Politics
Deal: ‘Let us be frugal and wise’
Rebuking a growth in government, Gov. Nathan Deal in his inaugural address called on Georgians to assume personal responsibility, saying he will continue to fight Washington over the healthcare reform Congress passed last year. “The evolution of society has infringed on much of the elbow room our ancestors enjoyed and government has been asked to regulate our actions as we bump into each other in our frantic search for success,” the governor said. Deal, who
A look back at 2010’s hotly contested elections
ATLANTA – Here is a brief recap of 2010 elections headlines in Georgia: Democrats jump ship, join GOP: A number of Democratic state lawmakers and a Hall County commissioner decided they could better serve their constituents if they were Republicans. Case in point: Rep. Doug McKillip from the state’s liberal stronghold of Athens switched sides, saying, “by joining the House Republican Caucus, I can best represent my community and help move beyond partisanship and the
Longtime state senator changes to GOP
A long time Democratic state legislator from South Georgia on Monday switched to the majority party. State Sen. Tim Golden joined the Republican party, further bolstering the party’s lead in the state Senate. Republicans now control 36 seats in the state Senate to the Democrats’ 20, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “With his 20 year record of service and pro-jobs philosophy, Sen. Golden will become an integral part of Republican Party efforts from day one,”
State Supreme Court changes rule to avoid fee increase
As part of a lengthy bill raising a number of fees statewide, the cost of copying files of cases on appeal would significantly increase. HB 1055, which Gov. Sonny Perdue signed into law on May 12, increased the cost to copy files from $1.50 per page to $10 per page – or from $750 to $5,000 for a 500-page file. But the state’s Supreme Court has created a work around aimed at keeping costs down.
14 qualify to run for governor
A total of 14 candidates – seven Republicans and seven Democrats – qualified last week to run for governor. The two primaries will take place July 20. The following list includes information from the Secretary of State’s office. Republican Jeff Chapman of BrunswickAge: 50 Occupation: Businessman Website: www.jeffchapmanforgovernor.com Nathan Deal of GainesvilleAge: 67 Occupation: Former Congressman Website: www.dealforgovernor.com Karen Handel of AlpharettaAge: 48 Occupation: Former Secretary of State Website: www.karenhandel.com Eric Johnson of AtlantaAge: 56
Happy Tax Freedom Day
ATLANTA – Congratulations taxpayers. Today marks Tax Freedom Day – a day later than last year. According to the Tax Foundation, the average American needs to work 99 days – until today – in order to pay this year’s federal, state and local taxes. But, this calculation doesn’t include deficit spending. “Today the average American has finally worked enough to pay off the tax collector, but it will be another thirty-eight days before Americans have