The Ashe Advocate – February 15, 2008

Georgia judges need some justice, too, in pay structure

By Rep. Kathy Ashe

Chief Justice Leah Sears of the Supreme Court of Georgia delivered the annual State of the Judiciary Address to lawmakers Wednesday. She reported the state’s justice system is “sound, solid and strong.”

The chief justice also noted that judges have not received a substantial pay raise since 1999 and said that “judges deserve a little justice themselves,” urging the legislature to consider an increase this year.

Presently, first-year associates in some Atlanta law firms are paid more than some Georgia Superior Court judges. We must reduce the gap between judges’ compensation and the salaries available in the private sector if we are to continue attracting and retaining the best and brightest legal minds to preside over our courts.

In 2007, House members approved HB 119, and the measure is now under consideration in the Senate. The bill would provide a pay raise for Georgia’s Superior Court and Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices.

House Speaker Glenn Richardson unveiled the long-awaited update to his GREAT (Georgia’s Repeal of Every Ad Valorem Tax) plan, which received considerable publicity last fall, on Thursday. In testimony before the House Ways & Means Committee, the speaker acknowledged HR 1246 is a scaled-down version of his original idea.

The new and reduced proposal is a constitutional amendment that would eliminate ad valorem taxes on auto license tags and provide relief from school property taxes through a state grant equal to the amount of a home owner’s taxes.

That part of the proposal sounds appealing, but the lost revenue would be replaced by a new sales tax on lottery tickets and groceries, which are now exempt, plus numerous consumer services not presently taxed.

Whether HR 1246 is a truly “GREAT” plan – or just another of the tax shifts we have seen the past six years – will require further scrutiny by House members during the second half of this legislative session.

On Wednesday, the House Government Affairs Committee favorably reported legislation that would impose a $10 per tag surcharge on all motor vehicle license plates to provide funds for the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund. HB 1158, also backed by Speaker Richardson is intended to generate revenues to support Georgia’s trauma care network.

Members of the Working Families Caucus gathered Thursday to address the foreclosure crisis in Georgia. I have posted information from the event to www.kathyashe.com. Click on the links below for more information:

• Mortgage Bankers Association, Georgia Foreclosure Data
• Fast Facts on Foreclosure Crisis
• Steps to Help Citizens Facing Foreclosure
• HUD-approved Counseling Agencies

On Tuesday, House members addressed reports of excessive bonuses being paid to employees of the Georgia Lottery Corporation by passing HB 919. The measure would strengthen the legislative oversight of the lottery’s Board of Directors and give the House speaker and the lieutenant governor the authority to appoint six out of nine directors, as opposed to the current seven-member board, all appointed by the governor. The board would then have the ability to approve or disapprove employee bonuses.

Also Wednesday, House members approved HB 1041, which would require all nursing applicants to undergo a criminal background check by the Georgia Crime Information Center and the FBI. Unfortunately, the percentage of nurse applicants found to be lying about their backgrounds has increased, and this legislation is intended to ensure that applicants meet nursing board standards.

Other legislation approved by the House and sent to the Senate this week includes:

• HB 1027, which would allow the Department of Driver Services to approve six-hour defensive driving courses to be taken online.
• HB 1088, which would recognize agricultural tourism in Georgia by defining and registering agriculture tourism attractions.
• HB 494, which would set up two levels of certification for cosmetologists – a master esthetics level for skin care and waxing services and a waxing technician level.
• HB 1105, under which hospitals would be required to offer an inpatient vaccine between Oct. 1 and March 1 of each year for persons 65 and older.

• Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta) represents the 56th District (Fulton County) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact her at 409 Coverdell Office Building, Atlanta, GA  30334; by phone at 404-656-0116 or by e-mail at kathyashe56@mindspring.com.