Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for September 16, 2015

The Mayflower left Plymouth, England, for the New World on September 16, 1620. Thirty-five of 102 passengers were members of the English Separatist Church seeking religious freedom from the Church of England. Originally aiming to reach Virginia, Mayflower eventually landed at Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

A single pistol shot on September 16, 1920 opened former Cherokee land in Oklahoma to white settlers in a “land run” to claim property.

The original stimulus act was announced to bring $70 million in federal money to Georgia to build roads and public buildings on September 16, 1933.

On September 16, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Service and Training Act requiring males 26-35 years of age to register for the draft. On the same day, Sam Rayburn of Texas was elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and would go on to hold the post for 17 years total, the longest tenure of any Speaker.

R.E.M. and Gregg Allman were among the inductees into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September 16, 2006.

Georgia Politics

Yesterday, Fayette County District Five voters elected the second African-American County Commissioner, to the seat vacated by the first. Winner Charles Rousseau took 70% of the vote, besting Angela Bean (20%) and Peyton Riley (10%).

DeKalb County Solicitor General Sherry Boston will run for District Attorney in 2016, presumably taking on incumbent Robert James. From Greg Bluestein of the AJC,

“Because our current District Attorney has not stopped the corruption, I’m announcing today my campaign for that office,” Boston said in prepared remarks. “He has not aggressively pursued corruption in DeKalb government. I will.”

“The District Attorney must stop hiding his own documents, comply with open records requests and hold himself to the same standard as any other elected official. His recent efforts are too little and too late. It’s time for honest leadership from the District Attorney’s office, and I’ll bring that.”

The 2016 race for House District 123 in Augusta and Columbia County is getting crowded already as Mark Newton became the third announced GOP candidate.

Flanked by civic leaders including former mayor Deke Copenhaver and state transportation board member Don Grantham, Mark Newton announced his campaign as a leader and “bridge builder,” representing parts of Richmond and Columbia counties in District 123.

Newton joins former Augusta mayor Bob Young and attorney Wright McLeod in seeking the seat, which comes open when Barbara Sims retires next year.

Tonight as you watch the GOP Presidential debate, you may see something new if you’re following Twitter: cashtags.

[Twitter] teamed up with Square to enable anyone in the US to make a donation directly to a US candidate through a Tweet, starting today. This is the fastest, easiest way to make an online donation, and the most effective way for campaigns to execute tailored digital fundraising, in real time, on the platform where Americans are already talking about the 2016 election and the issues they are passionate about.

When you see a Tweet containing a candidate’s $Cashtag and hit the “contribute” button, the Tweet will enable you to select a donation amount and add your debit card and FEC required information.

You’ll then have the option to Tweet the candidate’s $Cashtag to your followers or return to where you were in Twitter.

Chatham Area Transit has hired Squires Patton Boggs as their federal lobbying firm. Former First Congressional District Rep. Jack Kingston works at Squires.

Kingston’s firm was one of five to bid for the advocacy role and was rated highest when CAT officials considered costs, the proposed work plan, staffing and project organization and past performance, according to CAT agenda documents.

However, the $144,000 proposed by Squire Patton Boggs exceeds CAT’s budget for advocacy services by $36,000 and will require further negotiation.

CAT board member Helen Stone pointed out that federal laws will initially limit Kingston from lobbying on the transit system’s behalf. Once a congressman leaves office, they are required to wait one year before they are allowed to lobby their former colleagues directly.

Even so, Reese said, Squire Patton Boggs is “uniquely qualified” to handle CAT’s business.

“They have an area of specialty in transit,” he reported to the board Tuesday.

Gambling on Georgia

Yesterday, a House Committee began studying the issue of gambling in Georgia. From the Macon Telegraph,

he $1 billion that the Georgia lottery aims to raise for education this year would be a record haul, but lottery cash buys less college than it used to.

The gap has state lawmakers’ attention, and some are pushing for allowing casinos and horse racing as a way to prop up HOPE Scholarship funding.

“Our marching orders are pretty simple. It’s to look at those proposals, study the economic and social issues around (casinos and horse racing),” said state Rep. Matt Ramsey, R-Peachtree City, opening two days of state House and Senate committee hearings on gaming and the HOPE Scholarship, which started in Atlanta this week.

If the committee members come up with a consensus, they will make recommendations in time for the legislative session in January. So far, there are two major proposals on the table.

Georgia could issue licenses for up to six casinos, as long as they are spread throughout the state, approved by local voters and pay 12 percent of gross revenue to the state each year, according to language in House Bill 677, a measure brought by state Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah. A Senate committee has approved a separate measure, Senate Resolution 135, by state Rep. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, to allow horse racing and betting.

Legislators also discussed whether the Georgia Lottery could make larger payout to fund the HOPE Scholarship, according to Walter Jones of Morris News.

Legislators seeking more revenue for the HOPE Scholarship probed Lottery Corp. executives Monday about cutting costs or reducing prizes.

During a joint meeting of the temporary committees created by the House and Senate to study the issue, lawmakers are looking for ways to address the shrinking share of tuition that the scholarships cover. One avenue is to increase the available money from the existing sources, and another would be to find new sources by legalizing casinos and betting on horse races.

The scholarships are funded by profits generated by the Georgia Lottery Corp., owned by the state. While the annual payments to the scholarship fund have usually increased every year since the program’s creation in 1993, tuition costs have risen faster.

The corporation’s CEO, Debbie Alford, said profits have shrunk from 36 percent in 1995 to 24.8 percent this year because customers are more interested in the scratch-off games with the larger, instant prizes than the more profitable games based on drawings.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, challenged her.

“What keeps coming back to me is the fact that the lottery is compelled by law to return 35 percent to education,” he said, pointing to the state law establishing the lottery after voters approved it in 1992.