THIS WEEK AT THE CAPITOL LUNSFORD

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

January 25, 2008

Budget process has begun in earnest

This past week the Georgia General Assembly stood in recess during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and then while members of the Appropriations Committee gather to receive testimony on Fiscal Year 2009 budget from various department heads.  But prior to the recess, we passed a very important piece of legislation.

 

It goes without saying that our future is tied to water.  Without water, the results are disastrous.   With agriculture as our largest economic force, no water equals any crops.  In our cities, no water equals no growth and no new businesses.  It is imperative that we solve this problem immediately and for the long term.  That is why we passed House Resolution 1022, a bill that ratifies the state-wide water management plan.   

 

The 2004 Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Planning Act charged the Water Council and the Environmental Protection Division with development of a comprehensive statewide water plan for sustainable management of water quality and water quantity while supporting our state’s growth.

 

The State Water Plan developed by the Water Council is not a plan to address the current drought conditions being experienced in different parts of Georgia.  It is intended to guide long-term planning and will be implemented in conjunction with existing statutes and regulations that guide responses to drought or other emergency circumstances.  It identifies a set of statewide water management policies that will guide sustainable use of Georgia’s water resources.  It describes a “toolbox” of management practices (actions and activities) that can be implemented to meet current and future water needs.  Finally, it lays out a framework for regional planning.

 

Under the new State Water Plan, a series of regional water planning councils would be formed for eleven water planning regions.  These water planning councils would oversee regional water plans.  The regional water planning councils will each consist of at least 25 members, to be appointed by the Governor (13 members), Lt. Governor (6 members), and Speaker of the House (6 members). Water planning council members must reside within the geographical boundaries of the water planning region, and membership requirements include provisions for approximately 30% of the membership of each council to be representatives of local governments.

 

The plan also laid out a number of management practices (some already being widely used in our state; others yet to be fully available for use in Georgia) that comprise a 'toolbox of practices' from which local governments - through regional water councils - might select to meet their long-term, water needs.  The management practices in the 'toolbox' include categories that will allow:

 

·        Better management of demand for water (e.g., water conservation);

·        Improvement in managing the return of water to our rivers and streams after use, and

·        Provisions for adding water supply capacity (e.g., water supply reservoirs) to our waters.

·        Provisions for the protection of water quality and management of assimilative capacity for current and future uses and users.

 

This bill passed the House

One other bill of note making its way through the Georgia General Assembly is House Bill 301.  It is a bill that strengthens the current dog fighting bill that the state already has.  Due to the recent conviction of the Atlanta Falcons’ star quarterback for dog fighting, the legislation intends to strengthen the current law to felony status with a first offense punished by one to five years imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine.  A second conviction could receive a punishment of one to ten years imprisonment and/or a $15,000 fine.  Spectators also would be charges with high misdemeanors with second offenses leading to felony convictions.

 

Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

 

January 19, 2008

 

Legislative Session promises to be contentious

 

 

The first week at the Georgia General Assembly proved to be full of activity as we got right down business. In the beginning of the week, Governor Perdue delivered his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly and in his speech announced three new initiatives that he proposed to further Georgia’s educational system and economic development. 

 

The governor announced his intention to create a State Transportation Infrastructure Bank, which allows local governments to fast build transportation projects using matching federal and state funds. Many of you may remember this original concept was one I passed through the house several years ago and I have been working on it for approximately 4 years, I am excited about the Governors intentions to Sheppard, support, and fund this important program.

 

 The first plan that the governor touted is the “Very Important Parent” (VIP) Recruiter Program which will target elementary, middle and high schools with high absenteeism rates. This initiative will provide a grant for a VIP recruiter in each school to ensure that parents, who might otherwise not be involved, become engaged in their child’s education.  It has been proven that parent involvement is the key to successful students and schools. The second program is Georgia’s Education Scoreboard which is a website that provides education stakeholders with a straightforward indication of student achievement in Georgia. 

 

The Education Scoreboard, developed by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, provides data for Georgia’s K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and technical colleges. Information on a particular school can be compared with data against school systems in Georgia, southeastern states, or the nation. Finally, Governor Perdue also announced his vision for the Georgia Research Alliance Venture Capital Fund. This fund will allow the state to partner with the private sector to provide early stage financing for businesses formed around intellectual property developed in Georgia’s research universities.

 

While the Governor addressed many other issues that legislators also view as vital to the state including water, transportation, tax reform, and trauma care, we will undoubtedly have differing views and  offer opposing potential solutions as we take into consideration the needs and concerns of our constituents. 

 

The other significant news this week is that there were twelve veto overrides by the House of Representatives on the first legislative day. Some of the legislation included:

 

HB 69 is a bill which allows for individuals to get a copy of their driving record from the Department of Driver Services’ website, free of charge. 

 

HB 91 is legislation that provides detail on state agency spending by requiring each agency to submit certain annual reports to the Lt. Governor, the Speaker of the House, Senate and House Appropriations Committees, the House Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, the House Budget Office, and the Senate Budget Evaluation Office as well as make the reports available for the public, press, and other media .

 

HB 218 is a bill related to the Georgia Ports Authority. This bill intends on changing certain provisions for the application of traffic laws and enforcement by security guards employed with the Georgia Ports Authority. It will change the designation of security guard to peace officer and those with this designation will be subject to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

 

HB 229 will establish a true measure of decreasing lottery reserve funds prior to eliminating student funding. Under current law, students are in jeopardy of losing their book allowances if there is any decline in lottery funds for education. 

 

HB 441 is a bill to repeal provisions of legislation passed in 2005 dealing with the tax liability computations on interest or dividends earned from US obligations, interest derived from international banking, and income from off-shore banking. Current law stemming from the 2005 legislation requires corporations to subtract direct and indirect expenses attributable to the production of income from US obligations before taking a deduction. This bill will provide for only direct expenses to be subtracted from the deduction, as was the law before the 2005 legislation was enacted.

 

HB 451 provides for the promotion and development of tourism attractions in Georgia. The bill provides that companies seeking to undertake a tourism attraction project may be granted a sales and use tax refund for state and local sales taxes generated by or arising at the tourism attraction.

 

HB 549 would simplify the process of application and approval of medical therapy services for children with disabilities. Such services are entitled under the Medicaid Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. This bill would also simplify the paperwork which occupational, speech, and physical therapy services are applied for and received by eligible citizens.  

 

HB 559 relates to health insurance plans for teacher and other school personnel in elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for teachers and employees of charter schools to be considered employees for purposes of participating in the health insurance plans for teachers and other school personnel.

 

As the legislative session continues, I will keep you updated and informed about these issues and other pending legislation that comes before the Georgia House of Representatives. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

lunsford weekly update before session

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

January 13, 2008

Legislative Session Prepares for Busy Year

 

The 2008 Legislative Session officially gets underway on January 14^th and there are many substantial issues that will be on the agenda this year. This is a departure from typical years when one or two big issues dominate the headlines and the attention of lawmakers. The issues that will be at the forefront of legislators’ consideration are:

Water

In many parts of our state, a drought-like situation became a paramount concern as a poll identified water as the top concern for Georgians. The State Water Council has drafted a plan that creates regional panels and states that $30 million in research on water needs is necessary. In separate legislation, funding is expected for a network of reservoirs.

Taxes

Taxes, or the concern of higher taxes, are always on the minds of hard-working Georgians. This session, House Speaker Glenn Richardson is proposing to increase the state sales tax in exchange for the elimination of property taxes for schools. Although this proposal has met opposition, it is expected to get to the House floor for a vote. This plan calls for a constitutional amendment, so it would require approval by two-thirds of the House and Senate before it could be included on voter’s ballots in November.

Education

A gubernatorial task force is expected to present a plan for revising how the state allocates funds to local school systems. The recommendations are expected to include rewarding schools with high student performance by relaxing spending requirements.

Health care

There are two separate, but complementary proposals from the Governor and Lt. Governor that have proven so far to be non-controversial.  Gov. Perdue’s plan would allocate money projected to be saved by Medicaid’s switch to managed care and use those funds to subsidize the premiums to private insurers paid by small businesses.

Lt. Cagle’s plan would fund additional local health clinics, create a Web site for comparing private insurance policies, and work to stimulate more contractual services by private clinics and physicians. The Governors plan at this time looks more promising.

Sunday alcohol sales

This issue is in its second year and convenience and grocery stores are attempting to get state lawmakers to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday, much to the chagrin of package stores and most churches. A similar proposal stalled last year.

Sexual predators

House Majority Leader Jerry Kean, R-St. Simons, intends to restore some restrictions on where those convicted of sex crimes can reside. This would correct constitutional flaws the Supreme Court recently cited in invalidating the original restrictions by legislation several years ago.

 

Along with the above we will be dealing with a vast list of other issues such as criminal justice, Medicaid, illegal immigration, prisons, transportation and the list goes on and on. As each issue comes before the state legislature, I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

lunsford receives award for Legislation

2007 ACCG legislative Service Award Presented to

State Representative John Lunsford Dist#110 Butts, Henry, Newton Counties

 

November 23, 2007

 

 

Last Wednesday during the Henry County Quality Growth luncheon the Lt. Governor was on the podium with Representative John Lunsford of ( McDonough) while Mr. Kem Kembrough of ACCG presented him one of the 2007 ACCG legislative Service awards, for his work over the past few years on HB 394. Representative Lunsford spent hundreds of hours working with state and local government as well as communication providers to prefect this legislation. HB394 was a complicated bill as all telecommunication issues are, but some of the highlights of interest are:

 

First of all this legislation does not raise your phone bill or create new charges that was not already Georgia or Federal law.

 

This legislation created a 911 emergency grant fund for all counties and cities in Georgia even the poorest to build, equip, and upgrade their emergency center this fund is completely financed by forcing the telephone suppliers to pay millions of dollars in uncollected fees.

 

HB394 closed the loopholes in Georgia law that allowed fees and charges on phone bills to go to the phone companies bottom lines; it now must go to local government to offset property taxes.

 

Hb394 forces the phone providers to furnish all emergency information to 911 call centers to locate your cell phone during an emergency call.

 

Hb394 makes it against the law for someone to call up an emergency center and threaten the operators or to make harassing phone calls to the emergency service operators.

 

But best of all over the life of this legislation it will collect for local government tax offsets in excess of 400 million dollars, that is services that local governments are providing but were not being paid for, local taxpayers were paying these charges.     

 

You see federal law requires local governments to provide services to these industries but state law had not been updated in over 20 years and while the technology has changed our laws remained stagnant:  see industry reports of phone companies’ growth.

 

 AT&T INC. ROLLED THROUGH the quarter with 2 million net customer additions, and most of them (1.2 million) were coveted retail postpaid customers—up more than 30% from retail postpaid gains during the same quarter of 2006

 

Verizon Wireless reported another strong quarter of results, although the company saw small increases in its consistently low churn rates.  The carrier added a total of 1.6 million net customers. However, Verizon Wireless lost about 115,000 customers from its wholesale business, which primarily involves resellers

 

T-Mobile USA Inc. added 857,000 net subscribers to its network during the third quarter, numbers primarily driven by the carrier’s prepaid offering. The carrier had added 802,000 net subscribers during the third quarter of last year, but a higher percentage of them were signed to contracts.
About 35% of T-Mobile USA’s net additions during this year’s third quarter were prepaid, compared with just 4% in the third quarter of 2006 and 20% in the second quarter of this year. The wireless operator said that its July launch of FlexPay, which expanded pay-as-you-go options for prepaid customers as well as those on contracts, helped drive the growth of its prepaid service during the third quarter, particularly among Flexpay customers without contracts.

 

Sprint Nextel Corp.’s quarterly profits plunged as the carrier bled postpaid iDEN and prepaid Boost Mobile L.L.C. subscribers, posting a net loss of 60,000 subscribers for the quarter.
The company’s net income fell from $279 million in the third quarter of 2006 to $64 million this year.
Sprint Nextel had warned that it would report wireless subscriber losses for the quarter. The operator said that its customer results reflected “mixed performance between network platforms,” including growth from CDMA postpaid subs, its new Boost Unlimited offer and wholesale and affiliate channels—which was offset by losses from iDEN postpaid and Boost prepaid subscribers.

Representative Lunsford stood at the podium and thanked the Lt. governor, ACCG  and  all the members of the General Assembly for their help with this legislation. Lunsford stated “ ladies and gentlemen it takes 91 votes in the House of Representatives to pass any bill,  and this one passed almost unanimously that’s as about as bi partisan and pro Georgia as it gets.”  Lunsford specifically thanked the Speaker Glenn Richardson and the Lt. Governor for believing in him and Senator Chip Rogers for carrying it in the senate.

 

 If you would like to reach him, please call john at (404) 656-7573 or write him at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

 

 

lunsford under the gold dome 11-25-07

Under the Gold Dome

With  

State Representative John Lunsford

 

November 25, 2007

 

Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Mark Twain (1835-1910)

 

The past few months the Georgia General Assembly has recessed until the second Monday in January. I hope this has been a time of rest and reflection for families across the state. As we move from the Thanksgiving holidays into the Christmas season, we are all so blessed to live in a country that not only allows religious freedom, but supports setting aside time away from work and school to express and celebrate our faith and beliefs.

 

As I think about the meaning of this time, and look out my window and observed the first drops of rain in over a month, my thoughts couldn’t help but turn to the many things we are working on in the legislature, and how we are truly working for the good of the people we represent in an effort to better the lives of all Georgians. As you know, this is not an easy task and there are many issues that we face when we reconvene in 60 days.

 

The biggest issues that we face when we reconvene are the issue of the Fiscal Year 2008 Mid-Year Budget and the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget.  The FY 2008 Mid-Year Budget is a reconciliation budget to move more funds to where shortfalls occur.  This usually occurs in the areas of education spending and Medicaid spending and a major overhaul of our Tax system, but also this year we are suffering with drought relief as well as Grady hospital and State wide Trauma funding.

 

While some adjustments are required by federal law and due to an increasingly growing population base in our state, we usually have to allocate additional funds to the various required spending programs.  We also use the budget to help fund emergency issues like the shortfall in Peach Care funding and relief help for storm areas.  As your representative I will always strive to Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest Mark Twain (1835-1910)

 

If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

 

Great plan for georgia lunsford

Under The Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford

Capitol Update

 

 August 26, 2007

 

A GREAT Plan for Georgia: The Elimination of All Property Taxes

 

The time has come to eliminate all property taxes in Georgia, and I firmly believe the people of the state of Georgia should be given an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to repeal all property taxes.  That opportunity could come in November of 2008 if the General Assembly will agree that Georgia’s economy should be based on the exchange and receipt of money and not taxing property. 

 

Unfortunately, there has been some confusion about the details of the current plan to eliminate property taxes.  We are not proposing to raise the sales tax or income tax rates.  When HR 900 was originally written, it was intended simply as a framework to open debate, gather ideas, and obtain input.  Since then, we have received complaints, suggestions, and opinions from citizens all across the state and that is exactly what we wanted. 

 

From the beginning of this process, our goal has been to eliminate all ad valorem taxes in Georgia.  The details of exactly how we reach that goal have changed and will continue to change as we weigh the best options for our state, but one thing is clear.  The current property tax system is outdated, unfair, and excessive.

 

Georgia is divided into 159 counties, each with the power to tax their residents. 180 school districts also each have the power to tax.  But that power goes beyond simply collecting taxes.  Rather than determining the amount of money they have and then creating a budget, a county can simply determine how much money it needs and then decide how much to charge their residents. 

 

If a county or school district decides they need $50 million, all they have to do is determine where to place the millage rate and their property values in order to raise $50 million.  If times get tough, they simply raise the millage rate or increase property values rather than tighten their belts like working families must do.  The system is completely backward.

 

The biggest part of the problem is that property taxes are increasing faster than personal income.  Since 1990, personal income has increased 146 percent and property taxes have increased 176 percent.  Even though people are not earning more income, the government is requiring that they pay more taxes. 

 

Because of this phenomenon, a family can live in a home for 30 years and suddenly find they cannot afford it anymore because their property taxes have increased so much.  This same family is not requiring any more services from their local government, and yet that government keeps taking more and more money from them.  The biggest asset most people have is their home; it’s the American dream. Yet if they can’t keep up with increased taxes, they lose their home.  Even after the home is paid for, they realize they only have a land lease refuse to pay the tax and see how long you keep it.

 

The current property tax system was created when we were an agricultural society and people made a living off of their land.  The last overhaul of the system was 70 years ago, and since that time our economy has changed significantly.  Homeownership has increased from 30 percent to 70 percent.  We have moved from an agricultural society to a service-based society, as has the rest of the nation, and yet, we do not tax services at all. 

 

It is the twenty-first century.  It is time to go to a system that taxes the receipt and exchange of money, not the ownership of property.  It is time to eliminate property taxes.

 

Our proposal is called the GREAT Plan, which stands for Georgia’s repeal of every ad valorem tax.   

 

The GREAT Plan calls for a sales, use, and service tax of 4 percent.  It also calls for an elimination of many sales tax exemptions that special interests have accumulated over the years.  By taxing services and eliminating most exemptions, we can generate the same amount of money being generated from the property tax, and we can eliminate all property taxes in Georgia. 

 

Local counties, cities and school districts will be guaranteed to receive no less than the amount they are currently receiving.  If local control is what a community wants, they may continue local option sales taxes such as the SPLOST and ELOST, all of which will continue to be determined by the vote of the citizens.

 

We have opened a dialogue in this state on serious reform of taxes so that Georgia may lead the nation.  I welcome any and all discussion and debate about tax reform and HR 900.  Over the coming months, we will hold hearings and continue to seek advice.  I look forward to hearing from you and working together to make Georgia a GREAT place to live, work, and raise a family..  If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

immigration reform in the us senate opposed by georgia legislators

Georgia Legislators Oppose Fraudulent “Immigration Reform” Proposal

 

 

The current debate in Washington D.C. over so-called “Immigration Reform” highlights the failure of our federal government. Instead of enforcing the current laws passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton in 1996, the current Congress seems determined to vote on new laws they haven’t even taken the time to read. It is government at its worst.

 

As Georgia legislators we must deal with the failure of the federal government to secure our borders and enforce our current laws. It is incomprehensible that Congress would propose another amnesty plan after the dismal failure of the 1986 amnesty that has led us to this point.

 

We strongly urge the U.S. Congress to heed the findings and recommendations of the Jordan Commission on Immigration Reform of 1995.  Congresswoman Jordan, a civil rights pioneer and Congressional Medal of Freedom winner, led a multi-year Blue-Ribbon Commission to determine the problems and potential remedies of our illegal immigration crises. If Congress wants to find an answer they should follow the lead of Congresswoman Jordan.

 

We further call on Congress to fulfill the most basic responsibility of creating law – debate and discussion. Recent reports suggest the “compromise” bill will go directly to the Senate floor. It is estimated to be hundreds of pages in length. This suggests that our Senators will most likely vote on a bill they have never read and a measure that has never been fully vetted in committee hearings.

 

The Senate has not even taken the time to determine the costs of such a “comprehensive” plan. According to expert testimony from a preliminary study to be given today to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by Robert Rector of the highly respected Heritage Foundation, the cost of amnesty and earned citizenship for just 7.9 million amnesty recipients would be $2.4 trillion, a cost that must be born by the American taxpayer. It is unconscionable that any legislator could vote for a measure of this magnitude without knowing and debating all the costs involved.

 

We denounce any effort to create a so-called “Z-Visa” and touchback provision which grants amnesty to those who have violated the laws of the United States. Such a plan gives preference to those who have violated the law over those who have followed the law and patiently await legal entrance into the United States.

 

We reject any idea, specifically those included in HR 1645 and s 1348, that would effectively abolish the borders of the United States by eliminating the necessity to have a Visa to travel anywhere on the North American continent.

 

We understand that the amnesty of 1986 proved beyond all doubt that the only real solution to solving the illegal immigration and illegal employment crisis in our nation is to secure American borders and hold employers accountable for violation of the law. We do not so cavalierly dismiss an employer’s violation of tax or pollution laws, yet somehow we are led to believe we should accept that a violation of immigration law should go unpunished.

 

Sadly, we have little faith in the current administration’s dedication to certify border security or operational control. Almost one-year has passed since President Bush signed a border security bill calling for the creation of an almost 700-mile physical barrier. To date only two miles have been completed.

 

It is our belief that no responsible elected official would even consider the fraud that is being offered as “comprehensive reform” in the United States Senate.

 

 

 

 

Chip Rogers    

Chairman – Senate Immigration Reform Caucus

Georgia State Senator 21st District

State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334

404-463-1378 404-463-1385 (fax)

 

 

 

John Lunsford

Chairman – House Immigration Reform Caucus

Georgia House of Representatives 110^th District

State Capitol Atlanta Georgia 30334

404-656-7573 404-657-0499 (fax)