New Committee in House

The Athens Banner-Herald and Beyond the Trestle reported last week that Rep. Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) had lost his vice chairmanship of appropriations, where he oversaw the budget for higher education.

While I'm sure this was a tough blow for Rep. Smith, my friends at the ABH and BTT missed the fact that he landed a nice gig that is probably even closer to his heart -- as vice chairman of a new committee focused on small business development and job creation.

Anyone who has heard Rep. Smith talk in recent years knows that his passion for entrepreneurship, job creation, and small business is unsurpassed. And given the role of small businesses in Northeast Georgia, this committee could also benefit our region greatly.

A press release follows. I've sent an e-mail to Rep. Smith asking if he has any thoughts on the new committee -- will post it if I hear back.

Speaker David Ralston

PRESS RELEASE

House Speaker David Ralston Announces the Formation of the Special Committee

on Small Business Development and Job Creation

ATLANTA- On Friday January 15th, House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) announced the formation of the Special Committee on Small Business Development and Job Creation— a new standing committee in the Georgia House of Representatives.

“We are going to make small businesses in Georgia a priority,” said Speaker David Ralston. “Small business growth will lead the way back to a strong and vibrant economy in this state by creating jobs. I have asked this committee to take a leadership role by examining proposals which will promote small business and job creation.”

Speaker Ralston appointed Representative John Lunsford (R-McDonough) as chairman of the committee, Representative Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) as vice-chairman, and Representative Billy Horne (R-Newnan) as secretary.

“Our members are encouraged that Speaker Ralston and the House of Representatives are planning to focus on small business this year,” said David Raynor, Georgia state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, the state's leading small business association. “Small business is the engine that drives Georgia's economy. When you pass legislation that helps small businesses grow and create jobs, you help everyone.”

Other members of the committee include Representative Amy Carter (D-Valdosta), Representative Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Representative Tom Graves (R-Ranger), Representative Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming), Representative Sean Jerguson (R-Woodstock), Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville), Representative Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), Representative Howard Mosby (D-Atlanta), Representative Allen Peake (R-Macon), Representative Alan Powell (D-Hartwell), and Representative Barbara Sims (R-Augusta).

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Eggs (and Bacon and Sausage) & Issues

Attended the Georgia Chamber's Eggs & Issues session this a.m. with folks from the Athens Chamber. I will try to post a comprehensive recap later, all I have time for now are some quick impressions:

• David Ralston, the new speaker of the house, looks to be a calming influence. He and the Governor and Lt. Governor seem to have a good rapport. It was refreshing to hear someone practical and modest speak (I will never forget Glenn Richardson's "I've been poisoned" remarks from two years ago), who was also optimistic about solving our transporation and water woes.
• Both Ralston and Gov. Perdue said they are hopeful we will have a tri-state water compact by the end of the session that will allow Atlanta access to Lake Lanier.
  
• Governor Perdue hinted at transportation funding ideas, but gave nothing away. His most interesting idea was a plan to allow teachers to be compensated based on student achievement and classroom observation (with a higher ultimate salary ceiling) rather than years taught or graduate degrees. Teachers will get to choose whether they want to take this approach to compensation under his proposal. Interesting idea.
• The governor also announced he will propose a bill that will allow Georgians to purchase insurance plans from other states. More competition = good idea, especially if the feds are going to mandate coverage.
• All the speakers had harsh words for the federal health care bill as you would expect. I don't blame them. While Democratic commentators are going to say there will be no new costs to states, there always are with new government programs.
• The Governor did not mention his proposed "bed tax" for Georgia's hospitals, but that will come up too. I wish he had stood up and talked (like Gov. Huckabee did the night before) about a plan for how Georgians and their employers can work to improve personal health, rather than ignoring plans to take money from our health care institutions.
• As a side note, if improving Georgia's health is a top item on the agenda next year, perhaps we need to have a healthier breakfast menu at the event next year..... noticed that several legislators hardly touched their meals, including one who said that it would be easy to gain 40 lbs during the legislative session. That's not healthy.
  

Friday News

Good snowy morning. Some Friday thoughts:

--Good move by Oconee Schools to delay the start of school. My daughter is usually the last one on her bus at 7:00 a.m. So delaying the start allows parents and kids to actually see where they are going rather than trying to get to school (or the bus stop) in dark, icy conditions.
--This is the sort of thing that makes you really proud of the youth in our community.
--While Oconee County continues to sit on its hands rather than engaging in a regional partnership on the economic development, our neighbors continue to land prospects. Today's Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that a Japanese manufacturer will bring 40 jobs and a $27 million facility to Gainesville and Hall County. Folks, there are jobs and prospects out there. We just need to create the right environment and go after them in a systematic, unified fashion.
--New Speaker of the House David Ralston is impressing me so far. According to today's Insider Advantage (subscription required), he is going abandon Glenn Richardson's "hawks", allow media back on the floor of the house, and make some other positive changes. Let's hope he can keep up this approach through the session.
--Bob Barr doesn't always make sense, but this time he did.
--If you live in Watkinsville, check out all of our new trees, courtesy of Select Sustainable Tree Trust. We have planted six large new oaks along Hwy 15 South of the city, five new oaks in Stone Shoals park, and several others in Harris Shoals Park. Over the past five years, we have planted more than 200 sizeable trees in the city, largely spearheaded by my colleague on the council, Samantha Purcell.
--An update on the Athens Mayoral race from Jmac over at Beyond the Trestle. Be sure you are reading BTT, as Jmac is breaking all sorts of news there, including the decision by mayoral candidate Doug Lowry to abandon the race and move to Canada. Love conquers all. Good decision and good luck Doug.
--Also be sure to check out his Q&A with Jim Higdon.

Stay warm and safe today!

Fran Millar for Speaker

My kind of Republican. Check out this link. Fran Millar tackles transportation, water, leadership and ethics, and manages to think outside the box while he does it.

Unintended Consequences

Want to get a better feel for what Georgia is going to be facing from a budgetary standpoint if the Democrats' Health Care Reform Bill passes? Be sure to read this Washington Times commentary from Lt. Governor Casey Cagle to understand what the bill could mean to Georgia and other states who already struggle to get the dollars they are promised for health care out of Washington (our local hospitals often then have to struggle to get the funds from the state).

While the President may claim that your federal taxes will not go up if the bill passes, you can bet your state ones will. A $2.4 billion unfunded mandate on top of an already stressed-to-the-breaking-point state budget will be a back breaker.

Here and There

A few things that are coming up today:

• The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will once again discuss regional economic development tonight at 6 p.m. at the Oconee County courthouse in advance of their regular meeting. Most business leaders, chambers of commerce, business writers, and state economic development officials are in favor of the regional approach, and wonder why we haven't done it already. But there are several Oconee County commissioners and some long time residents with fears of Athens who can't get comfortable with the concept, and it could cost us jobs in the future. (Full disclosure: I was a part of the group that visited regions around the state to see how they structure their economic development plans and assisted with the drafting of the regional economic development plan, so you know where my loyalties lie). Coverage found here, here, here, here and here. Wendell Dawson counsels caution here. Many in Oconee want "more time" to study the proposal, which has been discussed for 18 months and been on the table for more than nine months now. This desire for more talking is a a good segue to our next point....
  
• .... which is a great blog post from Blake on the parking deck in Athens. It is indeed a tradition, not just in Athens, to have citizens weigh in at the last minute on a community changing project after ignoring it for years. People, please weigh in early on things.
  
• Election day in High Shoals. Check out Small Town Politics for the scoop.
• Holly Ward is taking on Keith Heard for the district 114 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. I have met with Holly and really like her. She has some strong ideas and sending someone to the Gold Dome with experience in education would be good for Athens. However, I'm not sure firing a shot across the bow of Georgia Power is the wisest way to kick off a campaign, even for a Democrat in Athens.
• Interesting top 10 list on Georgia's transportation future from Benita Dodd at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. I agree with much of the piece (especially the need to consider technology, variable tolling and freight), except the author's knee jerk opposition to transit. While I agree that the proposed Lovejoy line will be a disastrous waste of funds, the Brain Train concept -- with destinations at both ends and a spine along growing, populated areas -- will succeed for all the opposite reasons and makes a lot of sense.
  

This and That

A lot going on, and not a lot of time to blog. Some quick hits:

• Georgia's move to restrict stem cell research and in vitro fertilization is bad news for parents struggling to have children and for scientific research.
  
• Surprise, Surprise. North Carolina, which has its act together on rail and transportation, stands to get $8 billion (yes, with a "B") for inter-city, high speed rail. That would be enough to fund the brain train as well as commuter rail to Lovejoy and Cobb County, the last time I checked. Georgia legislative leaders please take note about the power of actually having transportation plans in place and a dedicated funding source.
  
• UGA professor Larry Nackerud stirred up a hornets' nest with his comments on ICE raids in the Athens paper yesterday. It boggles my mind that in this economy (with unemployment approaching 10%) that there are still people out there who want us to go out of our way to accomodate those who enter our country illegally rather than using the valid, legal processes.
  
• In "Confessions of a Tax Man," blogger Grift Drift has a great post on why a move to "change the rules" for legislators with tax troubles doesn't make a lot of sense. That said, I do believe there certainly should be no special exceptions for elected officials.
• Georgia desperately needs a solution for trauma care, and super speeder fines are one of the easier solutions. No brainer. The only real question is why there isn't a trauma care center closer to Athens than Grady Hospital in Atlanta. We probably can't afford one.
  
• Jim Thompson and the guys nail it here. It is about time our legislators toned down the rhetoric and started really working to address our budget challenges. It only took 25+ days of work to get there.
• David Brooks, my other favorite columnist, is at it again, offering up way too much practicality for most Republicans to handle. Guys, despite what Rush says, being "Dr. No" is not going to win us the next election. Nor will waiting on the President to fail.
  
• In case you missed it yesterday, some Georgia legislators want to move the state back to the gold standard. If tax dollars were used to draft this bill the legislators should be reported to Casey Cagle.
• Any predictions on how the largely conservative Bulldog nation would react to having the brother in law of the president as our next hoops coach?
  

Musings from the Dome

Some goings on at the Dome that have local relevance:

• Heard from a source at the Dome yesterday who assured me that the House Leadership and others are working aggressively to break the logjam on transportation. It gives me a little more hope than I had on Tuesday that something may happen. My friend said that he has never seen the spirit of cooperation down there the way it is right now, and that's great. But cooperation alone ain't gonna cut it -- someone is going to have to seriously budge to make something happen in the waning days of the session, as the Governor is using his SRTA/GRTA act as a litmus test for passing the funding bills. My big wish is that the Governor hadn't thrown the "new governance" stink bomb into the mix this year, as transportation reform was complicated enough with competing funding bills. My opinion: we should tackle funding this year (recognizing it will be voted on in 2010 and a lot of voter education will be necessary for either TSPLOST or a statewide sales tax) and reform governance next year. My preference is still the statewide bill, which will help quickly implement some of the major improvements (rail, freight, ports, highways, transit) that we need, but I could live with any reasonable compromise that provides dedicated funding, and I think most Georgians could too. Opponents are attempting to use references to underground tunnels and the northern arc in the statewide bill to gin up opposition, but it is important to note that these are proposed as public-private ventures, not paid for with the sales tax funds. Note also this op-ed on transportation from the Rome News Tribune, always one of the state's more thoughtful publications.
  
• One has to wonder if the Governor has an axe to grind against hospitals after yesterday's announcement and his earlier attempt to increase taxes on their revenues. Is there some sort of massive largess in our system that I am missing? This whole discussion hearkens back to my earlier point about cutting the state budget -- in my opinion, cutting around the edges just makes everything weaker. Look, we all know this is a TOUGH budget year. However, as I said in January, I wish we could cut off entire portions of the government instead and retain funding for transportation, healthcare, and education -- the things Georgians and local governments can't fund themselves. David Shafer, I might be coming around to your way of thinking on the budget process.
  
• I am pleased that Austin Scott is talking sense to his Republican colleagues in the House. Why do they keep trying to tell local governments how to do business? How would Georgia Republicans respond if the Feds told them how much they could tax, what they could spend it on, and where their employees need to live? It makes no sense, and the Brunswick News agrees (story at left -- wish I could link to their editorials) -- I just wish Jerry Keen and Chip Rogers (see comments below) would listen to them.

Micromanagers at the Gold Dome

Last year, it was Glenn Richardson's GREAT Plan.

This year, it is a cap on property tax increases.

And apparently, this year, we also have a bill that will tell local governments whether or not they can include residency requirements as a condition of hiring key employees.

You know, for a Republican majority, we sure have a bunch of guys in Atlanta who LOVE to spend taxpayer funded time telling local governments how to do their jobs. And it's ridiculous.

The Brunswick News rightfully calls out this waste of time and paper today (see editorial pictured). And I'm glad they found it. Our state legislators need to focus on their own problems and issues rather than trying to manage those of hundreds of local governments (I will allow that the fact that there are hundreds of local governments is part of the problem).

As I often tell my state representative and fellow local elected officials, it is a lot easier for my constituents to throw me out of office if they are dissatisfied than it is to get rid of Bob Smith or Bill Cowsert, or any other state elected official. So guys, let the voters decide -- rather than legislators in Atlanta -- how local government should be run.

This and That

Some interesting tidbits from the day:

• Big news for the alma mater as Berry scores a $4 million donation for new residence halls and the Cage Center, as well as endowing a new scholarship program that gets Berry back to its roots. Berry also picked up two wins over archrival Shorter on the hardwood the other night, which always brings a smile to my face.
  
• Are we trying to do too much too fast when it comes to transportation? So far this session, we have at least three bills that will dramatically change transportation in Georgia. Will any of them pass? See this story for the Governor's plan to reorganize transportation governance. Wasn't this what GRTA was supposed to do? Lets keep our fingers crossed that something gets accomplished this session.
• This is really impressive. Perhaps Clarke should consider something similar as it seeks to expand its landfill. $250,000 per year is nothing to sneeze at either.
  
• Georgia Power has been pushing a bill in the legislature that will allow the company to stretch the charges for a planned nuclear plant over a number of years, basically, effective immediately, despite the plant won't be on line for many years. This appears to make a lot of financial sense for Georgia Power, and perhaps for their rate payers. Initial opposition came from usual suspects -- Democratic interest groups, anti-nuclear activists, environmentalists. Things seemed to be moving along smoothly, and they even fended off an unusually strong challenge from Clark Howard and announced polling results that show Georgians on their side. But now the battle is truly joined. Conservatives at Peach Pundit have decided it is not a good idea, and are making a fight of this thing. This will be an interesting test to see how strong the new media movement is and if it can impact policy, and also an interesting clash of social networks and old fashioned networking. Georgia Power is perhaps the state's best and most prominent corporate citizen, investing heavily in local communities all over the state and building a lot of goodwill. Will be interesting to see if Erick Erickson and his crew slow things down for Georgia Power.
• We're about to get to work identifying historic homes and properties in Watkinsville. We are particularly focused on preventing "demolition by neglect" which has already occurred to at least two Main Street properties in the past five years. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
  
• I just don't understand how we're thinking about cutting revenue in Georgia right now. While I'm not as vehement as JMac, one of the big problems with our state's tax policy right now is a lot of well intentioned tax breaks that add up to a lot of $$$$. This is one reason Rep. Bob Smith had a point when he called for a constitutional convention (an idea which appears to have disappeared, by the way).
  
• Interesting post from Maria Saporta on the challenges facing Metro Atlanta. This is right on target, and the rest of the state needs to pay attention. As Atlanta goes, so goes Georgia.
• I'm sorry Coach, but you can coach attitude and effort. Sometimes you have to. In fact, I would argue at many levels in many sports, it isn't the X's and O's that make coaches great, but it is the coach's ability to get the most out of his or her players. Exhibit 1. Exhibit 2. Exhibit 3.
  
• Be sure you read this story. Sportsmanship still lives, and it's a very good thing.

Transportation and Education

Those who follow this blog won't be surprised by this assertion: I believe greater investment in secondary and higher education and a dedicated source of transportation funding are the two most critical things that can happen for our region in the year ahead.

Recently, some interesting news has emerged on both fronts.

Last Friday, the Atlanta Regional Coalition for Higher Education (ARCHE, for short) released a fascinating statewide poll on taxpayers' perceptions of higher education funding. Among the key findings: that taxpayers will pay higher taxes to support higher education. Investments in higher education, especially in Athens and UGA, are investments in the future of the whole state. They also pay off for the entire local community, and should be protected at all costs. More details on the survey here. Full disclosure -- ARCHE is a client of my company's, but I would have blogged it anyway.

Yesterday, Rep. Vance Smith officially rolled out his transportation plan (called the 20/20 act), which calls for a 1% sales tax to fund state transportation. His plan would raise $25 - $29 billion for Georgia transportation over the next 10 years. This is almost as much money as the Obama stimulus plans to spend nationwide! Now that we know the details of Rep. Smith's plan, I have to respectfully disagree with the ABH and others who argue that a regional solution is superior at this point.

A regional approach might be best in Atlanta -- where there is a strong sales tax base, an effective regional planning body, and a vision for transportation, but out here, there is a void in that area. Just putting together a regional coalition would be a mess. Smith's bill is incredibly comprehensive. There are transit upgrades. Dedicated LARP funding and state aid for counties and cities. $400 million for regional airports. $1 billion for bridge improvements. Funding for the Brain Train and 316. 441 would be improved from Athens to I-16 for freight transportation. Additionally, it would allocate $1,000 per local resident as well to local cities with populations over 15,000, meaning Athens-Clarke would be in line for more than $80 million over the next 10 years for locally driven projects. More details here + maps. It is hard to be opposed to such a rich proposal, and seems to offer strong value for "one penny," especially when many of those pennies come from people passing through our state.

While I prefer the statewide plan at this time, I also firmly believe that something is better than nothing, and that we definitely need to move some sort of transportation reform out of the legislature this year.

Editing the State Budget

There are a lot of times when I'm writing that I have to fit a certain word limit. Sometimes 500 words, sometimes 1000 words. There have been many times when I start work and quickly realize I am at 1,200 words, and realize I have to cut 20 or more out of the story. I usually can't accomplish this by just cutting 20 percent from each paragraph. I have to take out entire sections or ideas that, while important, were not essential to the overall piece.

Our state legislators should take a similar approach to Georgia's budget. Lets be realistic -- with a $2 billion budget gap, you are going to weaken every piece of state government if you just slice 10% out of operations equally. Unless we are willing to increase revenue (doubtful), legislators need to prioritize, and frankly, eliminate, some elements of state government, or we risk weakening every single element to the point where none of it is effective.

Here's my plan: the state should focus on three priorities: education, transportation, and environmental and public health. In other words, things local communities cannot accomplish on their own. If it doesn't fit in those buckets, cut it out or give the money for those functions to local governments or private partners and let them execute it.

What we are seeing now -- particularly in secondary and higher education -- is an evisceration, and it is sad. While I don't support "throwing money" at education, taking money away, especially from one of the nation's best higher education systems, is a tragic mistake.

On the transportation side, the lack of activity and leadership is tragic, although some of the more recent proposals offer hope. Both of these areas are critical areas to our state's future and require state leadership and investment.

Support for public and environmental health -- especially EPD and trauma care. Adding taxes to local health care systems is ridiculous.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I have friends and clients that operate in all three of these areas. I also have a lot of clients impacted by other areas of state government. But the bottom line is this: does anyone else want to offer up some solid solutions?

Brooks Beast

David Brooks is one of my favorite columnists, along with Tom Friedman. Many thanks to reader Leanne who pointed me back to David -- I have had a busy two weeks and have not had time to read his columns lately. I did so tonight, and was struck by the wisdom in each of them.

In his column today, he calls out and explains in clear detail the necessity of a bailout plan, and more importantly, the necessity for true leadership in Washington. He correctly analyzes that most house Republicans somehow think they will benefit if this thing doesn't pass, and says that they "have once again confused talk radio with reality." Amen.

One of his earlier pieces takes a close look at McCain pre-campaign. While the odds against Sen. McCain seem to increase everyday (especially in the wake of his failed gamble on the bailout package), this column reminds me why I liked him in the first place.

The other earlier piece is a forward looking piece that describes the financial markets and challenges America faces down the road as we work to get out from under the piles of debt we have sold as we have run up deficits. Since I am in the middle of Homestead right now, much of it rings true. Lets hope we aren't too strapped financially in the wake of bailouts for whoever wins this next election to step up to the plate.

The fact is, it is 2008 and America has yet to really get ready for this century. Our economy, our educational system, our infrastructure (transportation especially), and our energy situation desperately need a tune up, and perhaps an overhaul.

I have often said that perhaps hard times will force America to make these necessary changes -- however, as hard times loom this doesn't seem very appealing. Do we still have the strength, the wisdom, the steel in our spine to make hard choices and compete? To be the best? Because this century we are truly competing -- with the whole world.

Or will we choose to be soft, to depend on a benevolent government and to be content with mediocrity in our institutions, our governments, our businesses, our childrens' education?

I don't think most Americans are content to settle. I know most people in Oconee County aren't content to settle, and will work hard in their own way to support their community and their nation. But I do believe most Americans want a leader who will challenge them to do more than spend money to support the economy, who doesn't shy away from asking them to sacrifice, who will inspire them to greater heights, and inspire pride in our nation once again.

Gang of 10

Earlier this week I offered up some kudos to Sens. Isakson and Chambliss for actually working on a compromise (gasp!) bill that will make real progress towards energy independence. Today, in an op-ed in the AJC, they offer some more detail on their efforts.

It is apparent they are taking some heat over this as a result of attacks from talk entertainers Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Neal Boortz who want to hold up progress on energy in order to score points for John McCain. (Side note: I really wish Sen. McCain could find a way to score points on the issues).

Johnny and Saxby -- stick to your guns. Get something done. This isn't a campaign issue. It is an economic issue for the vast majority of Americans and Georgians, and contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of Republicans who recognize it will take more than just "drilling here and drilling now" to wean ourselves from our addiction to foreign oil.

NBAF

Yesterday I attended the NBAF Public Hearing and spoke in favor of the project. In my opinion, the risks are few and are far outweighed by the need for stronger national and economic security in the agricultural area.

One of the fundamental localized disagreements is over the impact of jobs -- however many would come with NBAF -- and their importance to our community. Given the new data that emerged yesterday, the economic case for NBAF is incredibly strong. Among the lower paying jobs are $43,500 for administrative assistants. Given the comments of homeland security officials and veterinary experts yesterday, the security need for NBAF is also incredibly strong, and Athens and UGA have the right mix of researchers and location to serve our country.

I agree with many that the Milledge Avenue location is less than ideal -- it will certainly change the character of that cherished stretch of road forever. I do not believe it will have a notable effect on the Botanical Gardens, certainly no more than the aroma of the sewage treatment plant just down the river from the Garden on a hot summer day. All that said, sometimes we all have to give up a little bit of what we enjoy about our community for the greater good. In my opinion, this is one of those times.

At the afternoon session, those speaking in favor of the project outnumbered opponents 25-12; I would say the overall crowd was evenly divided. For whatever reason, I was the one speaker at the afternoon session who got to engage in a bit of debate with an audience member (details here and here). From what I hear, the evening session was a bit more energetic and more opposition was there. Apparently there were a few more speaking against the project than for it, but not by a large margin.

Links and Thoughts

A few links and thoughts for the day:

• Regular readers know I am passionate about energy independence. This issue hits the U.S. globally (national defense, economic competitiveness) and locally (economic impact, lifestyle changes, etc.) This editorial from the Washington Post nails it, calling for the need to conserve but to drill as well. A key point the story makes that is easily missed: "The strongest argument against drilling is that it could distract the country from a pursuit of alternative sources of energy....No, the United States cannot drill its way to energy independence. But with the roaring economies of China and India gobbling up oil in the two countries' latter-day industrial revolutions, the United States can no longer afford to turn its back on finding all the sources of fuel necessary to maintain its economy and its standard of living." Even conservative Rep. Jack Kingston blogged about this editorial today, although he left out the ANWR part of the equation.
• I also applaud Senators Chambliss and Isakson for being a part of the gang of 10 who are practical Republicans willing to compromise to get something accomplished on the energy front. To the Hannitys and Limbaughs and Boortzes who would rather watch blather about inflating tires, driving a hybrid that gets 18 MPG and in general use inaction on energy as an club to win the election rather than get something accomplished, shame on you. This approach is a sad commentary on how desperate Republicans are to beat Obama. Interesting coverage and commentary here and here. Transcript of Chambliss v. Boortz here.
• It came out earlier this week that Mississippi is in the lead in the NBAF race because of some political shenanigans. Most people think this is bad news for Athens' chances (or good news in general, depending on your perspective). But did it not occur to anyone that this information was likely leaked for a reason, perhaps by another competitor in order to hurt Mississippi? My suspects would be Kansas and Texas, in that order, who have little community opposition and the strongest mix of political and technical strength among candidates. If the NBAF decision stretches past the election, the news of a Bush appointee meddling with the process will likely kill Mississippi's chances.
• Go Jim Wooten. Or should I say go John Witte Jr. Thoughtful editorial and an amazing look at one of the most devastating trends in our society today -- that of one-parent households. An excerpt: "Without question, when 38 percent of children are born to single women and to men who are most likely walk-aways, serious changes in the law, in the media, in the conversations on campuses, and in the middle class and in churches, are required. Adults deserve every protection of the law —- until the moment they conceive. Then the law's obligation shifts to the interests of the child ...."
• Newsweek and Time have both run big pieces lately on the end of the South or what is happening in the South. As always seems to happen, they fall to quickly into generalizations and Newsweek chooses to lead with the old "Southern angst over the civil war" approach. Lets face it, there are a few who still think about the "War of Northern Aggression." Well, maybe a few is too strong. Much too strong. The fact is, the vast majority of the South has moved on. Way on. Sure, we still have our issues down here. But what sets the South apart these days isn't race or an old legacy. It's pace. It's tradition, whether black or white. It's a certain energy and state of mind. It sure isn't a bunch of worrying over the lost cause that's got the South thinking a little bit harder about his presidential election than ones previous -- it's issues like energy independence (which hit our auto-driven, air conditioning society particularly hard), the contrast of growth and poverty, educational opportunities, and much more.
• Speaking of the South, it took some serious guts for Rich Rusk to pen this piece on Moore's Ford. His group has done a lot to try to bring closure to this tragedy, and deserves credit. But he's right -- the re-enactments have transformed into a spectacle and are no longer necessary. But I have a feeling they will keep occuring as long as 1) the media keeps covering them and 2) no arrests are made in the case.

An Enigma for a Congressman

I'm going to be honest: I don't know what to think of Paul Broun (pictured here with Coach Richt).

Like many on July 15, I was surprised by his easy defeat of Republican primary challenger Barry Fleming, despite the dirt Barry and his crew dug up on him. Surely he had a mandate, as he had run a strong, grassroots campaign. Voters clearly rejected the business-as-usual negative campaigning model employed by Fleming's team (it is curious to note that Dr. Broun's own campaign website still references Fleming's attacks).

But what should have been a triumphant month has played out like a train wreck. First, stories emerge that he has used nearly half of his office's entire budget on "franking" costs to mail flyers out to his district to "educate" voters. Based on the results of the election, it now looks like needless spend. More importantly, to many, it looks like a thinly veiled use of taxpayer dollars to campaign.

Then the AJC says in a front page story what many politically savvy observers in the district have been whispering for the past year -- that without broad agreement among all congressmen, a personal "no earmark policy" is silly, and could be disastrous for our district, especially given the University's need for federal funds for specific research activities. And even worse, Broun and his co-horts are apparently asking our Senators to carry the water for them and ask for things anyway. If you haven't read this story, be sure to read it for an education on the practicalities of working inside the Beltway.

I still wasn't ready to pile on and write about all this, but today it came to light that apparently Rep. Broun's chief of staff has resigned. Now perhaps, given all of the above, this will be a good thing, but the turmoil is worrisome. Paul Broun seems to be an enigma. Or perhaps even a riddle wrapped in an enigma and shrouded in mystery.

But I for one am struggling to have an enigma for a congressman. Part of me likes having a strong conservative with a maverick streak representing our district. He seems to be responsive to constituents and has stayed engaged locally. He also seems to be a nice man personally when I have met him (I have not had any extended interaction with him personally or politically). But another part of me worries about his effectiveness as an advocate for the needs and causes of voters and institutions in the district. While principles are great in politics, there are times when rhetoric must be put aside and the art of compromise must be employed.

Can someone solve the riddle for me?

Election Recap and Analysis

Wow. A very interesting night. First, a few overarching thoughts and then we'll take a look at the BOC races individually. This is my first attempt at post-election blog punditry, so take it for what it's worth.

• First and foremost, congrats to all who took time to throw their hats into the ring for elected office. I applaud everyone with the courage and conviction to put their name on the line and take the time to campaign, and if elected, to serve. This is what makes our country great. Tonight likely marked the end of the road for long-time Oconee Commissioner Don Norris, who has served our county for many years. Thanks Don for your years of service.
• Voters are not thrilled with what is happening in Oconee County. The candidates most closely identified with the status quo lost or were challenged most strongly.
• With Norris losing, the often narrow 3-2 balance on many Oconee County BOC votes may have shifted. Chuck Horton and Margaret Hale, often on the losing ends of 3-2 votes and perceived as being the most moderate of the Oconee Commission members on a number of issues, won by wide margins against well-financed opposition.
• I am suprised that Paul Broun defeated Barry Fleming by such a large margin. Having a congressman from our county is always a positive, so this is good news for Oconee and a strong endorsement of Paul Broun's maverick approach rather than Barry's more typical political style.
• Bill Cowsert won Oconee by a bit more than I expected; this is great news. Kudos to Tommy Malcom for a strong, well run campaign.
• Alcohol was probably a factor in the Oconee races, but not the deciding factor. Jim Luke and Melvin Davis won re-election despite supporting and pushing it through. Don Norris lost after supporting it.
• The board of election races played out largely as expected. While Ashley Hood worked incredibly hard, it is tough to overcome the "brand exposure" Kim Argo received with years of teaching in the Oconee County school system. Most of us who went through Oconee Schools in the 80s or 90s certainly remember Mrs. Argo. Bottom line: we will have a strong, diverse board to choose our next superintendent.
• New media has made its mark in Oconee. It is obvious that online versions of traditional media, various activist blogs and e-mail lists in the community are educating voters and helping them turn out. Whether it is AVOC, Oconee County Observations, Oconee Democrat, The Oconee Enterprise, The OnlineAthens Blogs, The Oconee Leader, Small Town Politics, or even archived audio on WGAU, there is much more information readily available to the average voter than there was four years ago as journalists and activists alike dive deep into the records and background of candidates. There is also much more discussion around the issues online. This has been a trend at a national and regional level for several election cycles now and has finally trickled down to Oconee. This is a double edged sword locally just as it is nationally -- inaccurate, incomplete or unvetted information is much more likely to be posted on these "new media" sites than traditional media, which presents challenges to candidates.

Individual Races

• The Chairman's race was much closer than many -- including myself -- expected. Despite having significantly less funds and visibility in the community than Melvin Davis, Sarah Bell came within 100 votes of being elected. I was stunned when the Civic Center precinct, whose voters technically should be among the largest beneficiaries of recent county efforts (the new park, announced Mars Hill Road expansion, etc.) voted for Bell by more than 100 votes. Maybe the geography of this district has changed in recent years, but it used to be a solid "pro-growth" precinct. However, this district also now includes the old Briarwood Baptist Church district, and Briarwood has always been known for its opposition to alcohol. If many Briarwood members live in this district, this could have been a factor.
• One of Chairman Davis' closest allies, Don Norris, drew strong opposition in John Daniell. Norris was closely identified with embracing rapid, suburban-style growth and also most supportive of the county's current form of government. He also floated the idea of moving the courthouse out of Watkinsville, upsetting many of the electorate, and was faced with conflict of interest allegations from a citizens group. He was defeated after years of active service on the board. In the end, there were probably just too many issues lined up against Don for him to win this time.
• Incumbents Chuck Horton and Margaret Hale -- widely perceived as more moderate in their growth approaches and seeking a more collaborative approach in local government -- won despite facing strong challengers. This despite both of the challengers receiving laudatory editorial coverage in the county's largest newspaper and the support of many in the Republican party establishment. The fact that Mike Maxey did not run closer to Horton, despite his large expenditures and extensive advertising, indicates that a majority of citizens value Horton's experience and balanced, objective approach to growth issues. I do hope Mike will run again in the future -- he had a strong platform and a lot to offer.
• Incumbent Jim Luke, who has been independent on a number of issues and our representative in the regional reservoir efforts, won over tough challenger Johnny Pritchett. Jim has a strong base of support in North Oconee, but perhaps more critically, has been responsive to citizens, is respected by other regional government leaders, and clearly articulates his own reasons for his decisions based on research and experience.

Overall, Oconee is left with an experienced board of commissioners with a balance that probably accurately reflects the overall mood of the community. Lets hope that the next four years will be among our most successful ever as we deal with the local and macro-economic challenges that are coming our way. Oconee is still an incredible place to live, with wonderful communities, cultural resources, civic pride, parks, homes, greenspace, schools, and most importantly -- great people. There is work to be done, but by pulling together we can certainly keep it that way!

Political and Transportation News

Some local political and transportation news you shouldn't miss:

1) Paul Broun is claiming that he has saved the USDA's Phil Campbell Agricultural Research Center in Watkinsville. I really hope this is the case, as the center and the greenspace it provides is great for the community. I have not heard positive reports about this from anyone other than Rep. Broun.

2) Senator Bill Cowsert has been named one of Governor Perdue's floor leaders in the Senate. As I said in my earlier post, the level of promise and potential Cowsert has -- and the respect he gets from his colleagues -- make him the easy choice in the upcoming primary vote. While I don't always agree with the Governor and his laid back approach to governing, this is a significant assignment for Sen. Cowsert. Athens paper covers it here.

3) Well, nobody has officially notified the city of Watkinsville (despite our financial participation in the project), but the Oconee Enterprise is reporting that the Mars Hill widening project is moving forward. I have decidedly mixed emotions about this effort. Frankly, I have zero interest in seeing the whole corridor "opened up to commercial development" as the article says. Just what we need: another sprawling route full of strip malls, poorly planned commercial (see the recent Auto Zone and attendant shopping area at Butler's Crossroads for a good example of this) and the occasional subdivision entrance. While the road needs some improvements, the track record of GDOT road expansions ever being viable routes for cyclists and pedestrians (and for having any redeeming aesthetic value) is not good. We have been working hard to make sure the stretch in the Watkinsville city limits is designed and handled in a quality way that respects the existing business and institutions in the community while addressing traffic needs.

Bottom line, if there is one thing Oconee needs, it is stronger aesthetic planning guides governing the appearance of commercial and office buildings on commercial corridors. Extensive landscaping, buffers, brick buildings, hidden or buried power lines, generous sidewalks, street trees, landscaped (rather than concrete) medians should all be the norm for any road widenings. Lets hope "the new" Mars Hill includes these features.

Kuhlke Appointment Good News for Watkinsville, Northeast Georgia

Often times we tend to focus on the negative in politics. A bit of good news quietly came our way last week as Bill Kuhlke of Augusta was named chairman of the board for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

What, do you ask, does an appointment of an Augustan have to do with Watkinsville? Here's what. GDOT board slots are appointed by Congressional District. We share a congressional district with Augusta (which currently features Paul Broun and Barry Fleming going mano-a-mano), meaning Mr. Kuhlke is actually our representative on the GDOT board.

One of the biggest weaknesses of our region -- and the state -- for a long time has been a lack of transportation funding and effective planning. In recent months, we have had visits from Commissioner Abraham, and now we have a reasonably local chairman in place just as the Governor gets on board with commuter rail and GDOT begins putting together its state transportation plan, led by Ms. Abraham. Over at the Athens Inbox, I theorized that we might finally be in the right place at the right time.

Despite being from Augusta, Mr. Kuhlke has proven to be a strong advocate for Watkinsville and Athens. He has helped us secure significant federal dollars for streetscape II and is showing a strong interest in the currently stalled 441 widening project in South Oconee.

What does this mean? It's probably too early to tell. But rest assured, all politics is local, and the needs of this region -- from the Brain Train to the Bishop by-pass to the 441-15 connector south of Watkinsville to Jennings Mill Parkway to a 316 upgrade -- are a lot more likely to be met when you have local leaders in positions to make things happen. Check out this entry for my transportation wish list and lets hope some of them start to become a reality -- sooner rather than later!