Town Hall Meeting with Decatur’s Legislative Delegation February 1st
Decatur Metro | January 25, 2011With Georgia’s 2011 legislative season well under way, the city of Decatur’s full list of legislators plan to hold a “town hall” style meeting at Decatur’s City Hall on Tuesday, February 1st from 6p-7p to hear from their constituents, according to a press release sent by Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield.
In addition to Rep. Benfield, Senator Jason Carter, Rep. Stacey Abrams, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, and Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd will be in attendance to listen and respond to concerns of Decatur residents regarding this year’s legislative session.
What are some of the hot topics in this year’s session? Well I asked Rep. Benfield that very question! Here is her response…
The tax issue is the biggie. If the Tax Reform Council’s proposal moves forward, we’ll be looking at greater sales taxes and taxes on services. That will affect everyone who buys groceries and numerous services – from plumbing to selling girl scout cookies to prescription drugs. All of these would be taxed under the new plan.
We’ll likely see some water legislation with a focus on increasing supply through reservoirs.
And education is always a hot topic, with funding for the HOPE Scholarship and pre-K programs to be at risk.
Additionally, Rep. Benfield hinted that she’s working on legislation that will “help Georgia breweries expand their businesses…to allow breweries and brew pubs more opportunities to promote and sell their product”. However, she’s still working on a draft of that legislation, so we’ll have to be patient for more details on that front!
For more information about any of this, you can contact Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield at (404) 964-7025.
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Heh heh. “Draft” legislation.
You have to have something to blow the smoke.
Great. More taxes from our “conservative” Republican leaders in our one party state.
What a joke!
In theory, they are talking about a restructuring, not an increase. Pay more sales taxes, less income taxes. I’m not necessarily opposed to that, but I smell a rat: the imposition of additional sales taxes now, with the promise of future income tax reductions that don’t materialize. if they want to restructure the system, fine. Just do it all at once.
Also, it seems to me that switching more state taxes from income to sales will result in a de facto federal tax increase for many Georgians. That would be very, very bad.
I agree with you DEM.
Personally I’m a Fair Tax supporter for Federal taxes but I’m a little more concerned about State taxes and the impact on the school system. Right now we set our own millage rates and that has a direct bearing on the dollars in the school coffers.
If we shift to a greater emphasis on sales tax would that put the State in even grater control of our local schools?
For right now, I guess I’m on the fence since I think there are more questions about the possible implementation than answers…
I just think it’s funny (sad) that the plastic bag issue gets dozens of impassioned comments and a truly impactful issue like lawmaking gets just 4 (so far)
Learned helplessness.
I am very concerned about more reservoirs, particularly since Gov. Deal has proposed building them via “private” partnerships. My concern is that reservoirs destroy the ecology of large swaths of land as if a bomb has been dropped. It also bothers me that a few cronies will substantially benefit through private contracts and increased land value. I would like to know that alternatives like water conservation are being employed and a true cost benefit analysis in respect to all Georgia citizens, including environmental impact, is considered.
That is also a major concern of mine, both the environmental impact, and the great potential for profits to private developers, based on a public investment, and the encouragement of urban sprawl.