Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8A
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010
Primary Election 2010
Editor’s Note: MainStreet Newspapers — parent
company of The Jackson Herald — asked the candi
dates facing an opponent in the primary election on
Tuesday, July 20, to answer several questions. Each
candidate was given the same questions and those
candidates who are running unopposed were not sent
the questions.
In the Republican primary for State
Senate District 47, Doug Bower, Shane
Coley, Kelley Gary and Frank Ginn
qualified for the election. The winner
of the Republican primary will face
Democrat Tim Riley in the November general elec
tion.
Butch Miller is the candidate for State
Senate District 49.
In the Jackson County Board of
Education District 5 election, Steve
Bryant and Randall Skelton qualified as
Republicans. There is no Democrat in that race, so the
winner will be decided on Tuesday’s primary election.
State Senate District 47
Doug Bower
Shane Coley
How do you propose to balance
the state budget?
The State of Georgia is mandated
by law to operate with a balanced
budget. There can be no unbalanced
budget. A significant effort to keep
it that way has to be related to
determining where overspending and
waste are taking place. It is impera
tive in these difficult times to have BOWER
a government committed to being
thrifty and frugal. Further, a zero-
based budget is important. While the Governor
vetoed a zero-based budget, I haven’t seen any
reason why the Governor cannot decide volun
tarily to use that approach to a budget. Thus,
efforts can be used to encourage the Governor
and those involved directly in the budgeting
process to seriously consider using the zero-
based approach to budgeting.
Do you support any kind of tax increase to
generate more revenue for the state?
No. I signed the Tax-Payer Protection Pledge
of the Americans for Tax Reform. We need to
get at the heart of overspending and waste,
and leave money in the hands of buyers and
sellers. More revenues will come in as people
get a chance to decide what to do with the
money they make and spend. The state spend
ing money like it is growing on trees is unac
ceptable.
Where in state government should spend
ing cuts be made?
Bureaucracy, institutional budgets and
administrative salaries first. I could live with
a cut in the salaries of state senators from the
nearly $17,000 to $12,000, even if it is volun
tary gesture during these hard times. A person
asked, “Don’t leaders sacrifice?” And another
said, “Not ours, they just take and take and
take.”
Our campaign is a low-budget campaign
representing a view that serving others is not
about money. We are persistently trying to
say to our fellow citizens, spending too much
money, or money that we don’t have, is exactly
what is wrong with government.
We also need to look at office equipment,
supplies, property, etc., to see what is neces
sary for conducting the operations of the state.
How much does it cost us every time protocols
and practices change? Can we settle
for inexpensive equipment that is
reliable over expensive equipment
that has brand recognition? Will an
old desk serve a purpose over an
expensive new desk? The list of such
questions can go on and on.
Do you support cutting the high
salaries found in education in the
state?
If there are state education admin
istrators or personnel who are making more
than the Governor (a salary that also needs to
be reduced during hard times), this needs to be
changed. At the local level, it is important to
discourage counties from paying high salaries
to school officials in tough times. Education
is about educating students, not about making
millionaires out of administrators.
Also, it is imperative to explore where waste is
occurring from mandates concerning education.
Implementing new protocols and programs fre
quently creates waste and instability in education.
Students are what education is about.
Teachers need to be freed to teach, not to adjust
to new protocols and procedures every time
they turn around.
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti
illegal immigration law similar to the one
adopted in Arizona?
Georgia is not Arizona. A firm policy regard
ing illegal immigrants is essential based on what
Georgians want not what Arizona has done. I sup
port deporting illegal immigrants. Discovering how
to determine who these people are is far more com
plex than what can be addressed in a brief response.
It is unacceptable to overlook the reality that people
are here illegally. When we know who these people
are, they need to be handled within the context of
well crafted law.
It is a concern that illegal immigrants don’t want
to follow the protocols and procedures that were
established to enter the country legally. There are
mechanisms in place that open the doors for coming
into the country. They may be annoying and incon
venient, but they are there. All of us have to deal with
red-tape. It is unacceptable for illegal immigrants to
avoid that red-tape and reside in our country with
no consequences for that avoidance.
continued on page 9A
How do you propose to balance
the state budget?
In Zimbabwe in the mid 1990s $8
Zimbabwe dollars could be exchanged
for $1 US dollar. In recent months it
takes $37 million Zimbabwe dol
lars to exchange for $1 US dollar.
Inflation causes theft and the absence
of production causes poverty.
To balance the Georgia state bud
get, we must begin by getting gov
ernment out of the way of producers
so that we can produce the things which money
would buy. We must eliminate frivolous and
unneeded agencies and activities and root out
corruption. Those services which are better
provided by the free market must be trans
ferred from government to the private sector
- with no government involvement.
Do you support any kind of tax increase to
generate more revenue for the state?
No. Tax cuts increase wealth and purchasing
power of the producers in our state. Prosperous
citizens can fund government.
Where in state government should spend
ing cuts be made?
Detailed analysis is required and this is a
complex process in any business or agency.
Based on specific facts, information and analy
sis, any agencies that are not meeting their
cost-benefit requirements should be restruc
tured or eliminated. If the private sector can
do a job better or if the activity is not supported
by the Constitution of the State of Georgia, the
activity should be eliminated. We also need to
be certain that designated funds are no longer
deposited and spent in the general budget.
Do you support cutting the high salaries
found in education in the state?
Yes. We must do in education the same thing
that private business has been doing for years;
reduce management overhead. We must move
toward a lean management team and base our
salaries on the available resources in the educa
tion budget. If administrators and others with
high salaries want to maintain their high sala
ries, then we have to STOP INTERFERING
WITH PRODUCTION. Prosperity follows
Production. Production follows Liberty. We
have to teach our students about wealth cre
ation and work together against gov
ernment growth, which ROBS US
ALL of Life, Liberty and Property,
including those who work in educa
tion. The education community is
beginning to feel the pain of insuf
ficient production in our state and
nation. A new reality will drive our
decisions. These ideas are illustrated
in the two books which I have given
away by the hundreds: The Law by
Frederick Bastiat written in 1850
and What Ever Happened to Penny Candy?
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti
illegal immigration law similar to the one
adopted in Arizona?
Yes. The Georgia illegal immigration law
is already among the strongest in the nation,
but it is not enforced. We must have a strong
immigration law and we must enforce that law.
The Federal lawsuit against Arizona is absurd
and I vehemently oppose it. The Federal gov
ernment cares nothing for the US Constitution.
However, we must also always be careful that
we don’t allow the government to violate our
Constitutional rights in order to solve any prob
lem. In a free society people do not require
constitutional authority to act. Government
does. Our rights are God given and precious.
We must wisely defend Life, Liberty and
Property. The immigration problem has been
created by the federal government. The best
solution to our illegal immigration problems
will require insight, wisdom and fortitude. I
have new ideas which can solve our illegal
immigration problem without creating worse
problems for Georgians than we already have.
Should the children of illegal immigrants
be allowed to attend Georgia colleges if they
pay out-of-state tuition rates?
No. Unless the family and dependent child
have a legal basis for being here, they should
not be using our schools or services. If there is
a normal foreign student program in a school, I
would consider the idea of the student applying
as a foreign born person who would abide by
those rules and fees.
Do you support the state giving up some
continued on page 9A
COLEY
Kelley Gary
How do you propose to balance
the state budget?
Government should live within its
means and balance the budget by
prioritizing spending just as families
and businesses do. I will not support
additional taxes to balance the bud
get. Instead, we should adopt a zero
based budgeting approach, perform
audits of every state department, and
insist on cost/benefit analysis for
every state program. We should
also ensure that the public has easy access to
detailed information about government spend
ing, and allow citizens to recommend ways to
improve our budget. My immediate budget
priorities will be for education, public safety,
and the infrastructure that is necessary for eco
nomic development. Longer term if we ensure
that state government is limited and efficient
we can balance the state budget with lower tax
rates as more businesses, families, and retirees
are attracted to the state creating a larger tax
base.
Do you support any kind of tax increase to
generate more revenue for the state?
No. Bigger government and higher taxes
are not the answer. High taxes are stifling job
creation in Georgia and should be cut. Georgia
has the 16th highest state and local tax burden
in the nation. Our tax burden is higher than in
any neighboring state, and we also have some of
highest corporate income taxes in the world. To
be competitive, to attract more jobs with better
wages, and to ensure our economy is growing
rather than shrinking, we need comprehensive tax
reform with real tax cuts.
Tax reform should have happened long ago,
and the current recession offers an opportunity to
make real progress on the issue. My focus as a
state senator will be on lowering and eliminating
income taxes to make Georgia more competitive
both regionally and internationally. As a state,
we should focus on emerging from this recession
with lower taxes that are simple and fair.
Where in state government should spend
ing cuts be made?
Many state departments have gone decades
without real oversight. While they
may have started with a modest bud
get and good intentions, many are
now top heavy bureaucracies that
deliver little value to taxpayers and
citizens. Even in areas where the
state is required to and should provide
services, as with education, we must
make sure that every dollar is spent
wisely. As one excellent example
of wasteful spending, the 2009 state
budget included over 100 million dol
lars for the bureaucracy in the central office of
the state department of education. This money
should have been returned either to taxpayers or
to local schools that were furloughing teachers.
Do you support cutting the high salaries
found in education in the state?
I believe we currently pay unnecessary and
ineffective bureaucrats too much while paying
effective teachers too little. Prioritizing quality
instruction - over facilities, administration, cre
dentials, and tenure - is essential to cost effective
public education. If we spend less on top heavy
administration and gold plated facilities, and more
on putting a great teacher in every classroom, we
can do more with less. The debate over school
spending should center on whether schools are
spending money effectively on people and pro
grams that deliver results.
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti
illegal immigration law similar to the one
adopted in Arizona?
We should insist that the Federal government do
its job and enforce our borders. When and where
the Federal government fails, Georgia and other
affected States have the right to act. Georgia already
has a very tough law on the books that is similar to
the Arizona law. Georgia law allows police officers
to determine citizenship when an arrest is made,
whereas the Arizona law allows a citizenship check
when a person is “detained” and before they are
arrested. I believe our state law, if enforced, will
allow police to properly identify illegal immigrants
while respecting our Constitution. Unfortunately
our state law is rarefy enforced.
continued on page 9A
How do you propose to balance
the state budget?
Sales and income taxes account for
the bulk of state revenue. Growing
jobs across Georgia is the fastest way
to fill the budget shortfall. Eliminating
unnecessary bureaucratic regulations
will make Georgia more attractive
when competing against neighboring
states and help native businesses suc
ceed. We need to market Georgia!
Do you support any kind of tax increase to
generate more revenue for the state?
NO. Georgia’s tax burden already ranks
higher than neighboring states and hurts our
ability to attract top employers. Higher taxes
lower productivity and inhibit the job growth
we now need. The state must live within its
means without relying on any new taxes.
Where in state government should spend
ing cuts be made?
I intend to dig into the 2011 budget in search
of any expenditure that should not be funded by
the state. I believe the state should focus only on
statewide issues. Local control is essential.
Do you support cutting the high salaries
found in education in the state?
The state minimum salary schedule is set by the
state legislature and the department of education.
Teacher’s salaries were cut last year by a maximum
of six days of pay. In the 2010-2011 school year,
systems have the ability to furlough teachers with
state approval. The question asks about high salaries
in education and the question is quite vague. I am
not for cutting teacher salaries across the board.
We need to pay competitive wages to teachers to
attract and keep good educators. I am sure there are
extremes on both ends of the spectrum and I would
let the local school board have more input.
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti
illegal immigration law similar to the one
adopted in Arizona?
Yes! Illegal aliens cost our state and coun
try billions in healthcare, education and
law enforcement and compete unfairly for
American jobs.
Should the children of illegal
immigrants be allowed to attend
Georgia colleges if they pay out-of-
state tuition rates?
NO! Out-of-state tuition rates
are subsidized by Georgia taxpayers.
Law abiding citizens should not be
required to subsidize illegal aliens.
Do you support the state giving
up some of its control over local
education and turning that over to
local school boards? If so, what areas should
be turned over to local control?
Yes. In the past year, many areas have been
turned over to local control. Schools were
allowed to adjust the number of days in a
school year to shorten calendars and save on
operations. Class size requirements were
given to local systems to set. The state granted
local systems the ability to furlough teachers
in order to balance the budget. I believe local
control of our schools is a good thing. For a
local school system, the majority of the issues
of local control are not possible due to federal
mandates. I believe the federal government
should have less input into education.
Do you support the state giving taxpayer
incentives to companies looking to open
business in Georgia, or should such incen
tives be banned in the state?
Georgia must offer incentives to compete
with neighboring states. Whenever the state
or local governments offer incentive packages,
there must be a cost benefit analysis to ensure
taxpayers will win in the long run. Also, we
must not turn our backs on the existing Georgia
businesses.
Do you support a multi-county sales tax to
be used for transportation in the state?
Local control is nearly always beneficial.
Transportation is an issue which crosses jurisdic
tional boundaries and I am concerned this approach
may produce a highway grid with poor connectivity
between districts. This funding approach has many
deficiencies. For example, a major corridor from
Commerce to Calhoun would benefit metro Atlanta,
but would not even be in Atlanta’s region.
Frank Ginn
GINN