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PAGE 4A
, FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS W<dn—day, Fabruary 3,1W9
State Rep. Mike Evans reports on legislative measure from the Capitol
Gpv. Barnes revealed his plans to help
solve metro Atlanta’s congestion and air
pollution problems this week. His plan is
bound to be the most controversial issue
of this session of the legislature. There is
something in the plan to offend everyone.
Even so, no one has accepted his chal
lenge to present a better plan. I suspect no
one will, although many will pick at part
of his plan.
According to Gov. Barnes, the
Authority will have the power to design a
regional plan by reviewing, revising and
modifying the transportation plan of the
Department of Transportation, county and
local governments, and the Atlanta
Regional Commission. It will have the
power to implement the plan by design
ing, operating and constructing it’s own
projects, including a mass transportation
system. There is to be coordination with
MARTA, the Cobb County Transit
Authority and the new Gwinnett County
Bus System.
“We want to make sure we are sensitive
ARC honors
Georgia legislators
Sens. Bill Ray and Casey
Gagle and Rep. Mike Evans
of the Northeast Georgia
legislative delegation were
honored as Georgia’s
Outstanding Legislators for
1998. The award was pre
sented at the Georgia ARC
Network annuai state con
vention attended by over 300
people across Georgia. The
Georgia ARC Network (for
merly Association for
Retarded Citizens) selected
these legislators because
they secured state funds that
allowed 39 Northeast
Georgians with disabilities
to receive services in their
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to all of the local governments, the
Department of Transportation and the
ARC, but at the same time, accomplish
what we need to do in this area,” said
Gov. Barnes. “As long as these agencies
and governments are in sync, then the
authority won’t have to do anything.”
The authority would have the right to
issue revenue debt (which is not the
obligation of the state of Georgia and is
self paid) of up to $1 billion. These
monies could be spent for building things
such as a light rail between Lawrenceville
and Marietta along Atlanta’s northern arc.
However, Gov. Barnes believes the rev
enues of the state currently is available in
own communities. The ARC
is the largest advocacy orga
nization for people with
mental retardation in the
nation.
Webb Spraetz, President of
Georgia ARC Network, says
“These outstanding legisla
tors heard and responded to
the desperate need of people
with disabilities who were
trapped on waiting lists.
Today there are over
13,000 Georgians with dis
abilities or frail elderly who
are waiting for home and
community services so they
will not be forced into nurs
ing homes or institutions.
cerned for some time with the Y2K prob
lem, a computer disabling bug, that does
not recognize dates that end in “00.” This
is a monumental task for a computer
dependent society. Things such as elec
tricity, water, sewage treatment plants,
bank statements, defense satellites and
even buiglar alarms could be affected, in
addition to virtually all areas of state gov
ernment. Last year, we put 150 million
dollars into solutions for the same prob
lem. This year, we are adding 170 mil
lion.
One piece of legislation taken up last
week exempts college students and pri
mary care givers with children under the
age of 4 from jury duty. Students will
have their jury duty deferred for a possi
ble time in the future. If this bill makes it
through the entire process, primary care
givers would be exempt so they can be
with their young children.
Legislation is also headed to the House
that provides additional prosecutors
across the state to pursue drug dealers.
Hiring, equipping and training one addi
tional prosecutor for each of the 47 judi
cial circuits in Georgia would cost an
estimated $3.6 million for the first year.
District Attorneys have reported that 85
percent of the crimes handled involve
drugs or substance abuse.
Some cities, including Atlanta, have
decided that the way to stop crime is to
sue gun manufacturers We passed a bill to
prevent this because of the absence of
logic involved in the premise.
transporta
tion dollars,
are sufficient
to pay for the
system, with
out any tax.
With the
millennium
approaching,
many state
leaders have
been con-
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Gov. Barnes was known as a great ora
tor during his 22 years in the legislature.
He carried that tradition over to the exec
utive branch by giving a rousing State of
the State address before a joint session of
the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Not wanting to sugar coat anything, he
said, “Just as we are experiencing our
greatest economic boom ever, we’re also
experiencing one of our worst periods of
public disillusionment.”
Addressing the problem of frozen feder
al dollars for road and highways, he said,
“We need federal transportation dollars to
keep flowing into our state. And the peo
ple of Georgia expect us to make sure
that it happens. It is time to stop pointing,
fingers and start doing something.”
Gov. Barnes also announced plans to
introduce legislation to “reign in the
worst excesses of HMOs and managed
care.” He said, “The time has come to
draw a line in the sand. A line that clearly
states that we will honor every Georgians
right to choose his or her own doctor.
The heart of his program is called the
Patients Bill of Rights.
Lawmakers also howled with laughter
when he said, “the lobbyists are not
telling you the truth. That is what they are
paid to say. Beware of their eel-skinned
briefcases and alligator shoes.”
To improve the way government deliv
ers healthcare, the Governor announced
plans to combine all of the state agencies
that are currently delivering health ser
vices and bring them together. He would
Georgia
do this by creating a single Department of
Community Health.
Barnes said, “We have the Department
of Medical Assistance with administra
tors and bureaucrats providing Medicaid
for some 1.2 million low income resi
dents; over in the State Health Planning
Agency, we have folks making decisions
about the size and scope of our health
care facilities, and then, we also have two
more agencies running health benefits for
slate employees.
The Governor also announced an order
he signed barring his staff and the execu
tive branch of government from receiving
gifts from lobbyists and other people
who do business with the slate.
Interestingly, Gov. Barnes received his
warmest and most enthusiastic applause
time after time from what he called “this
new species of politician called
Republican.” The Governor’s State of the
State address was the most interesting,
courageous, good humored, bi-partisan
speech, I have heard in the Georgia
House of Representatives. I believe the
Governor will receive good support from
the House.
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