Georgia Political News for February 24, 2012

SoCo Rescues in Glenwood, GA, between Macon and Savannah, urgently needs volunteers to help bottle feed five newborn puppies whose mother died shortly after giving birth. Please contact SoCo at socorescue@yahoo.com or call 912-423-0145.

DeKalb County Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson is considering shortening the school year. “We want to implement a balanced calendar so that our students don’t spend so much time away from the learning environment during the summer,” Atkinson said. I recently read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, in which he discusses the traditional American school calendar and how it may set up some students for failure by building in an interval in which they lose most of what they spent the last year learning. It’s a compelling argument, but I wonder whether it will make it any further than a similar proposal did in Cobb County.

Legislative Action

The Georgia Senate passed SB 209, by Majority Leader Chip Rogers, which mandates that students beginning public high school in 2014 or later take at least one online course before they graduate. I am concerned that this is an Atlanta-centric solution that doesn’t take into account disparities in the availability of broadbad internet. A 2011 report by the Georgia Technology Authority found that nearly half-a-million Georgians live in areas not served by wireline broadband and one region of Georgia has 65% of households underserved by broadband availability. The map below, extracted from the study, demonstrates the georgraphical disparity in broadband availability.

The number of children living in poverty in Georgia has hit a 40-year high, and Atlanta ranks fifth in the country for children in concentrated poverty, according to a study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Clark Howard testified before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee, chaired by Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), where Sen. Buddy Carter’s solar bill has been substituted for Shafer’s SB 459. Howard argued that allowing third-party financing of solar installations would modernize Georgia’s electric portfolio by decentralizing production. Georgia Power is not amused.

Senate Bill 316 by Sen. Charlie Bethel extends the time period in which prosecutors can file charges in cases alleging cruelty to children in the first degree, sexual trafficking offenses, rape, sodomy, aggravated sodomy, statutory rape, child molestation, aggravated child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, and incest. Under the bill, the statute of limitations for crimes against minor victims is ten years after the victim’s 18th birthday, or 15 years after the 18th birthday in cases of forcible rape. The bill was passed unanimously by the state senate.

SB 402 by Sen. Tim Golden would allow the state employees retirement system to make riskier investments, and passed the Senate 50-4.

House Bill 641 by Rep. Wendell Willard passed out of the House Civil Judiciary Committee Wednesday. HB 641 is one of two bills that will comprehensively reform Georgia’s Juvenile Justice system.

House Bill 717 by Rep. Penny Houston would make a dog owners liable for a fine up to $20,000 and a felony punishable by one to three years in prison for the owner of a dog involved in a second attack on a human, passed out of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.

House Bill 242 by Rep. Christian Coomer, would prohibit Georgia judges from using Sharia law in deciding divorces or child custody cases, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on a party line vote after four committee hearings.

Executive Action

Gov. Deal signed legislation tweaking district lines in South Hall County, and one that extends into Gwinnett County. “This new map better represents the interests of Hall County, keeping communities of interest together and anchoring more seats within county lines,” said a statement released by his office.

Deal also swore-in new Judge Philip T. Raymond, III for the Macon Judicial Circuit, Superior Court. Raymond will stand for reelection in 2014.

In an interview with the Times-Georgian in Carroll County, Attorney General Sam Olens ranked the tri-state water wars pitting Georgia against Alabama and Florida as the number one priority for his office. Olens also ranked defending the state’s redistricting plans, and House Bill 87 as priorities along with the lawsuit challenging the ObamaCare mandate.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has released a video in which he promotes passage of a Municipal Option Sales Tax to fund repairs to the city’s sewer system. Reed also discusses the March 6, 2012 referendum with Dennis O’Hayer from WABE.

Ethics Legislation

The AJC ran a troika of OPEDs lamenting the lack of movement on ethics reform in the legislature. Julianne Thompson of Tea Party Patriots argued that:

What we keep hearing time and again from some under the Gold Dome is that Georgia has “full disclosure,” which should be enough. Residents are calling foul because they know full disclosure is a myth. Legislators are not required to disclose one dime, only lobbyists are; many never do.

Senator Steve Henson (D-Tucker) argued that too many loopholes exist in the current statutes and under the proposed bills, while an unsigned editorial restated arguments the AJC has been making all session.

Presidential Campaign

President Obama will visit Georgia next month for a fundraiser on March 16th, ten days after Rep. Mark Hatfield’s head explodes because Obama was on the ballot for the Presidential Preference Primary.

In addition to previously mentioned outings to First Redeemer in Cumming, Rock Springs Church in Milner and University of West Georgia, Newt Gingrich will visit Dalton, with a free campaign stop at Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center, 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 11 AM to Noon. At 3 PM Tuesday, Gingrich will appear in Rome at the Tillman Hangar at the Airport in another free event.

Gov. Deal will also join Gingrich at the Carrollton stop on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Feb. 29, Gingrich begins at the State Capitol at 9 AM before heading to a one-hour rally beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Peachtree Academy, 14101 Highway 278, Covington. Finally, Gov. Nathan Deal will join Gingrich at a 7 PM event at the Gainesville Civic Center.

Thursday, March 1, Gingrich, Gov. Deal, Rep. Sean Jerguson (R-Woodstock) and Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-Woodstock) will headline the opening of a new headquarters for the Cherokee County Republican Party at 1428 Towne Lake Parkway in Woodstock behind the Longhorn Steakhouse.

Gingrich will also spend Super Tuesday in Gwinnett County. He will attend a Gwinnett Chamber breakfast from 7:45 AM to 1 PM March 6 at the 1818 Club, which costs $55 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members. It also appears that Newt and Callista will be drowing their sorrows or celebrating their victory at the Renaissance Waverly in Cobb County beginning at 6:30 PM

Yet another poll, this from Rasmussen, shows Gingrich maintaining a lead.

Gingrich 33%
Santorum 28%
Romney 20%
Paul 9%

Local Notes and Random Tidbits

Rev. Al Sharpton was in Atlanta yesterday, claiming that a national movement exists to undermine voting rights gained under Civil Rights-era legislation. Sharpton suggested that Georgia’s 2006 Voter ID law, which has been approved by the Justice Department, is part of that effort and has become national model legislation.

Savannah has deployed solar-powered parking meters in the historic district.

In Bibb County, nearly 300 citizens showed up for a public forum on the school board’s strategic plan for student improvement. Two controversial issues include reconfiguring the grading scale and extended school hours.

The Macon Telegraph board opined that the Bibb County Commission should not limit citizen speech to the board to three minutes.

Tripper Sharp, who was one of the CobbEMC members who sued the electric coop has announced his candidacy for a seat on the Board. Another plaintiff, Butch Thompson believes it is inappropriate for him to run for the seat.

In yet more trouble for Georgia Sheriffs, the late Talbot County Sheriff Herman Howard is alleged by the FBI to have accepted bribes on multiple occasions.

A bunch of hippies and outside agitators have joined forces to oppose the City of Brookhaven Ashford Brookhaven. Action for Justice in Georgia claims falsely that cityhood will cause resident to pay additional taxes. Non-sensically, they claim it is unconstitutional. Along with Kevin Hughley, who claims to represent Brookhaven business owners and homeowners, and yet is neither, point to the frivolous lawsuit that claims that Dunwoody and North Fulton’s new cities discriminate against African-Americans.

Metro Atlanta cities that opted for Sunday liquor sales have seen mixed results as far as additional sales tax revenue. Some expect to lose windfall increases that resulted from neighboring governments hesitation in approving Sunday sales. The City of Atlanta has seen lower sales tax revenue.

In recognition of its 30th birthday, Norfolk Southern Corp. is reported to have ordered 18 locomotives painted in “Heritage” paint schemes honoring its predecessor railroads. Among the Georgia-based predecessors whose livery will be recreated are the Southern Railway, Central of Georgia, Savannah & Atlanta, and Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Yep, you guessed it. I’ll be spending some time watching for these locomotives with my trusty camera.

Separated at birth: Rep. Josh Clark and Toby Flenderson?