Support Speaker Glenn Richardson

Support for Speaker Glenn Richardson

Georgians were saddened to learn recently that House Speaker Glenn Richardson had made an attempt to take his own life. Throughout his career, Speaker Richardson has always received a great deal of respect for his political convictions and tactical brilliance. However, personal struggles and pressures of his job brought him to the brink of self destruction two weeks ago. On the night of the incident, Richardson called his mother, who was able to call for help just in time. Fortunately, Richardson survived the incident and a week later issued a press release confessing his personal struggles.

Members of the House Republican leadership, Governor Sonny Perdue, and other community leaders in Georgia quickly rallied in support of Speaker Richardson, commending him for his courage in coming forward with his personal struggles with depression. Since that time, Richardson has made overt implications that he intends to make course corrections and get his personal life back in order. Little more than a week after the incident, Speaker Richardson attended a fundraiser outside of Albany for Rep. Ed Rynders, a Republican from Leesburg. Those present at the event described Richardson as light hearted, efficacious and “as good as I have ever seen him.”

Through all of this, one thing is clear: Georgia cannot afford to lose a leader like Glenn Richardson. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Speaker Richardson and his family, and our sincere hope is that this will be a turning point in the career of one of Georgia’s brightest political minds. We encourage political figures, elected officials, lobbyists, consultants, pundits and community leaders across the state to do the same.

From Speaker's Richard's statement: "I fully believe this has and will continue to push me to find my best self and use my position of leadership to raise awareness and let others know they are not alone. Thank you for your thoughts and your prayers.”

Attorney General Thurbert Baker Hospitalized, Bill Clinton to Host a Fundraiser

Earlier this week, Georgia's Attorney General Thurbert Baker was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital to have his gallbladder removed. The procedure was successful, and Attorney General Baker is expected to return to normal work duties after the Thanksgiving holidays. Baker is running for Governor in 2010 on the Democratic ticket.

The Associated Press is also reporting that former President Bill Clinton will host a fundraiser for the Attorney General in New York on December 7, 2009. Baker supported Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president.

Former State Representative Roger Hines Officially Announces Run for State School Superintendent

On Tuesday, long time educator and former State Representative Roger Hines announced his plans to run for State School Superintendent.

Hines made his announcement at Glover Park on the Marietta Square, the heart of his home base of Cobb County. State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), whose district also includes Cobb County, introduced Hines at the announcement. Former Fulton County Schools Superintendent James Wilson emceed the event, with several legislators and local Cobb County and Marietta elected officials also in attendance.

Roger Hines' experience in education includes teaching at North Cobb, Wheeler and Oakwood High Schools, as well as recently being a part of the staff at Chattahoochee Technical College. Hines has also held teaching positions at Kennesaw State University, Reinhardt College and New Orleans Baptist Seminary.

Incumbent Superintendent Kathy Cox is also running, as is Irwin County educator Richard Woods.

President Obama Taps State Senator David Adelman for Ambassador Post in Singapore

Jim Galloway of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported that the White House has announced Georgia State Senator David Adelman (D-Decatur) as their pick to be the next ambassador to Singapore (he will need to be approved by the U.S. Senate).

Senator Adelman was an early supporter of President Barack Obama and campaigned for him during the Iowa Caucuses. Caroline Adelman (Senator Adelman's wife) also served as the Communications Director for the Obama Campaign in Georgia.

Kasim Reed Evens Out Mayor's Race with Strong Endorsements

Last week, former mayoral candidate and President of the Atlanta City Council Lisa Borders endorsed Kasim Reed in the runoff for mayor of Atlanta. Reed, a former State Senator, and City Council Member Mary Norwood are headed for a runoff on December 1 after Norwood received 46 percent of the vote and Reed received 36 percent. The post election news coverage has been dominated by the aggressive courtship of Borders, who came in third with 14 percent of the vote, by both candidates in the runoff. Borders performed strongly in several of the city's downtown precincts, areas in which Norwood and Reed are competing strongly for support for the runoff. Stating her reason for endorsing Reed, Borders said that Reed was the best person to confront the city's financial woes.

Earlier in the week, Former State Representative Jim Martin , as well as a former candidate for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senator, also endorsed Reed. The endorsement is significant if only because, during his race as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Martin received 75 percent of the vote in DeKalb County and 60 percent in Fulton County, proving to be a strong force with urban voters. Reed also recevied the endoresement of Civil Rights legend Joseph Lowery at the steps of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

Last Thursday, Reed received the endorsement of former Governor Roy Barnes. As Georgia's last Democratic governor, losing to Governor Sonny Perdue in 2002, Barnes needs the support of the vote in Atlanta if he wants a chance to win his old job back in November 2010.

Monday, a poll jointly sponsored by WXIA-TV and V-103 showed Reed in a dead heat with top vote getter Mary Norwood. While Reed leads Norwood 49 to 46 percent, his lead is well within the 4.5 percent margin for error. As our friend Jim Galloway points out , this is probably the last poll that will be taken before voters begin to check out for Thanksgiving. However, perhaps the most poignant part of this poll is that while Reed seems to have added 13 percent to the votes he received in the primary, Norwood continues to poll at 46 percent, the exact spot she found herself the week before the first contest.

October Revenues Paint Grim Picture for 2010 Legislative Session

Last Monday, Governor Sonny Perdue released October's revenue numbers. Collections for the month were down almost $246.8 million from last year, a decrease of 17.8 percent. This brings the decrease in year-to-date collections to 15.1 percent. The responsibility of the General Assembly in the 2010 legislative session will be even more serious as the legislature attempts to address a budget situation that continues to worsen. The state has cut the budget for 2009 almost $1.5 billion, and many state agencies have already cut their budgets between 4 to 6 percent. Said House Transportation Chairman Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla) to the Tifton Gazette : "We are not in a good position. We are looking at 2003 and 2004 funding levels with 1.5 million more people. With added growth comes bigger demand for services." House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans) warned state agencies to prepare for another round of budget cuts to the tune of $350 million.

City of Atlanta Gives Delta Thumbs Up

Last Monday, the Transportation Committee of the Atlanta City Council gave its okay for the extension of Delta Airlines' lease at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Previously, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had voiced concerns that the deal could bring anti-competitive aspects to the master lease; however, the FAA more recently admitted that the deal had moved substantially towards a resolution of those concerns. This Monday, the proposal for a seven-year extension coasted through the City Council with a vote of 15-0. The deal will now go to Mayor Shirley Franklin for signing. Franklin has praised the deal as a win-win for everyone involved, so there's little doubt that final step will take place soon.

Governor Sonny Perdue Announces $66 Million in Transportation Projects, $5.6 Million in Environmental Infrastructure Projects

Last Monday, Governor Sonny Perdue announced $65.8 million in transportation projects that will be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The list of projects includes resurfacing projects in Chatham County, Ben Hill County, Berrien County and Butts County; traffic signal improvements in Cherokee County; turning lanes in Dougherty County; and safety improvements in Muscogee County. The complete list of projects can be found on the GDOT's stimulus website.

On Tuesday, Governor Perdue also announced that seven more environmental infrastructure project loans had been approved by the board of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. Five of the projects were funded totally or in part by funds from the ARRA. After the ARRA was passed by Congress, GEFA adopted terms of financing that offer counties that qualify as One-Georgia eligible a 70 percent subsidy and other counties a 40 percent subsidy. The recipients of these awards include the Douglasville-Douglas County Water Authority, Elbert County, City of Ila, Paulding County, Pickens County, City of Smithville and the City of Waycross.

Georgia Power Announces a Drop in the Price Tag on New Vogtle Reactor

During the 2009 Legislative Session, we wrote extensively about the legislative battle over Senate Bill 31, legislation that allowed Georgia Power to charge customers for the cost of constructing new reactors at Plant Vogtle during the construction process, rather than waiting until after the plants began producing power. Proponents of the bill argued that it would only result in a .001 percent increase in each consumer's power bill. Opponents argued that this legislation allowed the General Assembly to step into responsibilities reserved to the Public Service Commission. Last week, representatives from Georgia Power told the Georgia Public Service Commission that their share of the price tag for the project was officially $1.5 billion lower than originally estimated and that the project is currently on schedule and within budget. According to Georgia Power Executive Jeffrey Burleson, the savings are a direct result of charging for the construction during the construction process rather than waiting until the project is completed, thereby saving Georgia Power customers extra interest. The Public Service Commission reviewed the data, as did attorneys for consumer interest and business groups; however, the information was not disclosed to the public. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently delayed the issuance of the license for the new reactors at Plant Vogtle, but Georgia Power said that this delay would not significantly interrupt the current construction schedule.

Kelly McCutchen To Take Reins at Georgia Public Policy Foundation

We want to offer our sincerest congratulations to Kelly McCutchen, the long serving vice president of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, who has been appointed president and chief executive officer. Former President Rogers Wade will retire and serve as the chairman of the Foundation's Board of Trustees. McCutchen, a native of Ellijay, graduated from Georgia Tech and has served at GPPF since 1993. McCutchen has earned a reputation as one of Georgia's brightest minds on education, tax and economic development policy.

Report From November Meeting of Georgia Transportation Board

The Georgia Transportation Board held their monthly series of committee meetings and Board presentations this Tuesday and Wednesday. According to GDOT Treasurer Kate Pfirman , with roughly one-third of the year gone, collections of the motor fuel tax in Georgia have dropped 2.5 percent from the original estimate. Combined with a negative interest factor, Georgia is currently projected to collect $805 million in motor fuel taxes as opposed to $829 million. Due to changes in federal funding allotments and the requirements for GARVEE bond debt service, the estimated $1.2 billion in federal funds is on track to become closer to $1 billion by the end of the year. Pfirman also reported that year to date, the vasts majority of the budget (outside categories like personnel, capitol outlay, etc.) has been spent on computer services, with virtually no spending on motor vehicles. Much to the pleasure of the GDOT Board, Pfirman then reported that the 2009 audit is drawing to a close, and that some of the outstanding items within the audit could be resolved within the next 60 days.

Board member Brandon Beach conducted a brief meeting of the legislative committee. The committee once again established their position that the Board's top priority during the 2010 legislative session is securing additional transportation funding. Commissioner Vance Smith reported that a group from the GDOT spent two days in Washington meeting with Congressmen Lynn Westmoreland, John Lewis and Sanford Bishop along with Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss. Most of the meetings revolved around long-term planning for commuter rail.

Georgia Regional Tranpsortation Authority Executive Director Dick Anderson gave a brief report on the status of the IT3 study and informed the Board that the study was complete and the report should be completed by December 31. Anderson made it clear to the Board that the report would present one major conclusion -- that without additional transportation funding, any future plans for the expansion of commuter rail, multimodal stations or capacity would be in serious jeopardy.

The December letting includes 132 total projects totaling $159 million. Ninety-seven (97) of the projects ($126 million) are funded wholly or in part with stimulus dollars (ARRA), and nine projects ($32.9 million) are funded through the regular GDOT program (non-ARRA). Ninety-five (95) projects are GDOT let, nine are local let, and two are force accounts. Eighty-one (81) of the projects are in economically distressed areas (EDA) and 16 are in non-EDAs. 11th District Board Member David Doss questioned why, year to date, only $75 million has been spent in regular program dollars and so few heavy construction projects had been let. Deputy Commissioner Gerald Ross reported that due to the heavy focus on shovel ready projects during the last year, as required by federal stimulus accountability standards, not much focus has been placed on heavy construction. However, according to Ross, a number of $100 million-plus heavy construction projects are being readied for early 2010.

One interesting presentation came from Mike Alexander, research division chief for the Atlanta Regional Commission, who reported the 20-county metro Atlanta area is projected to grow in population by 3.8 million people by 2040.

Alexander was followed by GDOT Chief Counsel Sandra Burgess, who gave a brief legal update. In the last month, the GDOT has been involved in two unsuccessful mediations, had six new civil actions filed (three tort and three property), and received seven anti litem claims.

The meeting concluded with a report from GDOT Commissioner Vance Smith. The Commissioner reported again that gas tax collections were down by 2.5 percent, and that the GDOT's employee pool has dropped to 5,178. Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Smith presented a resolution to Anna Shackleford, widow of the late former commissioner of GDOT, Wayne Shackleford . The resolution recognizing the late Mr. Shackleford's contribution to transportation in Georgia was adopted unanimously by the Board. Commissioner Smith also recognized the employees of the GDOT's communications division, who won three awards at the recent National Transportation Public Affairs Workshop in St. Louis. GDOT's communications staff won awards for the Best Logo, Best Op-Ed and the Excel Award. Finally, Commissioner Smith recognized one of GDOT's employees who was at Fort Hood during the recent shootings in Texas. Private First Class James Armstrong, a GDOT employee in District Two, was shot twice during the shooting rampage, and received recognition from his superiors for courage and bravery for assisting other wounded soldiers during the incident. PFC Armstrong is currently recovering from his wounds.

GDOT Board Chairman Bill Kuhlke announced that the December meeting of the GDOT Board would take place on December 10, rather than taking place on the traditional third Thursday of the month.

Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission Gets New Member

Governor Sonny Perdue's office has announced the appointment of Richard R. Bias. Bias, currently employed as the senior vice president of Ambulatory and Network Services at Augusta's MCG Health, will serve as a member at large. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on various boards, including Wills Memorial Hospital, the East Georgia Health Cooperative, the East Central Georgia Emergency Medical Services Council and REACH Call. Bias lives in Martinez with his wife, Kay, and two children. He will replace outgoing commission member Dr. Ronda Medows.

Report from the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission

On Thursday, the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission (GTCNC) held their monthly meeting at the Georgia State Capitol. The Commission welcomed the attendance of House Health and Human Services Chair Sharon Cooper. The Commission also welcomed the Commission's newest member, Rich Bias. The Commission approved an updated slate of by laws, and chose to confirm its present slate of officers, with one change. Linda Cole, who has previously served as the Commission's secretary, will now also assume the role of Commission treasurer.

The Commission entertained a presentation from Dr. Jeff Salomone of Emory University on the differences and necessities for each level of trauma hospital, and what is truly effective and needed in providing trauma care to patients in an appropriate time frame.

Dr. Leon Haley gave a short report from the Trauma Centers/Physicians Funding Subcommittee. The Trauma Commission hopes to launch a new trauma center startup grants program around January 2010. Under this program, two $300,000 grants will be given to hospitals committing to designation as Level II trauma centers; two $100,000 grants will be given to hospitals committing to designation as Level III trauma centers; and four $50,000 grants will be given to hospitals committing to designation as Level IV trauma centers.

Ben Hinson gave a brief update on the EMS Stakeholder meetings and the legislative planning committee. Hinson commended Kelly Joiner of the Medical Center of Central Georgia EMS and Blake Thompson of Wilkes County EMS for their work on a program that will train and equip 1,300 first responders with funds from the GTCNC. Hinson also reported that the GTCNC would provide another round of matching grants to purchase additional ambulances around Georgia. Current funding levels would provide matching grants for an additional 29 replacement ambulances in 2010.

The presentations concluded with a presentation from Dr. Pat O'Neal, Director of the State Office of Preparedness. O'Neal gave an in depth explanation of how site visit teams and the State Office of EMS and Trauma go about designating a trauma center.

Dr. Dennis Ashley, Chairman of the GTCNC, concluded the meeting with a motion that the December meeting of the Commission be postponed due to the holidays. His motion passed unanimously.

Calendar Items

December 1 (12 Noon): Georgia Public Policy Foundation Legislative Briefing: Looking Ahead at 2010 with Rep. Jerry Keen and Sen. Jack Hill - The Commerce Club (for more information, click here)

December 10 (12 Noon): Georgia Public Policy Foundation: Moving Ahead on Mobility in Georgia (Reason Foundation) - The Commerce Club (for more information, click here)

December 9-10: Monthly Meeting of the Georgia Transportation Board - GDOT Headquarters (600 Peachtree Street, Atlanta)

December 11 (8:30 AM-12 Noon): Transportation Summit Hosted by GDOT Board Member Brandon Beach - The Retreat at Dunwoody

Today in History

November 20, 1789: New Jersey becomes the first U.S. State to ratify the Bill of Rights.

November 20, 1861: Secession ordinance is filed by Kentucky's Confederate government.

November 20, 1917: Ukraine becomes a republic.

November 20, 1962: The Cuban missile crisis ends when U.S. President John F. Kennedy ends the quarantine of the Caribbean nation.

November 20, 1985: Microsoft Windows 1.0 is released.

November 20, 2008: The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches it's lowest level since 1997.

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.”