Politics

Crane supports vote on charter schools

State Sen. Mike Crane on Feb. 9 spoke at the Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia to affirm his support for the charter school movement. Photo/Ben Nelms.

It’s all about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at restoring the state’s right to approve charter schools.

And that was the message brought by District 28 Sen. Mike Crane on Feb. 9 to a group of parents and employees at the Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia.

Crane was clearly in support of House Resolution 1162 that would restore the state’s ability to approve charter schools. The Georgia Senate followed suit earlier this week with Senate Resolution 853 that would accomplish the goal specified in HR 1162. Read More»

PTC’s Rep. Ramsey joins in opposing T-SPLOST

Rep. Matt Ramsey of Peachtree City.

Opponents of the proposed $6 billion 10-year regional transportation sales tax in metro Atlanta now have at least a glimmer of hope to stop the measure before it makes it to the ballot box July 31.

A bill unveiled at the Georgia legislature last week would halt the sales tax vote, replacing it with a constitutional amendment to see if state voters are even willing to allow such regional sales tax initiatives. Read More»

Haddix decries August censure in Rotary address

The mayor’s annual State of the City address is a political tradition in Peachtree City, routinely chocked with the city’s various accomplishments over the previous years and a look at the upcoming year. Read More»

Ramsey-backed bill would halt regional T-SPLOST

It could be the beginning of the end for a 1 percent regional transportation sales tax proposed for Coweta County and the other nine counties in the Three Rivers Region.

A bill was introduced this past week to sack the sales tax entirely, replacing it with a system in which counties would be able to enter transportation sales tax agreements with neighboring counties for regional transportation projects. Read More»

Legislature to consider creating regional transit governing board

New legislation has been proposed to create a regional “Transit Governance Council” to handle bus and rail projects in metro Atlanta in conjunction with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. Read More»

Qualifying fees set for Fayette elections; BoE uncertain

There is a lot more than a presidential election going on this year in Fayette County. Qualifying fees have been set for three seats on the Fayette County Commission and three seats on the Fayette County Board of Education along with fees for sheriff, tax commissioner, coroner and a host of local judicial races.

The Fayette County Commission has three seats up for election this year. Those include the seats held by Post 1 Commissioner Robert Horgan, Post 2 Commissioner Herb Frady and Post 3 Commissioner Lee Hearn. The qualifying fee for commission candidates is $700.57. Read More»

Brown: Redraw district lines for county commission elections

Fayette County Commissioner Steve Brown wants to redraw the lines for the existing three county commission districts to account for population shifts. Read More»

South Atlanta TEA Party to host citizens’ presidential debate

South Atlanta TEA Party volunteer Bonnie Willis. Photo/Ben Nelms.

The South Atlanta TEA Party (SATP) will be conducting a different kind of presidential debate later this month. The organization on Feb. 16 will host the “We the People Presidential Debate” where citizens can have their say about who should sit in the Oval Office beginning in January 2013 and why that person is the right one to be elected president. Read More»

Rep. Ramsey introduces legislation to increase safety of diabetic students

Rep. Matt Ramsey in a file photo.

State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) announced Feb. 6 the introduction of House Bill 879, legislation that would ensure schools are prepared to care for students with diabetes.

“This measure will ensure that every diabetic child in Georgia has the opportunity to strive for excellence in a safe, healthy, and supportive school environment,” said Rep. Ramsey. Read More»

Probation, not prison for 1,000s?

A big change could be in store for Georgia’s criminal justice system: a shift by diverting non-violent offenders away from prison and instead toward drug rehabilitation and other supervision programs such as probation.

Some of the recommendations from the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform would also shift the cost burden of incarceration to local communities by raising the thresholds on what constitutes a felony theft or deposit account fraud charge.
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