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Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009

Staton: Not much local legislation this year

In past years, local issues have been hot topics for Macon area legislators, but this year the board seems to be pretty well set, and the more controversial issues look to be out of play, delegation chairman Cecil Staton said Monday.

Consolidation of city and county government, downsizing the city council, taking money from the Cherry Blossom Festival to fund local museums — on all these issues, enough legislators have said before the session that they oppose them that there doesn’t seem to be room for movement, Staton said. Of course, like anything at the statehouse, that could change.

But for now, members of the delegation don’t plan to meet formally until a couple of weeks into the session, Staton said.

One thing they do expect to move on is an extra penny of sales tax on hotel and motel stays to help fund the Georgia Music and Sports halls of fame in Macon. Staton said he’s against a separate proposal to take hotel-motel sales tax money that now funds the Cherry Blossom Festival and share it with the Georgia Children’s Museum and the Tubman Museum. That would be “foolish, in my view,” Staton said.

Something controversial could pop up, though. For example: state Rep. Allen Peake wants to make the Bibb County chairman’s job full time again. It was turned into a part-time job several years ago, shortly before past Chairman Charlie Bishop was elected.

“I think there will be a pretty warm reception to it,” Peake said. “We’ll see.”

Jami G at the Capitol

Jami Gaudet, who you may remember as talk radio host Kenny Burgamy’s former partner on the airwaves as well as a television reporter for the now defunct local ABC newscast, has a new gig.

She’s a lobbyist for the Georgia Municipal Association, which is the lobbying arm for cities across Georgia.

Godsey there too

Former Mercer University President Kirby Godsey, who remains with the university as chancellor, will work with the speaker of the House’s office again this year.

His title is “senior policy adviser.” Godsey, who was at the Capitol Monday, said he simply advises the speaker on a range of issues. As for just what they might be talking about, Godsey wouldn’t say, calling those talks “confidential.”

Other visitors

The first day of the session brought several Middle Georgians to the Capitol.

Monroe County Sheriff John Cary Bittick was there, along with other sheriffs from across the state. Environmental and transportation activist Lindsay Holliday was roaming the Capitol halls, but he was there for his day job. The Macon dentist, and president for the central Georgia district of the Georgia Dental Association, was handing out toothbrushes. The association does that on the first day of each session, Holliday said, giving legislators and their staffers dental health packs that include toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss.

Birthday boys

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson, who have something of an infamous working relationship, shared some common ground Monday.

It was their birthday.

Cagle turned 43 and Richardson 49, according to their respective press offices.

— Travis Fain