Senator Eric Johnson Resigns From Senate

Senator Eric Johnson (R - Savannah) Announces Resignation

On Tuesday, Senator Eric Johnson ended his 17-year career as a state lawmaker in order to focus on his campaign for Governor. Johnson, an architect from Savannah, was first elected to the State House in 1992, and was then elected to the State Senate in 1994. Since that time, he has held positions as the Senate Minority Leader and President Pro-Tem. He most recently served as Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and was also a member of the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities, Finance, Rules, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, and Education and Youth Committees. In his resignation statement, Johnson cited concerns that as a candidate for Governor, the constituents of the 1st Senate District might not get the dedication and attention they deserve. The timing of the announcement will also insure that Governor Sonny Perdue will have time to set a special election in conjunction with municipal elections currently scheduled this November. Currently, two candidates have filed to take Senator Johnson's place, Billy Hair and Representative Buddy Carter (R-Pooler). Rep. Carter is a two-term State Representative and the former mayor of Pooler. Former Representative Anne Purcell has filed to run for Representative Carter's former seat along with former Vice Chair of the Georgia College Republicans Jesse Tyler.

On Wednesday, Governor Sonny Perdue issued writs of special election for the seats vacated by Senator Johnson and Rep. Carter. The elections will be held in conjunction with municipal elections on November 3, 2009.

Governor Perdue will also be soon issuing another writ of special election, this time for the State Senate seat currently held by Ed Tarver, a Democratic attorney from Augusta. Tarver, a two term state Senator and graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, has been selected by President Barack Obama to head the United States Attorney's Office headquartered in Savannah. Tarver retired from the United States Army as a Captain before he attended law school, and has served on a variety of legislative committees including Senate Appropriations and Senate Special Judiciary.

Governor Announces Revenue Figures

On Friday of last week, Governor Sonny Perdue announced that Georgia's August revenue figures were down by 16.4 percent over one year ago. The drop of roughly $207 million brings Georgia's year to date decrease to 13.1 percent.

MAGLEV Gets Boost in Georgia

On Friday of last week, Congressman Zach Wamp (R-Tennessee) announced that the United States Department of Transportation was providing $14.2 million to study a proposed high speed rail line from Atlanta to Chattanooga. Proponents of the line were disappointed earlier this year when the line was not included in President Barack Obama's map of proposed routes that will crisscross the country. According to Congressman Wamp, however, this study grant absolutely places the line from Atlanta to Chatanooga on the national radar. Local proponents of the system such as Georgia Department of Transportation Board Member David Doss of Rome and Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) have compared the high speed rail system to the development of the interstate system by President Dwight Eisenhower earlier this century.

City of Sandy Springs To Challenge Voting Rights Act?

Last week, the fledgling city of Sandy Springs began to drop hints that it intended to challenge the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Congress passed the VRA in 1965 to regulate illegal efforts by states to prevent minorities from voting. Section 5 of the VRA still applies to all or parts of 16 states, including Georgia and much of the South, and requires the United States Department of Justice to sign off on any changes to voting laws in those jurisdictions, regardless of how small. Sandy Springs contends to have a legitimate argument against being regulated by Section 5, considering that they've only been in existence for 3 years, and has no history of voter discrimination. However, other opponents of Section 5 in Georgia are concerned that the angle of attack being considered by Sandy Springs could torpedo their chances of bringing a direct constitutional challenge to the law, thereby also reducing their chances of moving the entire state out from under Section 5.

South GA Island to be on Quarter

Last week, Governor Sonny Perdue announced that the Cumberland Island National Seashore would represent Georgia on a new series of quarters that will be released by the United States Mint next year. The Mint will release five quarters per year to showcase national parks from each state in the Union, in the chronological order in which those states established national parks. Unfortunately, because Cumberland wasn't established as a national seashore until 1972, Georgians will have to wait to see their quarter until 2018.

Blitch Pleads Guilty

Last week, the Associated Press reported that a former Georgia Superior Court Judge Brooks E. Blitch pled guilty to a federal corruption charge. Blitch had, for years, been one of Clinch County's most powerful politicians, and his wife, Peg, had formerly served in the Georgia General Assembly. The 74-year-old former judge pled guilty to providing favors for defendants outside court.

Campaign Diary: Former Legislator to Run for Vacant House Seat; Olens, Hodges and Teilhet Continue Endorsement Skirmish; Repubulican Insurance Commissioner's Primary Welcomes Sheffield

Earlier this summer, Rep. Celeste Johnson (D-Jonesboro), abruptly resigned to move to Florida to care for her parents. After Governor Sonny Perdue set the special election for November 3, former State Representative Ron Dodson announced that he would run for the seat. Dodson, a general contractor, served in the state House from 1998 to 2006. Dodson, a Democrat, will challenge Republican Henry Shawn James, a political novice about whom little is known.

Last week, Atlanta attorney Maria Sheffield announced her entrance into the 2010 race for Georgia Insurance Commissioner. Currently an attorney with Burr & Forman, Sheffield earned her M.B.A., M.P.A., and J.D. at Georgia State University by the age of 25. She served as an attorney with the Georgia Department of Insurance from 1996 to 2002. Sheffield joins a field already crowded with State Senator Seth Harp (R-Midland), State Senator Ralph Hudgens (R-Hull), and Peachtree City Mayor Ralph Logsdon. Former State Senator Mary Squires is running on the Democratic ticket.

This week, Sam Olens, incumbent chairman of the Cobb County Commission and Republican candidate for Attorney General, announced several key endorsements. Earlier this summer, Olens was endorsed by Senate President Pro-Tempore Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), House Rules Chairman Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), and House Republican Whip Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta). This week, he recieved the endorsement of Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and House Speaker Pro-Tempore Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta). Both legislative leaders warmly expressed their confidence in making Olens' Georgia's top lawyer.

On the Democratic side, Ken Hodges announced this week that he'd been endorsed by the former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, Leah Sears. At the same time, prominent Marietta attorney and State Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna) announced a cadre of endorsements from Savannah community leader including former House Judiciary chairman Tom Bordeaux, State Rep.Bob Bryant (D-Garden City), State Rep. Craig Gordon (D-Savannah), State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway), and Senator Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) . The two Democratic candidates for AG opened the fall season with an endorsement skirmish as Telheit announced that he'd been endorsed by Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Senator Emmanuel Jones (D-Decatur) and Hodges countered with an endorsement from former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young.

Governor Perdue Releases Stimulus Road Projects; Report from September Meeting of Georgia Department of Transportation

On Tuesday of this week, Governor Sonny Perdue announced a total of $331 million in transportation projects that would be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), better known simply as "stimulus" funding. Some of the larger projects on the list included a $44 million road widening in Appling County, a $40 million resurfacing project in Bleckley County, a $37 million road widening in Fayette County, a $25 million construction project in Troup County, and substantial road widenings in Cobb and DeKalb counties. The complete list can be found on the Georgia Department of Transportation's stimulus website.

Georgia recieved a total of $932 million in stimulus funds for transportation, but due to the nature of the low bid process, the total amount of spending won't be known until the final bids are in for those projects. The Atlanta Regional Commision estimates that due to extremely low bids being forced by economic challenges currently faced by the transportation construction industry, there may be more than $70 million left over that can be spent on other projects.

The Board of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) met on Thursday of this week. The October letting included a total of 19 projects, 16 of which were funded through the American Recovery and Investment Act (ARRA) . The remaining three (3) were funded through GDOT. Two (2) projects involved bridge replacement, two (2) involved safety improvements, two (2) involved traffic management and engineering, and the remaining 13 were resurfacing and restoration projects. The non - ARRA projects totaled $11,547,952 and the ARRA projects totaled $96,955,872 for a total amount of $108,503,825. The letting also included 137 Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) projects totaling $13,188,781. Only one project was let locally, with the remaining 18 projects let through GDOT. 13 of the ARRA projects are scheduled for economically distressed areas, and three projects are scheduled for non - economically distressed areas.

On Wednesday, the Board gathered for committee meetings and budget briefings. It was at these meetings that Kate Pfirman, Treasurer of GDOT, briefed the Board on the challenges GDOT will face in the next fiscal year. After a year's worth of hard work and budget cutting GDOT seems to be back on more stable financial footing, but a continuing decline in gas tax revenues indicates that the fiscal year beginning in July could bring in revenues up to $84 million less than the $913 million gathered in fiscal year 2009. Commissioner Vance Smith reported that employment numbers at GDOT have fallen from 5,800 in 2007 to a current level of approximately 5,200.

11th District Board member David Doss gave a brief presentation on the status of the Public Private Partnership (P3) initiative. The P3 steering committee has met and finalized their recommendations for the rules that will govern P3 projects in Georgia. These rules will now have to be approved by the House and Senate Transportation Committees after the opening of the 2010 legislative session per the provisions of Senate Bill 200. When asked about specific delivery timelines, Doss suggested that it was realistic to expect some smaller P3 project solicitations could be in process before the end of this fiscal year and the physical projects could begin within 18 months.

Planning Director Todd Long gave a lengthy presentation about plans to mitigate current traffic congestion challenges by using managed lanes - HOV toll lanes - on all major highways in metro Atlanta. In some areas, the new toll lanes would be built alongside or above current highways, but the more controversial portions of the plan require the use of an existing regular lane in areas such as I-20 in downtown Atlanta, because building a new lane is cost prohibitive. The proposed system will cost a total of $16.2 billion over the next 20 years, and if public private partnerships are used (a situation where private investors provide part of the initial investment to be repaid through tolls), GDOT would be responsible for only roughly $7 billion of that. Any vehicle would be eligible to use the lanes, for a cost that would adjust according to the level of congestion. Several GDOT Board members expressed reservations, but they have plenty of time to do research before making a decision, according to GDOT staff.

All of the presentations from this month's Board meeting can be found on the Georgia Transportation Board website.

Upcoming Events in Georgia

September 24, 2009 6-8 PM: Leadership in America with Senator Ross Tolleson and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle - The Barn at Larry & Janice Walker’s Southern Oaks of Houston (2699 Marshallville Road, Perry GA)

September 19, 2009 10 AM - 12 PM: Town Hall Meeting with Congressman Jim Marshall - University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center (15 RDC Road, Tifton GA)

November 20, 2009: Harvest Celebration with Georgia Agribusiness Council and country band Lady Antebellum (more information to follow)

Today In History

September 18, 1502 - Christopher Columbus concludes his final voyage by landing at Costa Rica.

September 18, 1793 - The first cornerstone of the United States Capitol is laid by George Washington.

September 18, 1837 - Tiffany and Co. is founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young in New York City.

September 18, 1863 - The Battle of Chickamauga takes place in the United States Civil War.

September 18, 1919 - Fritz Pollard becomes first African-American to play professional football.

September 18, 1947 - The United States Air Force becomes an independent service.

Have a great weekend,

SM

There 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.”