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Wilkes legislators tell about upcoming session
Sponsored by the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce and Wilkes County Community Partnership, the Annual Legislative Breakfast was held at the Third Shiloh Mission Center in Washington. A full house of concerned citizens and civic leaders attended, including 12 high school members of the Wilkes Youth Leadership Program. Leaders addressing the breakfast included Sen. Jim Whitehead Sr., Rep. Mickey Channell, and Rep. Barry Fleming. Representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and Sen. Johnny Isaakson were also in attendance. House majority whip Fleming, who spoke first, praised the relationship that the legislators have with Wilkes County and Washington leaders. "The leadership you have in Wilkes County is excellent. There's never a time when Jim, Mickey, and myself have trouble working with the city leaders and the county commission," he said. "They're good folks, and that's not true everywhere across the state. Working with problems all across the state, we don't always have harmonious times with everyone." Fleming reviewed the legislative accomplishments over the last year. The legislature passed state tax re- lief to encourage new businesses to come to Georgia, he said, and passed tort reform to make the state more attractive to business. The state also passed tough new child molestation laws. "If you harm a child in Georgia," he said, "and if you ever get out of jail, you won't want to stay here. We're very proud of that." The legislators worked to fix gerrymandered congressional districts, enacted stronger ethic legislation, and worked to protect private property from eminent domain. For the upcoming session, pretty good, and the revenues look pretty steady. So TheNews- Fleming said that passing a budget is the only thing the Georgia Legislature is required to accomplish by law. "The budget always dominates the session," he said, "but luckily in Georgia this year the economy looks instead of facing shortfalls, instead of looking where we can cut back, we're looking at where we can further fund the needs of the people of Georgia." The legislature will be looking at the tax mechanism for the state of Georgia, Fleming said. "We'll be looking for more efficient ways of doing it, to leave more money in your pocket." He expected to see the legislators discuss getting away from a personal income tax and moving toward a sales tax. "I'm not saying that will happen this year, but the discussion will begin." The possible changes in tax structure may be influenced by the influx of Florida retirees moving to the state. "These folks have a large economic impact on the community, but they don't put a strain on the schools or social services. So we'd like to attract them to our communities." Since Florida has no personal income tax, he said, Georgia has to consider that as an option to continue to attract retirees. The elimination of personal state income tax would also serve to attract industry and jobs, he said. Rep. Mickey Channell, newly appointed chairman of the Health Subcommittee for Appropriations, addressed another topic of importance for the legislature - rural hospitals. Saying that it is a great honor to chair a subcommittee with such impact on Georgians, Channell said, "We're committed to do what's best for rural hospitals and doing what it takes to keep their doors open," he said. "Rural Georgians should have the same access to health care as folks in Atlanta, and I'm going to do all I can to make that happen. All small rural hospitals are struggling, for one reason or another, and we're going to do all we can to help them." Legislators would also look at the lack of designated trauma centers in the southern part of the state. Of the 21 trauma centers in Georgia, none were south of Macon. Both Channell and Fleming addressed protecting Savannah River water from the thirsty Atlanta region. Saying that his district covered Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair, Channell said, "I'm sorry about Atlanta's water problems, but I have no desire to solve them at the expense of the people I represent." Sen. Jim Whitehead saluted the 12 young members of the Wilkes Youth Leadership Program at the breakfast. "These young people are our future. Don't forget that the effort you put in now will pay off, as these young leaders will keep this place as great as it is now." Whitehead spoke of the Governor's Workforce Development Board, to which he was appointed in April, along with 75 other Georgia leaders to bring in a new state workforce development initiative. "That will kick off soon, and you will see the greatest workforce development programs I've ever been around. The governor realizes you first develop the workforce, and then you can bring the corporations and new development to the state. We're going to work now to develop our work force, and we will prosper and have great corporations and businesses come to our state." Whitehead also spoke of homeland security. As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Whitehead says he is privy to information that concerns him greatly. "What I'm seeing is frightening. We think we are so secure, we are so free, and we are so protected in the state of Georgia - but don't believe it. I hate to say it, but there are so many people out there, in the U.S., who want to kill us. They hate us, and they want to kill us, and we need to be better prepared." Whitehead also announced the Senate's "Georgia Speaks" program, which will allow citizens to more easily communicate with their elected representatives. "We've got to listen to our constituents," he said. "I'll get in trouble for this, but if you've got a legislator who doesn't return your call, get rid of him. He doesn't need to be representing you." The legislators also paid tribute to the contributions made to the community and the state by the Family Connection Partnership, which hosts the annual breakfast with the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. "The Family Connection is doing a great job," Rep. Channell said. "It's an area where state government gets it right: the state provides the money, then gets out of the way and lets the local folks do what's needed, and I want to compliment the Family Connection for they way they accomplish all they do in the community." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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