Demetrius Mazacoufa, P.C. - Legislative News

January 22, 2003:

NEW LEADERSHIP IN MANSION, HOUSE, AND SENATE BUT STILL STRUGGLING WITH SAME PROBLEMS -- ITS THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

Yes, Georgia has a Republican governor, the first since the 1870's. Yes, the perrennial leader of the House was defeated in November's elections to force a dynamic struggle between veteran representatives unwitnessed in 35 years. And, yes, while the Democrats carried the Senate in the election, enough winners switched parties to give the Republican Party the majority in that body. Yes, there have been some significant changes in the world of Georgia politics over the past two months.

But, you know. With all those changes, one thing has remained the same. The primary force moving political animals is money -- how to raise it and how to spend it. That force is working in Georgia, too, where we have a budget which is in crisis. Both the former and the new governor have called for state agency cuts expenditures in their respective domains in order to react to ever-declining revenues. Legislators from both the House and Senate are faced with the annual problem of enacting a balanced budget, but with less moula with which to do the balancing. Things are so bad that the Governor has proposed a raising revenues by increasing the amount of tax imposed on cigarettes and alcohol -- the so called "sin taxes" which are designed to deflect away from the moral majority which neither drink or smoke.

But the Democrats are not having anything of this. To misquote Shakespeare, a tax increase is a tax increase is a tax increase. Or was that George Bush? I don't remember, so I may have to re-read his lips! Whatever the source, the Repubicans are being painted by the very brush they used in their historical depiction of the opposite party.

So, we have new guys at the helm trying to correct the current FY '03 budget and figure out what to do with the upcoming FY '04 budget. After all is said and done, the Republicans may come to feel Bill Clinton's pain, as they realize the old adage is so true nowadays: be careful what you wish for; you might get it. After so many years of coveting to be a majority party, the Republicans are feeling the pain of being ahead of the pack. And the Democrats? They are saying, "Wait for the next election 'cause we'll get back the Senate and keep things intact in the House." That projection does not stand up to analysis -- at least in the Senate.

In the meantime, $16 billion is a lot of change to figure out how to raise and then spend. Can the State buy a ticket to its own lottery?



	January 22, 2003: NEW LEADERSHIP IN MANSION, HOUSE, AND SENATE BUT STILL STRUGGLING WITH SAME PROBLEMS -- ITS THE ECONOMY, STUPID! Yes, Georgia has a Republican governor, the first since the 1870's. Yes, the perrennial leader of the House was defeated in November's elections to force a dynamic struggle between veteran representatives unwitnessed in 35 years. And, yes, while the Democrats carried the Senate in the election, enough winners switched parties to give the Republican Party the majority in that body. Yes, there have been some significant changes in the world of Georgia politics over the past two months. But, you know. With all those changes, one thing has remained the same. The primary force moving political animals is money -- how to raise it and how to spend it. That force is working in Georgia, too, where we have a budget which is in crisis. Both the former and the new governor have called for state agency cuts expenditures in their respective domains in order to react to ever-declining revenues. Legislators from both the House and Senate are faced with the annual problem of enacting a balanced budget, but with less moula with which to do the balancing. Things are so bad that the Governor has proposed a raising revenues by increasing the amount of tax imposed on cigarettes and alcohol -- the so called "sin taxes" which are designed to deflect away from the moral majority which neither drink or smoke. But the Democrats are not having anything of this. To misquote Shakespeare, a tax increase is a tax increase is a tax increase. Or was that George Bush? I don't remember, so I may have to re-read his lips! Whatever the source, the Repubicans are being painted by the very brush they used in their historical depiction of the opposite party. So, we have new guys at the helm trying to correct the current FY '03 budget and figure out what to do with the upcoming FY '04 budget. After all is said and done, the Republicans may come to feel Bill Clinton's pain, as they realize the old adage is so true nowadays: be careful what you wish for; you might get it. After so many years of coveting to be a majority party, the Republicans are feeling the pain of being ahead of the pack. And the Democrats? They are saying, "Wait for the next election 'cause we'll get back the Senate and keep things intact in the House." That projection does not stand up to analysis -- at least in the Senate. In the meantime, $16 billion is a lot of change to figure out how to raise and then spend. Can the State buy a ticket to its own lottery? [back to top]
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