Yesterday, Governor Nathan Deal, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, and House Speaker David Ralston all spoke to municipal elected officials and city staff at the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual Mayor’s Day breakfast in downtown Atlanta. Highlights! Governor Nathan Deal Last May, Governor Deal vetoed HB 216, which would have granted workers’ compensation to firefighters diagnosed with
State Senator Brandon Beach of Alpharetta, a rumored CD6 candidate and longtime supporter of expanded transit options north of Atlanta, has been named Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Pair that with Speaker Ralston’s interest in a body for “state transit governance and funding” and you’ll notice a new strength for transit proponents. Senator Beach’s press
A Senate study committee chaired by Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) recommended last week that the General Assembly consider “a path forward” towards a transit governance bill, perhaps as early as the 2018 session. From the Atlanta Business Chronicle: The committee’s report recommends the legislature set aside funding this winter the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) would use
This week’s Courier Herald column: As our new year begins in Georgia, political optimism for many is fueled by the fact that a state governed by Republicans now has a White House and Congress controlled by Republicans. Well, optimism for many Republicans anyway. More than a few Democrats are still somewhere between pretending 2016 was
The Georgia Ports Authority announced a 6.5% monthly increase in total container traffic yesterday. The Port of Savannah alone moved 167,333 containers, an increase of 10,210 over November 2015. Against the backdrop of increasing national skepticism about America’s trade policies, the Georgia Ports Authority credits a “strengthening export market and a busy peak holiday season”
The House Committee on Regional Transit Solutions met briefly Wednesday afternoon, and decided to recommend to the full House that a funded study be undertaken to get a better idea of what realistic policy options would be available for the funding and governance of a regional transit solution for the Atlanta area. Chairman Christian Coomer
Before adjourning for the year early Saturday morning, the U.S. Senate passed the 2017 water resources bill that provides needed funding for the Savannah River port deepening project, along with a measure that avoids a government shutdown by funding the federal government through April 28th, 2017. Formally titled the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation
As Congress prepares to vacate DC for the Holidays and make way for newly elected members, a final vote has shown a split within the Georgia delegation over the Water Resources Development Act. Tom Graves, a potential statewide candidate from Northwest Georgia, voted yes due to the opportunity to complete funding for the Port of
The Georgia Ports Authority had a productive November meeting. First, it was announced that a record 251,566 TEUs were moved through the Port of Savannah in October. TEU stands for Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit and is the standard measurement used for a ship’s cargo carrying capacity. This record was achieved despite interference from Hurricane Matthew in
Disclosure/Note: I served as the Communications Director for the MORE MARTA outreach committee, which held more than 100 public information sessions across the city of Atlanta, explaining the process and the implications of MARTA’s proposed 1/2 cent sales tax. The following is from MARTA Board Chairman Robbie Ashe. In “Field of Dreams,” a farmer is
