous to us than the original version,” said Angela Palm of the Georgia School Boards Association. “By majority vote, he’s doing what he’s been trying to do for months that everybody opposed.”
It was the best of plans, and the worst of plans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The newest incarnation of House Speaker Glenn Richardson’s tax reform plan — whittled down to elimination of the car tax, property tax freeze and such — picked up the immediate endorsement of the anti-tax group Americans for Prosperity.
And condemnation from another budget-oriented group — one that has advocated increased spending for social programs.
Praise first.
“Making government live within its means is the first step toward delivering meaningful, long-lasting tax relief,” said Jared Thomas, director of the group’s Georgia chapter. “Our members are excited about this opportunity to roll back the punitive car tag tax, prevent backdoor property tax hikes with assessment caps, and secure that tax relief by putting caps on local government growth.”
Grover Norquist, head of Washington-based Americans for Tax Reform, last week provided the killing blow to the previous version of Richardson’s plan. Like the AFP, Norquist is expected to approve this one.
Now the slap, from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.
GBPI executive director Alan Essig said the speaker’s package would lead to a $329 million hole in the state’s 2010 budget, and a $672 million hole the year after that.
“It will be impossible to balance the state budget without deep cuts to education, health care and criminal justice,” he said. “Such a major tax cut at the same time as a slowing economy and revenue growth is perhaps the most fiscally irresponsible policy proposal of the past 30 years.”
Vanity car tag bill again delayed — amid signs of pushback from transplanted alumni
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Senate Public Safety Committee had been scheduled to take up H.B. 1165, the measure that could bar vanity car tags for those who attended of out-of-state universities.
A meeting had been scheduled for 1 p.m. today, but now it’s been canceled — for a second time. Possibly, we’re seeing the result of an effective lobbying campaign conducted by an impromptu consortium of alumni associations.
Several House members, both Republican and Democrat, have recanted. We’re trying to get a count. Below is one exchange between Thomas Chapman, the retired chairman of Equifax, and state Rep. Ed Lindsey, who now calls his vote for H.B. 1165 a mistake:
Dear Representative Lindsey:
As a Georgia native and tax payer, and former CEO of an S&P 500 company, I resent the Legislature wasting it’s time on a bill dealing with college logos on consumer paid license plates.
Surely, issues like water, education, healthcare, roadways, etc, are more important than worrying about which state allows a schools logo to appear on license plates.
Vote no on HR 1165, and please direct your energies, Rep. Lindsey, on matters of importance. I appreciate your support and action.
Thomas F. Chapman
Chairman and CEO
Equifax, Inc Retired
Nothing like a harsh note one of Atlanta’s former business giants to make an impression. Here’s Lindsey’s reply:
Thomas,
Sometimes under the Gold Dome, we make a mistake. This bill appears to be one of those times.
We focused too much on assisting alumni from our state institutions living in neighboring states and not enough on our own citizens.
After listening to your and others concerns, I believe that this bill should be defeated or seriously amended.
I have asked my senate colleagues to defeat this bill in their chamber and have transmitted your concerns to them.
I thank you for your input on this issue and please contact me on any other issues that you may have.
Sincerely,
Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta)
Schaefer joins the 10th District congressional race against Broun
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Life just got more complicated for U.S. Rep. Paul Broun of Athens.
State Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville) just told us that she’s decided to become the second challenger to enter the 10th District congressional primary against Broun.
House Majority Whip Barry Fleming, a Republican from the Augusta area, is already in the race. Right now, Bobby Saxon is the only Democrat in the contest.
Apparently, Schaefer’s not sure that Broun, who won a surprise victory in last year’s special election, can hang onto the seat.
“We feel it’s a good opportunity for me to represent North Georgia. Most North Georgians want change right now,” she told us in the Senate chamber. “They’d like it to be a North Georgia seat — not a seat from Augusta.”
Ouch.
Schaefer’s entry into the congressional race, of course, means an open seat for the state Senate. Pass the word.
But remember that this is Buckhead. Bring your passports.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
D.A. King, whose Dustin Inman Society opposed last year’s effort at immigration reform in Washington, is calling on members to rally at the Thursday fund-raiser for Republican presidential presumptive John McCain.
The protest will be held outside the Westin Buckhead Hotel, we presume.
An e-mail from King says his group will “rally in a demand for secure American borders and to oppose any repeat of the three John McCain/ Teddy Kennedy led attempts at a repeat of the failed1986 amnesty for illegal aliens and their employers.”
Smith: Votes aren’t there for House plan for statewide, one-penny transportation tax
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
InsiderAdvantage is reporting this morning that House Transportation Chairman Vance Smith has counted his supporters, and they’re not enough.
His plan for a statewide sales tax increase to address the state’s massive backlog of transportation needs can’t reach the 120 votes it needs to pass the 180-member House as a proposed constitutional amendment.
“I haven’t dropped the idea, but I’ve come up with another concept,” he said.
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Ramping up the GOP counterinsurgency
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After reading Monday’s post on Democratic plans to take advantage of a Barack Obama bump in Georgia, we got a call from James Sibold, chairman of the DeKalb County GOP.
He was getting ready to hop a plane to Texas to help John McCain.
But when he got back, Sibold said his county operation was prepared to launch a massive voter registration drive to offset an Obama presence on the Democratic ticket.
The north DeKalb and Dunwoody areas, home to a number of endangered Republican lawmakers, will be one focus.
Sibold said he’s hoping GOP leaders in Cobb, Gwinnett and Fulton are thinking likewise.
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