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Sixty-five percent of education dollars to be spent in the classroom
ATLANTA - To further
improve student achievement
across the saate of Georgia,
Governor ~ Sonny l‘crrj‘uc‘
recendy announced legislation
requiring 65 percent of all edu
cation dollars be spent directly
in the dasroom. The Gover
nors legislavion, 58390, was
fled today in the State Senate
by Senator Ronnie Chance
(District 16). - Co-sponsors for
the bill indude Senator Joe
Carter (Distnct 13), a former
Titt County School Board
member, Senator Dan Moody
(Distnict 56), chairman of the
Educton and Youth Com
Changes fail to ‘fix’
Georgia’s voter ID law
By REDR (.}UKN(TY MURPHY
DISTRICT 121
During the first week of the
2006 session of the Georgia
General Assembly, it was
almost amusing o watch sup
porters of the states new law
requiring voters to produce
photo i(f;mitiunun when they
¢o to the polls rushing to make
changes 1o the legislation.
Amusing, because many of us
in the legislature old them last
vear about the many flaws in
the bill and they refused 1o lis
ten.
Only ateer a tederal judge, on
constitutional grounds, prohib
ited the law from being
entorced in the November
2005 muniapal elections and
atter some embarrassing revela
tions from the U.S. Justice
Department’s investigation into
the legislation did the bill’s
sponsors see the need to try o
improve it. One of these revela
tions, if you recall, was the bill's
chief sponsor being quoted as
telling Justice Department offi
cials fil(l( African American vot
ers in the Augusta area vote
only when they are paid to do
SO.
"The changes approved by the
Republican majority in the
House this week, aimed at sur
viving future court challenges,
would provide the photo [Ds
tree of charge to voters who do
not have [rhem and to make
them accessible in each of
Georgias 159 counties. But
those changes were like putting
makeup and perfume on a hog,
No matter how you dress it up,
it's still a hog,
I voted against the measure -
the most restrictive in the
nation — because it still places
an undue burden on senior at
izens who do not have photo
IDs in order to exercise their
constitutional rggh[ to vote, and
it does not address the real
source of voter fraud, which is
in the absentee balloting
process. This law would only
accomplish one thing; keeping
otherwise eligible ancf' mgmcrgg
voters from participating on
Election Day.
The first week also brought
Gov. Sonny Perdue’s proposed
state budget plan for Ksml year
2007, which for the first time
during his administration
refleats a significant investment
in public eduation. During
the previous three years, the
governor initiated a total of
Legislation for Hope Chest Constitutional Amendment Filed in the State Senate
mittee, Senator Cecil Staton
(District 18) and Senator
Renee Unterman (District 459).
“When school districts spend
05 percent or more of their
education budget in the dass
room, students learn more and
perform better,” said Governor
Sonny Perdue. “Georgla stu
dents deserve the chance o
reach their tullest potential.
Spending education dollars in
the dassroom where they best
belong will help provide our
students with the opportunity
o excel in the school and in
life.”
The Governors legislation
neardy sl.l billion in education
funding cues, resulting in delays
in reducing class sizes, litde or
no increases in teacher pay and
local propenty tax increases in
more than 80 school districts
across the state.
But Wednesday, the governor
asked lawmakers 1o approve an
election-year budget that
incdludes additional funds for
education, induding a 4 per
cent pay raise for educators and
a SIOO “gift card” for every
teacher that will enable them o
buy dassroom supplies for their
students. The governor is also
proposing additional tunds for
the State Health Benefit Plan to
keep educators from suffering
new Increases in insurance pre
miums.
The governor also proposed
an increase in classroom con
struction spending and funds
to pay for dass size reductions
in grades K-8. During the pre
vious three years, the governor
and his supporters in the Gen
eral Assembly enacted legisla
tion that delayed dass size
reductions that were mandated
by the state’s education reform
act.
Unfortunately, the governor’s
plan sull indudes nearly $l7O
million in further cuts to the
state’s basic funding formula for
schools, which hopefully will be
corrected during the appropria
tions process in the legislature.
The House also voted this
week to raify the govemor's
action last month to reduce the
state sales tax on natural gas
from 4, percent to 2 percent, a
move that will save Georgia
consumers $2 on a monthly
SIOO home heating bill.
1 am appreciative of the oppor
tunity to bring you these weekly
legislative reports o that you can
stay informed on all of the actions
we take on the isues that are
important to the people of Augus
ta, Richmond County and the
entire stae.
Rep. Quincy Murphy represents
the 120th District (Richmond
County) in the Georgia House of
Representatives. Contact him at
604 Coverdell Office Building,
Atlanta, Ga. 30334; by phone at
404-656-0265; or by e-mail at
quincy murphy@house.ga.go..
requires local districes -vahg
state funds to spend at least 6
sercent of their total school
Ludgct on dassroom expendi
wires as defined by the Nation
al Center for Education Staus
tcs (NCES). School systems
may apply for a waiver from
this rule it they demonstrate
the State Board of Education
that their use of taxpayer
money is leading to higher
achievement for their students.
According to NCES, the top
ten percent of states in terms of
academic performance spend at
least 65 percent of educating
funding in the classroom.
Law enforcement, advocacy groups debate Taser gun use
By ERRIN HAINES
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (ADP) After
calling tor a ban on Taser guns
in law enforcement for two
vears, a national avil rights
roup said Friday, Jan. 13 more
hi.iluguc is needed to encour
age more responsible use of the
weapon, which some .xgcncic\
say fildps them do their jobs
| and actually saves lives.
The Southern Christian
Leadership Conference is now
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
DOE estimates that approxi
mately 64 percent of Georgia's
school districts (116 out of
180) fail to meet this criterion.
Based on 2003 records, Geor
gias average dassroom spend
ing is approximately 63.3 per
cent. - School systems below 65
percent will be expected 1o
INCrease two percent per year
beginning in 2008 unul the 65
percent requirement is met.
HOPE Chest Amendment
to Proteat Lottery Funds
In June, Governor Perdue
announced a proposal for a
constitutional amendment lim
inng the use of lottery revenues
calling for better standards and
training for officers using Taser
runs, and their efforts are being
t\ol.»tcred by Georgia lawmak
ers who have proposed legisla
tion calling for both a ban and
a plan 1o address how and
when to use Tasers.
“We make no apology for
the position we have 2’1‘1(6!1,“
said the Rev. Fred D. Taylor,
SCLCs coordinator of crisis
intervention, at a panel discus
sion on Taser gun use.
“What we want 1s an open
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to costs associated with the
HOPE scholarship and Pre-K
programs. The legislation,
S;g;, was filed wdegy in the
State Senate by Senator Joe
Carter (District 13). Co-spon
sons for the bill indude Senator
Ronnie Chance (District 16),
Senator Bill Hamnick (District
30), Senator Seth Harp (Dis
trict 29), chairman of the
Higher Educaton Committee,
;mg Senator Brian Kemp (Dis
trict 40).
“Money for Hope and Pre-K
should not be frivolously spent
on projects that have nothing
to do with college scholarships
forum on the issue. There are
those in law enforcement who
are on the same side as we are,”
he said.
Almost two years ago, the
SCLC rallied around Jfi\c case
of Fredenick Williams — who
died in May 2004 after Gwin
nett County deputies stunned
him with a Taser gun while in
jail — as an exampfi of the dan
gers of Taser gun’use.
The SCL& had asked the
stun guns manufacturer, Taser
Intemmational Inc. of Scottsdale,
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January 19, 2006
or early learning,” said Gover
nor Sonny Perdue. “Lottery
revenues should go straight to
these two outstanding pro
grams. Under this amend
ment, lottery funds will only be
spent on HOPE and Pre-K.”
Since taking ofhice, Governor
Perdue has put an end 1o the
raiding of lowery funds for
projects that should be appro
priated from other sources, if at
all. Between the 1994 and
2003 fiscal years, over $l.B bil
lion in lotery revenue was
spent on budget items outside
of HOPE and Pre-K programs.
Ariz., o end its production of
the devices and has pushed for
a national moratorium on their
use untl more studies into
their safety have been condua
ed.
Capt. Ronald Applin of the
Fulton ~ County ~ Sheniff’s
Department said at the panel
discussion that Taser guns help
his officers conduct their jobs
without harming the public or
themselves.
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