Prepaid cards on way for the unemployed
Kelly McCutchen, with the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, wrote an informative column suggesting a pre-paid card for recipients of unemployment benefits (“Cards best for all,” Opinion, May 10). I agree for all the reasons Mc-Cutchen mentioned.
Unfortunately for your readers, McCutchen was unaware that the Georgia Department of Labor has been working on this project for several months. The first cards should be in use by Georgia’s unemployed before the end of summer.
When I ran for labor commissioner in 2010, I pledged to advance the technology of this department. Now, businesses can pay unemployment insurance taxes online, the unemployed can apply for benefits online, and we have made several internal updates that increase efficiency in the department’s day-to-day operations. Prepaid cards are the latest of what will be a continuing technological overhaul of the Labor Department, designed to increase efficiency and save taxpayer money.
MARK BUTLER, Georgia Labor Commissioner
Government shouldn’t operate like a business
In his defense of lobbyists, Jet Toney states that “the benefit of social interaction among business and customers is the same as the benefit to lobbyists and government officials” (“Professional lobbyists are essential for sound policy,” Opinion, May 11). Therein lies the conflict, government as business and lobbyist as customer. Political influence bought and paid for.
MICHAEL FEDACK, atlanta
Transportation plan good for whole region
Dave Henson (“Region’s needs too diverse for lump plan,” Opinion, May 8) offered another approach to the Regional Transportation Referendum on the July 31 ballot.
Henson suggested that the current referendum will fail because voters in one part of the Atlanta region won’t tax themselves to build projects in another. The fact is, hundreds of thousands of residents cross county and city lines daily to reach workplaces, sports venues or doctor appointments.
The 21 county commissioners and mayors who served on the Atlanta Regional Roundtable, which I chaired, got extensive staff and resident input before creating a list of transportation projects that meet local and regional needs. For example, the I-20/ I-285 interchange on the west side ranked first on Douglas County’s list of needs even though it is located in Fulton County.
The referendum provides our region with a great opportunity to address major bottlenecks, add transit capacity and provide an economic boost. The money raised in the region stays here, and the project list to be funded is a strong one with something in it for every corner of our Atlanta region.
BUCKY JOHNSON, MAYOR OF NORCROSS
