House and Senate Dems on Fiscal Responsibility

Beyond the Trestle has a recent Press Release from state Democrats: 

ATLANTA, GA. – House and Senate Democrats today challenged Georgia’s Republican Leadership to clean up the financial mess they’ve created through their mismanagement of Georgia’s finances, ignoring Democrats’ proposed solutions, and trying to balance the budget on the backs of our educators and children.

“After a two week recess, the Governor and Republican leadership have figured out what Democrats have known for a long time,” said Rep. Calvin Smyre, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. “Eight years of Republican leadership has steered our state in the wrong direction. They created special tax shelters for friends and killed local control. They are responsible for the largest tax increase in 25 years and now they are jeopardizing our children’s future.”

Georgia’s budget lies in ruins. The shortfall now stands at $2 billion. Our university system faces cuts totaling $564 million, causing tuition increases as much as 35 percent, pay cuts of nearly 30 percent, major cuts to programming and the closure of some campuses.

“We must create a firewall around education,” said Sen. Robert Brown. “We must protect the HOPE scholarship and public schools. The time has come to stop playing partisan games and come together to protect the future of Georgia’s children. Democrats are ready to do the heavy lifting required.”

State Democrats have proposed a number of solutions to the financial crisis beginning in 2008 when they called for a special session to address the state’s budget. In 2009, Democrats proposed the Point of Sale bill, a statewide revenue enhancement program that would have ensured every tax dollar owed to Georgia ended up in state coffers instead of the pockets of tax cheaters.

“We have offered several solutions to bail the Republicans out of the mess they created,” said Sen. Tim Golden. “Instead of working together to benefit Georgia, Republicans have sidelined our recommendations because of partisanship and egos, forcing Georgia taxpayers to pay for the sins of poor leadership which have affected our children’s education.”

House Democrats proposed HB 1137 this session, which reforms the way sales tax is collected to ensure full compliance and that Georgia is getting every penny it is rightfully owed. The bill is currently awaiting a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee.

“We have a constitutional responsibility to educate our children and instead of properly funding education, Republicans have decided time and time again to slash education spending,” said Minority Leader DuBose Porter. “We need to start going after those cheating the state on sales tax immediately, so Georgia has the resources to begin filling the funding deficit.”

Posted via email from Jim Nichols for GA State House