On the record: State Rep. Timothy Bearden
Q: Why do you want to allow concealed weapons in more public places?
A: This is something we need to make sure we have a good bill for the citizens of this state that brings all the concerns in together. ... Hopefully, at the end of the day, we can pass a good Second Amendment bill for the citizens of this state — and let me put in there, "law abiding citizens" of this state.
Q: What about college educators who do not want guns on campuses?
A: I understand their concerns, and we're listening to their concerns, and we're also listening to faculty members and students. Remember, just because you are a college student, you still must be 21 years of age. You still must go through the process of a GBI, FBI and NICS background check. The license must be given by a probate court judge.
Q: Do you support the bill to allow concealed weapons in cars driving to the airport?
A: I would ... support it.
Q: How will you approach balancing the budget?
A: You've got to make sure that the constitutional mandates are taken care of first. Some of those teacher mandates are public education and public safety. Now it's to the point where if this is not essential, those items need to be cut. ... We will turn this around eventually because we're made up of entrepreneurs and we live in the greatest country in the world. So we will get out of this. It may just take us a little bit of time.
Q: Do you favor taxing hospitals to raise money?
A: I'm against that.
Q: What about a cigarette tax?
A: We would do like many other states, we raise tobacco tax by $1 a pack, and we'll lose revenue in the state. They'll go to bordering states like Alabama, South Carolina and the Internet for those purchases. So we've got to be very careful when we start looking at raising taxes on an item that we don't actually lose revenue, which we would. Tobacco is an easy target. If you target that, obesity is actually the No. 1 in heart disease, No. 1 killer. Start taxing fried foods, so we just need to be very careful when you pick an easy target. But we need to make sure that anything that we decide to do, it's for the best for this state, and raising taxes right now is not the best thing to do.
Q: Do you support the regional approach to a transportation sales tax?
A: I would like to see 159 special tax districts. ... I would also like to see that fourth penny go back to the county from the sale of origin. So if the individual goes to the county and they pump gas in that county, that fourth penny [should] go back to that county so they can use for transportation needs. That fourth penny if it did go back to that county of origin where that sale was at, it would have to be put in for transportation. Whether it be for new roads, new paving, buying right of way, whatever it needs. ... A lot of people in my district are opposed to the regional concept. I'm here representing them. At this point the regional concept, the way it is for my district, it would be very tough for me to vote for that at this point.
Q: What about raising the gas tax?
A: Georgia probably has one of the lowest gas taxes in the nation. Right now, in every household, every penny counts. ... We don't need to put that extra burden on families at this point nor in the future.
Q: How has this session been different?
A: We haven't seen the amount of bills coming out as we usually do in the past. That is not a bad thing, making and creating a lot more laws and slowing the process down is not a bad thing. It's a good thing.
Q: What else are you working on?
A: Back in 2005, we tried a bill to put paper trails on voting machines, found out we're in that first generation where they can't be equipped with them. I did come out with a new piece of legislation that just came out that would eliminate the electronic voting machines; go back to the optical scan. We've got to have a paper trail. These machines we have now, they're going to have to be replaced. When they're replaced they must have a paper trail or go back to optical scan. Because if it comes to a recount, one person, one vote is a must and we must make sure every vote is counted one time. We've got to have a good way to do recounts. Those optical scans were the best way. We get a receipt every time we pump gas at the gas pump. It shouldn't be that difficult to have a printout so you can take it with you and one you can drop into the bucket of the voting machine.
On the record: A weekly event where reporters and editors talk to leaders about key issues for Georgians.
Excerpts from the conversation also can be heard on News/Talk 750 WSB.
