Tolleson: update from the Capitol

By Sen. Ross Tolleson (R- Perry)

Last Monday, legislators from across the state filled the Senate and House Chambers excited to begin the first term of 153rd Georgia legislative session. As the session begins, I look forward to once again working with colleagues and newly elected members. Each term brings new challenges and we must strive to continue to take the necessary steps toward a great state of Georgia.

Committee assignments were handed out last week. I will once again serve as the Chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee and Vice Chairman of the Rules Committee. I will also serve on the Appropriations and Transportation committees. I look forward to beginning work once again to ensure that we stand for small government, a balanced budget and strong business initiatives.

Later that day, Gov. Nathan Deal delivered his annual “State of the State” address, outlining Georgia’s achievements and goals for the future. This year, the governor focused on a number of topics, but primarily honed in on our increasing economic developments, outdated education practices, and transportation funding. Deal began his address with “in short, I’m here to report to you today that the state of our state is strong….and getting stronger every day”. For Georgians, this is true. Deal reported that Mercedes-Benz USA is moving its North American headquarters to Georgia, our revenue is up 4.8 percent, and our unemployment rate is falling back in line.

While our economy continues to thrive, our education system has seen over 19,000 students drop out of grades nine through twelve over the past year. The governor will focus on making K-12 education more accessible and more effective through the creation of an Education Reform Commission, modernization of the outdated Quality Based Education funding mechanism and establishment of an Opportunity School District. As legislators, we have an obligation to provide our children with schools that prepare them for the workforce and for life. Education will not be the only topic of interest this session; our transportation system will also receive attention as we are in need of some $1.5 billion in funding to maintain our infrastructure.

Our state is now the eighth most populous state, home to the tenth most

mainline highway lanes in the nation, and more than 14,000 bridges, but we are heavily dependent on federal highway funds (68 percent of our total funding is federal dollars). We are currently at a crossroads, with transportation funding; we must do something to ensure future generations of Georgians are provided with the same, if not better infrastructure conditions. Gov. Deal told the legislature that we must find a new strategy for transportation investment, without one, our roads will no longer be repaired, safety will be jeopardized and economic development will stall due to increased road congestion. As you can tell, this is a very important priority that I will continue to monitor to ensure citizen’s voices are represented throughout this process.

On Thursday we celebrated Sportsmen’s and Coastal Day at the Capitol in celebration of our state’s booming hunting and fishing industries and diverse wildlife. Legislators and other Capitol employees and guests enjoyed a coastal themed meal and displays of live animals native to coastal Georgia.

This week, legislators will be in budget hearings. These hearings take place at the Capitol and provide a time for state agencies to propose their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. We will listen to countless testimonies from agency leaders in order to allocate the necessary funds in the FY ’16 budget. Due to budget hearings, we will be back in the Senate Chamber and ready to begin debating legislation on Monday, January 26.

For the next several months, I will be spending a lot of time at the Capitol working for you this Session. If there are any issues you wish to have addressed, I would love to hear from you. I look forward to continuing my service on behalf of my constituents in the 20th Senate District this Session. Georgia is on the right track. I am confident that the steps we take this year will mean lasting prosperity for future generations of Georgians.

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