ATLANTA, GA, March 04, 2008 – The Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia, a grassroots organization promoting individual freedom, limited government and fiscal responsibility, urges the House Ways & Means Committee to pass Senate Bill 12 – Zero Based Budgeting.

This bill would require during the mid term of a Governor’s term, all departmental spending be assumed to be zero, and that the entire budget must be approved by the General Assembly – not just the increases. This will lead to cutting wasteful or unnecessary line items saving the taxpayers money.

The highlights of the bill:

* SB 12 calls for budgeting accountability for all state agencies on
a regular rotating basis.
* SB12 requires evaluation of each state agency’s core mission to
eliminate agency overlap.
* SB12 requires agencies to provide at least 3 alternative funding
levels and what they could accomplish with each.
* SB12 requires a prioritized budget of each agency.
* SB 12 avoids the appearance of political punishment or favoritism
by establishing a regular schedule of budget analysis.

The Republican Liberty Caucus calls on all Representatives and Senators who believe that the budget represents the taxpayer’s money and not the government’s money to override the Governor’s veto.

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ABOUT The Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia – Founded in 1990 the Republican Liberty Caucus works to advance the principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty within the Republican Party. The Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia endorsed 29 pro-liberty Republicans in 2006, 25 of which now serve in office.

The Republican Liberty Caucus calls on all Representatives and Senators who believe that the budget represents the taxpayer’s money and not the government’s money to override the Governor’s veto.

Kudos to both Lt. Governor Cagle and Speaker Richardson for devising a tax-cut that is offset by spending. After Sine Die we need to send you to Washington to teach that to your federal brethren.

The AJC is reporting:

Georgia homeowners would get a $100 property tax cut under a budget agreement reached Tuesday night by state House and Senate leaders….

House leaders proposed the tax cut after they reached an impasse with Senate leaders on the midyear budget for fiscal 2007, which ends June 30. Strong state tax collections have given lawmakers extra budget dollars this year.

Members of the House said senators had portrayed them as big spenders because they had tried to include projects such as museum funding and Perdue’s “Go Fish Georgia” fishing tourism program in the budget.

The Senate gutted the midyear budget of those projects, and the two sides did not appear near a deal when they began negotiations Tuesday.

The House budget negotiators counterproposed with the tax cut, and the Senate accepted.
(Budget deal gives residents tax break | ajc.com)

Travis Fain has a good explanation as to why this is being done via a property tax refund here

Mr. Speaker: I know this compromise probably doesn’t make you popular with your caucus right now. I know $100 isn’t a massive windfall to taxpayers upon which you can ride to re-election next year. However you did the right thing.

Lt. Gov. Cagle: Thank you for sticking to your guns and not backing down. The press was salivating at the prospect of an internal GOP fight and I’m sure there was pressure to compromise to make this unpleasantness go away. It was this leadership and principle that led us to endorse you last year. Keep up the good work.

Next up is the FY2008 Budget which will also contain pork. Stay tuned to Georgia Porkbusters for more.

HB94 must now be approved by both bodies (a formality) and then is on to the Governor for signature

Supplemental Budgets were intended to cover emergencies. Instead the leadership and appropriators in the House filled the budget with pet projects in their respective districts. For example, appropriators added
$25,000 for the Georgia Sports Hall of fame, $350 for a new animal hospital at Zoo Atlanta, $1 million for the Tour de Georgia and $5 million for the National Infantry museum. While the RLC would oppose these expenditures at any time, no one but the direct beneficiaries would call them emergencies.

The RLC wants to congratulate Lt. Governor Casey Cagle for standing up for the taxpayers of Georgia by working with the Senate leadership to strip away the unnecessary expenses from the 2007 supplemental budget. It was this leadership and adherence to fiscal conservatism which lead us to endorse Casey in the 2006 primaries.

The RLC would like to also recognize State Rep. Steve Davis (R-McDonough), who was the only member of the State House to vote against this pork laden budget. Representative Davis took a big risk in contradicting the wishes of his leadership to cast the lone dissenting vote in favor of the taxpayer.

Supplemental budgets are intended for emergencies, and the General Assembly should not be allowed to go on a spending spree if our tax dollars exceed the annual budget. A proposed constitutional amendment now sitting in the house, SR 20, would limit how the General Assembly may spend additional revenue. The limits would be for funding for increased government school enrollment, fill the rainy-day fund, pay off debts, and return the money to the taxpayers. The Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia encourages all Republican legislators who believe in fiscal responsibility to vote for SB20.

In 1994, the voters of this country entrusted the Republican Party to run
the Congress, based on their promise to cut taxes, cut wasteful government spending, and reduce the regulations that stifle economic growth. In 2006 the Republican Party lost control of the US Senate and House of Representatives after 12 years of majority control. The reasons were simple. After a brief stint of acting conservative, the leadership in the House and Senate began spending like it was their divine right. They ran up the nation’s credit card and left the bill to be paid for by future generations. The same fate awaits the Georgia Republican Party if we stray from what we believe in.

The Senate removed all local projects, known as pork, from the midyear budget. Those projects include nearly $6 million for local museums, $1 million for the Tour de Georgia, $125,000 for a West Georgia tourism group, $19,000 for library equipment on St. Simons Island, and $350,000 for a new animal hospital at Zoo Atlanta.

The Senate budget also cuts out $13 million Perdue wanted for his “Go Fish Georgia” fishing tourism program, $50 million he wanted for land preservation, and $40 million to help get the Kia car plant in West Georgia up and running. (Senate cuts local projects, sets up budget showdown | ajc.com)

Good to see some spending restraint from the GOP.