Critical Legislation

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For more than two decades, Republicans have controlled Georgia state government. Democrats haven't controlled the Governor’s Office, Senate or House in more than 20 years. After all that time, those in power own the results: rising costs for groceries, housing, utilities, insurance and health care while working families, seniors, veterans, and people on fixed incomes fall further behind. The General Assembly keeps kicking our biggest problems down the road. I won't let that keep happening.

North Georgia deserves better priorities — and a senator who works for you, not corporations, PACs, party bosses or political insiders. Georgia and District 51 have serious problems that superfluous votes on state flowers and cornbread won't solve. I will serve you, because that's the job, and I'm ready to take it seriously. And here are some of the legislations I'll sponsor.

• A permanent 100% ban against profiteering, insider trading and pa-to-play efforts by any GA elected official, implementing zero-tolerance for financial conflicts of interest and personal gain through their office.
• Ban cell phones for all prison inmates, or implement existing technology to make cell phones non-functional in specific areas, including cell blocks. Current Georgia laws don't this technology allow to be used.
• Ban or severely punish Bitcoin ATM scammers with substantial five-and-six-figure fines and minimum mandatory prison sentences.
• Ban unlicensed petting zoos, and create strict, substantial and mandatory fines and jail sentences for non-compliance and unpermitted operations. 

• Raise the Retiree Tax Exemption income maximum from $10,000 to AT LEAST the state's poverty income level $15,960 for a single person , and $33,000 for a family of four;
• Lower the Retiree Tax Exemption age from 65 to 62;
• Lower the Veterans Disability property tax exemption requirement from 100% to a rating-tiered system for partially disabled veterans;
• Create "circuit breaker" tax credits for fixed-income seniors and the disabled that takes effect when property taxes or rent-equivalent taxes exceed a specific percentage of household income (commonly 10%);
• Veterans with a disability rating of 50% or more receive a property tax exemption up to the first $150,000 of the assessed value of their primary residence. The exemption may transfer to the spouse if the Veteran has passed and the spouse is at least 60 years old.

• Expand Medicaid coverage to all adults making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (approximately $21,597 annually for an individual. This would add nearly 500,000 Georgians who currently have no health coverage. Full Medicaid expansion would also increase Georgia's federal matching rate to 90 percent, allowing the state to offset existing health expenditures and invest more in the state healthcare system.
• Supply additional state funding for Union, Lumpkin and White Counties to erect additional guard rails on Blood Mountain, and tree-fall protection along SR75/75A and SR115.
• Supply additional state funding for Union and Lumpkin Counties for more winter weather vehicles and materials to clear Blood Mountain faster and reduce road closure times due to icing and erosion.

• Seek funding from any state budget surplus to construct a permanent fresh water reservoir for Pickens County.
• Eliminate the practice of county school districts reserving portions of their already strained budgets for lawyer retainer fees. Legal representation for educators, staff and administration wrong-doing should not be paid for by tax dollars intended for textbooks and classroom supplies.
• Eliminate the practice of providing massive tax breaks and subsidies for multi-billion corporations and instead allocate that revenue to Georgia family farms and businesses for emergency operation and material cost-reduction — such as skyrocketing fuel, diesel and fertilizer costs due to federal actions and tariffs.