LAW AND ORDER

As a new member of the legislature, I was excited to be appointed to serve on the Judiciary Committee. In this position, I was able to play a key role in passing several very meaningful pieces of legislation that will go a long way to protect our children and families. When I first ran for office, I pledged that I would be tough on crime and keep Fayette County a safe place to live. This past Legislative Session I kept that promise and helped pass significant pieces of legislation that further protect our children from registered sex offenders, protect children from online predators, impose tough new penalties on people involved with dog fighting and strengthen penalties against those convicted of multiple DUIs.

EDUCATION

As always, the quality of Georgia’s public schools is a top priority for legislators at the State Capitol. One of my top priority remains the quality of Fayette County schools. This year, the General Assembly passed important legislation to free local schools from rigid mandates and one-size-fits all policies. Georgia has over 180 school systems and a one-size fits all approach simply does not work. You can be assured that I will continue to fiercely defend the local control that school administrators, parents and teachers exercise over our community's schools and the education of our children. I am a product of the Fayette County schools and my children will attend Fayette County schools. I have a vested interest in maintaining the high standards and integrity of our school system for my children and yours.

TAX RELIEF

Ronald Reagan famously said, "Government programs, once launched, never disappear." He could have easily had Georgia in mind with its arcane budget process. This Session, to ensure the taxpayers’ money is spent as wisely as possible, the General Assembly passed legislation implementing zero-based budgeting for agencies. Instead of just continuing budgets from one year to the next with more money added each year, state government will be asked to justify every dollar, helping to improve efficiency and cut waste. Given the economic slowdown, we’ve focused on basic needs, such as water resources, education, and the safety of our citizens. Just like a family sitting around the kitchen table creating a budget, we in the General Assembly have to focus on our core priorities. When we reconvene in January, providing much needed tax relief will continue to be a key issue.

WATER

Despite more favorable weather this spring and summer, water remains a critical issue facing our State. The metro Atlanta area relies on one of the smallest water basins of any city of its size in America. In normal years, when rainfall remains close to average, there is ample supply. But during drought years, water shortages are a serious danger. This year, we took this issue head on and for the first time in our State’s history, Georgia has a comprehensive statewide water management plan. My colleagues and I in the General Assembly also passed important legislation to provide funding for new reservoirs and to streamline the permitting process. Although we may be blessed by increased rainfall, if we do not capture that rainfall, it serves no purpose.

TRANSPORTATION

In Fayette County, traffic congestion is no longer a nuisance, it is a real problem. Our infrastructure has not kept pace with the growth, and the effects reach far beyond frustration over gridlock. I will continue to fight to ensure that Fayette County is receiving a fair return of its tax dollars to fund needed infrastructure improvements. In addition, while funding is important, it must be allocated efficiently. I will continue to work diligently to ensure that Georgia Department of Transportation is streamlined and managed more efficiently so our tax dollars are spent prudently.