Blowback on H.B. 170: '60 Republicans just sided with Democratic leader'
The Legislature isn't in session today, so if you want to monitor the blowback among Republicans after Thursday's vote on H.B. 170, the House transportation funding bill, social media is where you go.
Following are Facebook and Twitter posts by five of the 43 GOP lawmakers who voted no.
From the Facebook page of state Rep. John Pezold, R-Columbus:
SIXTY GOP Representatives just sided with the Democratic Leader OVER the Majority Leader and Whip to raise taxes. When I got sworn in the first thing I was told was to vote with the majority leader on procedural votes. (Note these are not votes on bills) this was a motion to table the bill and send it back to committee to retool it.
From the Facebook page of state Rep. Scott Turner, R-Holly Springs:
Over the last several days, I have been pitching a plan that would meet our transportation funding needs using growth in revenue without raising taxes.
I am not a member of the tax and spend party. I am a member of the party of ideas and of disciplined spending.
From the Facebook page of state Rep. Heath Clark, R-Warner Robins:
I find it appalling that just 7 days ago the House voted on a budget that increased state spending by nearly $1 Billion and then today we turn around and raise the taxes on its citizens to pay for "critical" needs. If these needs were so critical why did we not adequately address this need in the budget? We could prioritize our spending to address our critical needs.
State Rep. Sam Teasley, R-Marietta, was more circumspect. From his Facebook page:
On the encouraging side, I applaud the Georgia State Senate and specifically Senator Josh McKoon for the passage of Senate Bill 129, the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. I am proud to stand with him on placing a check on government's ability to unnecessarily burden a person's free exercise of religion. Well done!
And from the Twitter account of state Rep. Wes Cantrell, R-Woodstock:
About the Author
Jim Galloway, the newspaper’s former political columnist, was a writer and editor at the AJC for four decades.
