Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for April 1, 2015

In perhaps the most fitting historical tidbit ever, the United States House of Representatives first met on April 1, 1789 in New York City. Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania was elected the first Speaker of the House. Georgia’s first Members of Congress were James Jackson, Abraham Baldwin, and George Mathews.

On April 1, 1870, Robert E. Lee, President of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, arrived in Savannah, Georgia. Lee’s career in the United States Army began with his first assignment at Cockspur Island near Savannah. While in Savannah for the 1870 trip, Lee was photographed with former General Joseph E. Johnston, who was in the insurance business there.

Happy Birthday to Phil Niekro, who turns 76 today. Niekro pitched for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves for twenty years, earning five trips to the All-Star Game, five gold gloves, led the league in wins twice, and came in second in balloting for the Cy Young award in 1969. In 1997, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ron Daniels has written up his thoughts on similarities between the fight today over the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, and the 2001 fight over the Georgia state flag.

Then came along Roy. Governor Barnes, with the support of business interests, used every bit of political power he had and pushed a new flag design through the legislature in January 2001. The result was a cluttered design and very upset constituents.

Like the flag, RFRA seems to be drawing certain lines in the sand. Big business is afraid that it’s passage will drive businesses, jobs, and even science fiction conventions away from the Peach State. Progressives believe it will completely legalize discrimination and infringe on people’s right and liberties.

On the other side of the issue, RFRA’s supporters claim their intent is to preserve religious liberty and protect individual’s rights. Commentators are accusing Republicans of stabbing conservatives in the back. Religious leaders are upset and taking aim at anyone in their path.

RFRA is the first truly divisive issue to come through the legislature since my generation could vote. Will RFRA have the lasting impact that changing the flag had?

Governor Deal “My thinking has evolved” on medical marijuana

This is the second of what will be five clips from my interview with Governor Deal on Monday.

Sine Comatose

Sine die (sign-ee dye) is a Latin phrase used to denote the last day of a General Assembly session. As the Presiding officer of each chamber closes the year’s session, he declares that the chamber is adjourned sine die, meaning without specifying a day for the next meeting. It’s also used as a verb, as in, “we expect to sine die on Thursday around midnight.” Well, this year, Sine hasn’t died yet, but he’s not looking too good. Sine comatose is the Latin phrase used to describe how legislators, staff, reporters, lobbyists, and hangers-on feel and look today. It’s not dead, but it’s in the waiting room.

Transportation Tax Passed

For policy nerds, the Senate Democratic Caucus summary of the final Transportation Finance Act Conference Committee Report is as good a summary as I’ve seen.

Here are some of the highlights. Or lowlights, depending on your perspective.

•   26 cents per gallon excise tax on motor fuel
•  29 cents per gallon excise tax on diesel
•  Elimination of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit
•  Currently, the excise tax has an escalator clause tied to the consumer price index, which sunsets in 2018 unless renewed
•  Electric vehicle tag fee of $200 per year and $300 per year for commercial
•  Extra fees for heavier trucks
•  $5 per night hotel/motel tax
•  Most counties not in a region that passed T-SPLOST would have the ability to levy a SPLOST for transportation

Not mentioned in the Senate Dems’ summary is a requirement for more transparency from the Georgia Department of Transportation. According to Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), who co-chaired last year’s Joint Study Committee on Critical Transportation Infrastructure Finance,

“We also put some accountability language in there. We’re asking the [Department of Transportation] to come over to the State House and Senate Transportation Committees every year and actually get their statewide transportation plan approved by the Transportation Committees. That’s never been done before, so there’s going to be more accountability, there’s going to be more transparency, more input from the General Assembly, not project specific, but more or less overall ‘what are you doing with the money, how are you spending it, and how do we prioritize it so that we get the biggest bang for the buck.’”

Senator Gooch said that the bill gets the state over the billion dollar goal that has been consistently mentioned as a benchmark by Gov. Deal if you add in $200 million for bonds that will be authorized.

An interesting twist in the hotel/motel tax portion of the bill is that it is required to be appropriated for transportation and the bill provides for the immediate repeal of the hotel/motel tax if the money is not dedicated for transportation. This is a way of sidestepping the general principle that an act of the General Assembly cannot bind the actions of future General Assemblies.

With that, I’m going to wrap up this abbreviated version of the morning news. I’m tired and brain-dead. We’ll have more analysis as we finish the Session, followed by a post-mortem next week.

Many folks will be disappointed by what some are saying is the largest tax increase passed by the General Assembly, but here’s my suggestion. We’ve got more than a year before elections, so there’s no rush to judge our elected legislators. I’d ask that after the session you call or email your State Representative or Senator and ask them about their vote. Or seek them out at your local county party meeting, GOP convention, Kiwanis or Rotary, and listen to what they say.

This was a hard vote for many who felt caught between a truly pressing need for repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, and their personal opposition for raising taxes. Casting difficult votes is part of the price of being in the General Assembly, and no member of either body takes that lightly.

So ask your legislators, listen to their responses, and ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I convinced that a pressing need exists for more money for transportation maintenance and repair?

2. What alternative can I come up with that’s more specific than simply saying to cut costs elsewhere?

If you decide you’re unconvinced by whatever your legislator says, by all means, criticize them, run against them, and/or support someone else for their seat. But I think we all owe it to them to hear them out.

Huckabee Waffles on Hashbrowns

Last night, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee spoke at a fundraiser in Dunwoody for Rainbow Omega, a Christian charity devoted to helping adults with developmental disabilities. DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester asked him about his interview earlier this year with GaPundit.

Huckabee said he loves the hash brown scattered smothered and covered but to stay healthy one must makes hard choices so waffles bacon and eggs stay but tomatoes replace the hashbrowns on his plate now. One sure sign of an impending campaign for higher office is the candidate going on a diet. Make of it what you will.