NEWS Archive
April Revenue Figures Plummet Friday, May 15, 2009Brock Clay Weekly UpdateGovernor Sonny Perdue Announces April Revenue Figures PlummetOn Tuesday, Governor Sonny Perdue announced Georgia’s April revenue numbers. Revenue collections were $1,399,047,000 compared to $1,761,180,000 a year ago. This is a drop of 20.6 percent from last April.Governor Sonny Perdue Signs FY 2010 BudgetOn Wednesday, Governor Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 119, the 2010 budget that begins on July 1, 2009. The budget was cut by $2.5 billion after the governor revised the revenue estimate during the 2009 legislative session. The budget also included $1.2 billion in borrowing for construction projects. Some of the governor's line item vetoes included $25,000 in general funds for the Georgia Gaming Commission, $250,000 in bonds for the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, and $1.6 million in bonds for the University System of Georgia to acquire a museum for Darton College in Albany.Governor Sonny Perdue Signs and Vetoes LegislationThis week, Governor Sonny Perdue issued a flood of vetoes and signatures on a variety of legislative measures. Among the victims of the veto pen was the popular, but hotly debated House Bill 481, sponsored by Rep. Tom Graves (R – Ranger). The measure contained a number of different tax advantages for small businesses, as well as a controversial capital gains tax cut. Governor Perdue simply stated that he didn’t feel that the State of Georgia was stable enough economically to absorb the impact of the legislation. At least one small business trade association, the Georgia Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, has asked the General Assembly to overturn the governor’s veto of House Bill 481.Governor Perdue also signed Senate Bill 200, a bill making structural and governance changes to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). As passed, the bill kept intact the traditional structure of GDOT, but transfers a huge part of the power over planning and funding to the General Assembly. As originally introduced, the legislation completely overhauled the GDOT and created a new agency that would take over much of their responsibilities. However, the bill underwent significant changes in the House, keeping intact the powers of the GDOT Board and much of it’s current infrastructure. Under the provisions of Senate Bill 200, the GDOT Board will continue to select the commissioner, but the ability to appoint the new position of planning director belongs to the governor. The GDOT Board will also no longer appoint the commissioner’s top deputies (that privilege will belong to the commissioner).Vetoed: HB 56, HB 100, HB 481, HB 553, HB 662, HB 710, HB 734, HB 735, SB 123, SB 159, SB 178 , SB 211, SB 261, SB 266, SB 267, SR 431.Signed:HB 2, HB 60, HB 114, HB 178, HB 179, HB 186, HB 189, HB 202, HB 261, HB 318, HB 383, HB 386, HB 437, HB 459, HB 509, HB 518, HB 534, HB 541, HB 557, HB 561, HB 562, HB 564, HB 583, HB 584 , HB 593, HB 594, HB 596, HB 598, HB 618, HB 624, HB 626, HB 632, HB 633, HB 638, HB 642, HB 643 , HB 646, HB 659, HB 666, HB 670, HB 672, HB 678, HB 682, HB 685, HB 686, HB 687, HB 688, HB 689 , HB 696, HB 701, HB 706, HB 711, HB 712, HB 713, HB 714, HB 715, HB 718, HB 720, HB 721, HB 722 , HB 725, HB 726, HB 728, HB 741, HB 743, HB 745, HB 746, HB 749, HB 751, HB 755, HB 756, HB 757 , HB 765, HB 766, HB 770, HB 776, HB 778, HB 781, HB 782, HB 783, HB 784, HB 787, HB 791, HB 793 , HB 794, HB 796, HB 798, HB 801, HB 802, HB 803, HB 806, HB 808, HB 809, HB 810, HB 813, HB 830 , HB 841, SB 66, SB 104, SB 191, SB 200, SB 265.Gary Black and John Wilkinson to Run for Agriculture CommissionerGary Black, the 2006 Republican nominee for Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and President of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, has announced his intention to enter the 2010 race for Georgia Agriculture Commissioner. Incumbent Commissioner Tommy Irvin, who has held the office since 1970, has said he will retire in 2010. Black, who was educated at the University of Georgia, received 41% of the vote against Irvin in 2006. Gary Black has served on a number of advisory committees as a key leader in the development of the state’s water plan. He is also a member of Governor Sonny Perdue’s rural development council and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle’s agriculture advisory committee.Black is joined in the race by John Wilkinson, who recently retired as the Georgia Department of Education's Director of Agricultural Education. Wilkinson has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree in education from the University of Georgia. He was formerly the executive director of the Georgia Chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA). Oxendine Returns Campaign ContributionsLast weekend, the Atlanta Journal - Constitution ran a story questioning a series of campaign contributions to Georgia Insurance Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine. The contributions were from 10 different political action committees (PACs) based in Alabama, but controlled by an insurance executive from Rome, Georgia. Oxendine denied any wrongdoing, insisting that accepting the contributions was completely legal. However, on Monday the Oxendine campaign released a statement that they were returning the contributions out of an “abundance of caution.” The contributions totaled $120,000.DHR Records Chief FiredThis week, BJ Walker, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, announced that Richard Wheat had been terminated. Wheat was the head of the state office that oversees the management of vital records dealing with births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Two weeks ago, Walker asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations from an anonymous whistleblower that Wheat was guilty of mishandling records. The GBI found no evidence of security breaches or criminal activity, and is closing their investigation. However, state officials overseeing Wheat’s office found evidence of a “gross lack of professional integrity” in Wheat’s work, resulting in his termination.Know Your LawmakersSenator Mitch Seabaugh (R – Sharpsburg), is currently serving his 5th term in the Georgia State Senate, his fourth as the Majority Whip. Senator Seabaugh serves on the Senate Finance, Reapportionment and Redistricting, Appropriations, Judiciary, Regulated Industries and Utilities, and Rules Committees.In nine years as a legislator, Senator Seabaugh considers his greatest legislative accomplishment to be the passage of Georgia’s film and television tax incentive. This tax incentive is key in bringing jobs and economic development investments to Georgia in a tough economy. Senator Seabaugh has been heavily involved in the entertainment industry in Georgia through his involvement on the Georgia Film, Video, and Music Advisory Commission and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Committee.Senator Seabaugh likes for life at the Capitol to be simple – his biggest pet peeve is when people make things more difficult than they have to be. His philosophy is that life is too short, and that the best way to make life simple is to stop caring who gets the credit. It naturally follows that one of his favorite quotes comes from Harry Truman (also a Brock Clay favorite): “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”Senator Seabaugh was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, an honor he proudly shares with Rush Limbaugh. He was educated at the University of Southern Arkansas and the University of Missouri. He has been married to his wife, Leah, for 28 years. They have two children, Karen and Ryan, one daughter-in-law Jennifer, and a grandson, Andrew.In his spare time, Senator Seabaugh enjoys playing the electric bass, playing golf, and reading. His favorite movie is The Patriot, and his favorite band is the Doobie Brothers.Senator Seabaugh and his wife attend Son Rise Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia. In Other NewsFans of Frank Sinatra will be pleased to learn that Martin Scorsese and Universal Pictures will be making a movie based on the life of the legendary crooner. The timeline and release of the movie have not yet been released.A Connecticut prosecutor has revealed that the chimpanzee that attacked and mauled Charla Nash on February 16 had traces of the anti – anxiety drug Xanax in his system. Nash is now blind, and according to her doctors, faces two years of reconstructive surgeries.This week, William J. Reese, a 58 year old resident of the United Kingdom, used a fully marked police car to pull over cars on a busy highway. His scheme was working well until he pulled over a real, off – duty cop. After the real cop left to call police, Reese pursued him, yelling and screaming. He won’t be able to avoid the charges of impersonating a police officer: the entire incident was recorded on the stolen car’s dash camera.Today in HistoryMay 15, 1567: Mary, Queen of Scotts marries the Earl of Bothwell, her third husband.May 15, 1718: James Puckle invents the first machine gun. Puckle was an attorney in London.May 15, 1776: The Virginia Convention instructs it’s delegation to the Continental Congress to begin work on a resolution of independence from Great Britain.May 15, 1817: America’s first private mental hospital is founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.May 15, 1864: American Civil War – the Battle of Reseca, Georgia ends.May 15, 1941: Joe Dimaggio of the New York Yankees begins his record breaking 56 game hitting streak.Have a great weekend,SMThere are no simple solutions to working with the public or government. At Brock Clay, we integrate our services across lobbying, grassroots and public relations in order to create comprehensive solutions to complex problems. Whether we need to set up a town hall meeting, start a letter-writing campaign, work the halls of the Capitol or create a press release, we will find the right way to meet the challenge. As Harry Truman said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
