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An Inside View Into Georgia's News, Politics & Culture

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An Inside View Into Georgia's News, Politics & Culture JANUARY FEBRUARY2016 JAMESAN INSIDE VIEW INTO GEORGIA’S NEWS, POLITICS & CULTURE COLUMNS BY CHARLES BULLOCK // CHRISTINE DERISO // BRYAN GINN // RANDY EVANS // MAC McGREW REG MURPHY // GARY REESE // DANA RICKMAN // MATT TOWERY // LARRY WALKER // REP. JESSE PETREA DEPARTMENTS Publisher’s Message 4 Floating Boats 6 ON THE COVER The state Senate Chamber in the Georgia Capitol FEATURES Looking Into the Future: The 2016 Legislature 8 JAMES by Matt Towery P.O. BOX 724787 “Popular Vote” Approach ATLANTA, GEORGIA 31139 19 404 • 233 • 3710 Gives Georgia More Presidential Clout by Charles S. Bullock, III PUBLISHED BY INTERNET NEWS AGENCY LLC New University President Forges Strong Vision for Augusta 23 by Christine Hurley Deriso CHAIRMAN MATTHEW TOWERY CEO & PUBLISHER PHIL KENT COLUMNS [email protected] The 2016 Georgia General Assembly Session: CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER LOUIE HUNTER It’s In the Speed Mode 11 ASSOCIATE EDITOR GARY REESE by Randy Evans ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES PATTI PEACH [email protected] New Georgia Mental Health Program MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE MELANIE DOBBINS Reaches the Unreachable 12 [email protected] by Gary Reese CIRCULATION PATRICK HICKEY [email protected] Georgia’s Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine: A Decade of Growth 14 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CHARLES S. BULLOCK, III by Bryan Ginn CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO BRYAN GINN It’s Time for the Georgia Veteran RANDY EVANS 17 MAC McGREW Income Tax Exemption Bill REG MURPHY by State Rep. Jesse Petrea GARY REESE DR. DANA RICKMAN A New Year & New Resolutions MATT TOWERY 21 LARRY WALKER for Education in Georgia REP. JESSE PETREA by Dr. Dana Rickman Weathering Financial Ups and Downs 25 VISIT INSIDERADVANTAGE.COM by Mac McGrew SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY INTERNET NEWS SERVICE $17.50/MONTH & RECEIVE JAMES FOR FREE Georgia On My Mind 27 CHECK OUT OUR SISTER PUBLICATION: by Larry Walker SOUTHERNPOLITICALREPORT.COM College of Coastal Georgia’s Incredible Growth 29 DESIGN & LAYOUT by Reg Murphy BURTCH HUNTER DESIGN PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE Addressing Policy Issues Requires Leadership, Courage he 2016 General Assembly commenced license tests for permanent residents are given in 11 foreign T with Gov. Nathan Deal, House Speaker languages. They should be given in English— especially David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle since all road signage is in English. (The amendment has outlining legislative priorities. Special interest groups, common-sense exceptions for trade, tourism, court often represented by lobbyists, are weighing in on these interpreters, etc.) Another example is veterans’ legislation and other topics. So is the average Georgian, especially that state Rep. Jesse Petrea explains in a column. It through social media. A wide range of these policy issues exempts military pensions from the income tax with an are covered in this James, as well as by our parent offset that adds a new 28-cent tax on cigarette packs. Pro- company InsiderAdvantage which oversees a daily life advocates are also pushing legislation that could cover internet news service. (Check out insideradvantage.com women with such services as free pregnancy tests, and get a subscription, if you haven’t already!) ultrasounds and education programs. Veteran journalist Cindy Morley operates out of the Addressing the great issues of the day requires InsiderAdvantage/James office across from the state leadership and courage. Lawmakers “in the arena,” as former Capitol. She is part of our team which includes writers President Teddy Roosevelt said, can expect to be “bloodied.” Baker Owens and Jim Kingston. The InsiderAdvantage It reminds me of a compelling speech by U.S. Supreme Court daily morning email, by special arrangement, also Justice Clarence Thomas. The Georgia native spoke of his publishes legislative dispatches by respected Morris News naivete when, as a black Republican, he passionately Service reporter Walter Jones. And we feature a variety of questioned such “black” issues as racial preferences and other writers and opinion columns from a broad political welfare. Thomas recalled being smeared by “politically spectrum every day on our website. correct” enemies. “Those who come to engage in debates of Education is a big priority, so check out Dr. Dana consequence, and who challenge accepted wisdom, should Rickman’s article on the “top ten” issues to watch regarding expect to be treated badly,” he said. changes and opportunities in this vital field. This magazine The justice, however, went on to quote author Bea will solicit articles throughout 2016 featuring various Peach Himmelfarb: “We must not allow our desire to be decent State colleges. James publishes a popular July-August and well-mannered people to overwhelm the substance of Education Issue that rates Georgia’s public and private our principles or our determination to fight for their institutions of higher learning but we intend, in every issue, success.” Thomas said: “Active citizens … are branded to publish articles on education reform at all levels. mean-spirited, racist, Uncle Toms, homophobic, sexist, et What are other big issues for the legislative session? cetera. To this we often respond, if not succumb, so as not They involve whether to pass the Religious Freedom and to be constantly fighting by trying to be tolerant and non- Restoration Act (and in what form) and addressing casino judgmental. That is, we censor ourselves. This is not gambling, healthcare reform, medical cannabis expansion civility. It is cowardice. …” and transportation/infrastructure. (The legislative overview For those engaging in passionate debates over hot- column by Dentons attorney Randy Evans is a “must-read.”) button legislative issues, these are thought-provoking There are also bills that don’t receive much publicity words from a courageous, principled Georgian. but have merit. One is a constitutional amendment designating English as the official language of government. It is already a state law (as in 30 other states) but has loopholes that need to be closed. For example, driver’s 4 JAMES Statewide Presence, Statewide Solutions. With offfifices around the state of Georgia, Hall Booth Smith, Government Affffairfairs is a well- connected team of lawyers and professional lobbyists who understand your ffeederal, state and local legislative and regulatory objectives AATTHENS AATTLANTTAA COLUMBUS TIFTTIFTTOOONN ALBANY BRUNSWICK Nashville & Memphis, TN and N. Palm Beach, FL . Hall Booth Smith, PP..C. is a full service law firm with over 20 years of experience. At HBS, we attribute our growth and success to the hard work and allegiance of fulfilling our promise: ““SServviing to Achieve Excellence” in all we do. FLOATING• BOATS WHO’S RISING AND SINKING IN GEORGIA BUSINESS AND POLITICS The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials $516.5 million – $47.7 million ahead of last year’s record. (GALEO) and New York-based LatinoJustice are threat- Bottom line: The Lottery boat continues to be …RISING ening lawsuits against Gwinnett and Hall counties to pro- vide Spanish ballots, voter guides, poll workers and web- Richard Hyde, a one-time Atlanta policeman who has site information, citing a federal Voting Rights Act provi- served in recent years as the highly-respected investigator sion. Robert Vandervoort of the Washington-based for the state Judicial Qualifications Commission, has ProEnglish notes that a U.S. citizen is required to be now been appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to be a member English-proficient, and questions why bilingual ballots of that judicial review board. Dozens of judges across the are needed at all. He says this latest attack on English as state have been removed from office for misconduct by the the tie that binds all Americans underscores the need for JQC as a result of Hyde’s investigations. He also performed the proposed constitutional amendment (S.R. 675) desig- yeoman work probing the Atlanta public school test cheat- nating English as the official language of Georgia’s gov- ing scandal as well as DeKalb County government corrup- ernment, and why GALEO’s ship should be…SINKING tion. Hyde will be a well-informed, no-nonsense JQC mem- ber, which means that the reputation of the panel, current- The University System Board of Regents approved a ly somewhat drifting, should be…RISING merger between Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College, making GSU the largest college in the The Washington D.C.-based Fordham Institute cites state (approximately 53,000 students). The cost-saving Atlanta as one of the “Top 10 Friendly” American cities merger process was a quiet one, as both sides pushed it for parental school choice— which includes charter through with virtually no opposition. For Georgia State, schools, private school vouchers and public magnet another big, if quiet move sees its ship…RISING schools. Yet Verdaillia Turner, president of the left-lean- ing Georgia Federation of Teachers, says “that is like say- While there’s a lot of excitement that Georgia State ing Chicago is the most murder-friendly city in the University and private developers led by Atlanta-based nation.” For such a ridiculous comparison, for which she Carter have been named the winning bidders for convert- has drawn scathing criticism, Turner and the anti- ing Turner Field into a mixed-use community and football parental choice lobby in Georgia is…SINKING stadium, there was a recent bump in the road. The University System Board of Regents, which would need to Gov. Nathan Deal— a former judge and prosecutor— approve the plan and how it is to be funded, was inexpli- received the Champion of Justice Award from the cably surprised by the announcement. A Board spokesman Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. President Darren tersely commented that ”there is substantial work that Penn said: “Deservedly, Governor Deal received wide remains ahead”— meaning there are many questions and praise for signing House Bill 17— the Hidden Predator complexities about how much and where all the funding Act— into law. Because of his support for this measure, would come from (and how much from taxpayers, if any?).
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