How do you propose to balance the state budget?
Doug Bower, Candidate for State Senate District 47
The State of Georgia is mandated by law to operate with a balanced budget. There can be no unbalanced budget. A significant effort to keep it that way has to be related to determining where overspending and waste are taking place. It is imperative in these difficult times to have a government committed to being thrifty and frugal. Further, a zero-based budget is important. While the Governor vetoed a zero-based budget, I haven’t seen any reason why the Governor cannot decide voluntarily to use that approach to a budget. Thus, efforts can be used to encourage the Governor and those involved directly in the budgeting process to seriously consider using the zero-based approach to budgeting.
Do you support any kind of tax increase to generate more revenue for the state?
No. I signed the Tax-Payer Protection Pledge of the Americans for Tax Reform. We need to get at the heart of overspending and waste, and leave money in the hands of buyers and sellers. More revenues will come in as people get a chance to decide what to do with the money they make and spend. The state spending money like it is growing on trees is unacceptable.
Where in state government should spending cuts be made?
Bureaucracy, institutional budgets and administrative salaries first. I could live with a cut in the salaries of state senators from the nearly $17,000 to $12,000, even if it is voluntary gesture during these hard times. A person asked, “Don’t leaders sacrifice?” And another said, “Not ours, they just take and take and take.”
Our campaign is a low-budget campaign representing a view that serving others is not about money. We are persistently trying to say to our fellow citizens, spending too much money, or money that we don’t have, is exactly what is wrong with government.
We also need to look at office equipment, supplies, property, etc., to see what is necessary for conducting the operations of the state. How much does it cost us every time protocols and practices change? Can we settle for inexpensive equipment that is reliable over expensive equipment that has brand recognition? Will an old desk serve a purpose over an expensive new desk? The list of such questions can go on and on.
Do you support cutting the high salaries found in education in the state?
If there are state education administrators or personnel who are making more than the Governor (a salary that also needs to be reduced during hard times), this needs to be changed. At the local level, it is important to discourage counties from paying high salaries to school officials in tough times. Education is about educating students, not about making millionaires out of administrators.
Also, it is imperative to explore where waste is occurring from mandates concerning education. Implementing new protocols and programs frequently creates waste and instability in education.
Students are what education is about. Teachers need to be freed to teach, not to adjust to new protocols and procedures every time they turn around.
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti-illegal immigration law similar to the one adopted in Arizona?
Georgia is not Arizona. A firm policy regarding illegal immigrants is essential based on what Georgians want not what Arizona has done. I support deporting illegal immigrants. Discovering how to determine who these people are is far more complex than what can be addressed in a brief response. It is unacceptable to overlook the reality that people are here illegally. When we know who these people are, they need to be handled within the context of well crafted law.
It is a concern that illegal immigrants don’t want to follow the protocols and procedures that were established to enter the country legally. There are mechanisms in place that open the doors for coming into the country. They may be annoying and inconvenient, but they are there. All of us have to deal with red-tape. It is unacceptable for illegal immigrants to avoid that red-tape and reside in our country with no consequences for that avoidance.
Should the children of illegal immigrants be allowed to attend Georgia colleges if they pay out-of-state tuition rates?
It is my understanding that a child born in the United States is a citizen of the United States. There are those who don’t like that, but if that is indeed the case, not liking it doesn’t change it. Change the law.
If a child is indeed a citizen under the law then they are entitled to appropriate tuition rates.
If a child came in with illegal immigrants, then the child also is illegal and is thus not entitled to even attend Georgia schools and colleges. We do need to find constructive ways of dealing with this issue.
Do you support the state giving up some of its control over local education and turning that over to local school boards? If so, what areas should be turned over to local control?
Absolutely! There is a vast wealth of information and knowledge to explore and investigate. State control narrows the vision, opportunities and perspectives that can be explored by teachers, students and local systems. We need only to insure that county systems teach the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic. If county systems are free to develop programs that work, doors of learning explode to progress and growth. Local school boards can determine what protocols and procedures are important and desirable.
The state should be a resource for systems to help local programs. It also should be a resource for consumers (students and parents) for violations of the rights of those consumers when local systems fail. Local systems though have an automatic check and balance system called citizens, voters, and taxpayers. These should be called on first. Voter power has been taken for granted on such matters far too long. Their vote can change the workings of a local school system.
Do you support the state giving taxpayer incentives to companies looking to open business in Georgia, or should such incentives be banned in the state?
Yes. If we can leave money in the hands of sellers and buyers, as it circulates, tax revenues will be automatically be available. A dollar will keep generating taxes as long as it circulates. Putting it into the hands of the State limits the use of that dollar. Thus incentives to new businesses is important.
Dare we all so consider that for established businesses as well? I would think so.
Of equal importance are the complex regulations placed on businesses and employees. The cost of compliance probably hasn’t been adequately explored. Certainly, businesses would be more creative and resourceful if they didn’t have to spend so much energy making sure they understood the regulations and whether they are in compliance with those regulations.
Do you support a multi-county sales tax to be used for transportation in the state?
No. Don’t we essentially have that with the obtaining of our vehicle tags? Do we need more? Further, what about the participation of counties that are agriculturally based rather than retail based? Would they have to go begging for some of that money in regards to dealing with transportation issues in their areas? They already have to do that. Are the stronger retail based counties going to be willing to pay for transportation in the areas that don’t have the same level of retail based opportunities? I can envision a great deal of conflict over how and where those tax dollars are used with less populated counties being left out or overlooked. Sales tax favors retail areas and puts those counties without lessor resources in a defensive position.
Do you support any kind of tax increase to generate more revenue for the state?
No. I signed the Tax-Payer Protection Pledge of the Americans for Tax Reform. We need to get at the heart of overspending and waste, and leave money in the hands of buyers and sellers. More revenues will come in as people get a chance to decide what to do with the money they make and spend. The state spending money like it is growing on trees is unacceptable.
Where in state government should spending cuts be made?
Bureaucracy, institutional budgets and administrative salaries first. I could live with a cut in the salaries of state senators from the nearly $17,000 to $12,000, even if it is voluntary gesture during these hard times. A person asked, “Don’t leaders sacrifice?” And another said, “Not ours, they just take and take and take.”
Our campaign is a low-budget campaign representing a view that serving others is not about money. We are persistently trying to say to our fellow citizens, spending too much money, or money that we don’t have, is exactly what is wrong with government.
We also need to look at office equipment, supplies, property, etc., to see what is necessary for conducting the operations of the state. How much does it cost us every time protocols and practices change? Can we settle for inexpensive equipment that is reliable over expensive equipment that has brand recognition? Will an old desk serve a purpose over an expensive new desk? The list of such questions can go on and on.
Do you support cutting the high salaries found in education in the state?
If there are state education administrators or personnel who are making more than the Governor (a salary that also needs to be reduced during hard times), this needs to be changed. At the local level, it is important to discourage counties from paying high salaries to school officials in tough times. Education is about educating students, not about making millionaires out of administrators.
Also, it is imperative to explore where waste is occurring from mandates concerning education. Implementing new protocols and programs frequently creates waste and instability in education.
Students are what education is about. Teachers need to be freed to teach, not to adjust to new protocols and procedures every time they turn around.
Do you support Georgia adopting an anti-illegal immigration law similar to the one adopted in Arizona?
Georgia is not Arizona. A firm policy regarding illegal immigrants is essential based on what Georgians want not what Arizona has done. I support deporting illegal immigrants. Discovering how to determine who these people are is far more complex than what can be addressed in a brief response. It is unacceptable to overlook the reality that people are here illegally. When we know who these people are, they need to be handled within the context of well crafted law.
It is a concern that illegal immigrants don’t want to follow the protocols and procedures that were established to enter the country legally. There are mechanisms in place that open the doors for coming into the country. They may be annoying and inconvenient, but they are there. All of us have to deal with red-tape. It is unacceptable for illegal immigrants to avoid that red-tape and reside in our country with no consequences for that avoidance.
Should the children of illegal immigrants be allowed to attend Georgia colleges if they pay out-of-state tuition rates?
It is my understanding that a child born in the United States is a citizen of the United States. There are those who don’t like that, but if that is indeed the case, not liking it doesn’t change it. Change the law.
If a child is indeed a citizen under the law then they are entitled to appropriate tuition rates.
If a child came in with illegal immigrants, then the child also is illegal and is thus not entitled to even attend Georgia schools and colleges. We do need to find constructive ways of dealing with this issue.
Do you support the state giving up some of its control over local education and turning that over to local school boards? If so, what areas should be turned over to local control?
Absolutely! There is a vast wealth of information and knowledge to explore and investigate. State control narrows the vision, opportunities and perspectives that can be explored by teachers, students and local systems. We need only to insure that county systems teach the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic. If county systems are free to develop programs that work, doors of learning explode to progress and growth. Local school boards can determine what protocols and procedures are important and desirable.
The state should be a resource for systems to help local programs. It also should be a resource for consumers (students and parents) for violations of the rights of those consumers when local systems fail. Local systems though have an automatic check and balance system called citizens, voters, and taxpayers. These should be called on first. Voter power has been taken for granted on such matters far too long. Their vote can change the workings of a local school system.
Do you support the state giving taxpayer incentives to companies looking to open business in Georgia, or should such incentives be banned in the state?
Yes. If we can leave money in the hands of sellers and buyers, as it circulates, tax revenues will be automatically be available. A dollar will keep generating taxes as long as it circulates. Putting it into the hands of the State limits the use of that dollar. Thus incentives to new businesses is important.
Dare we all so consider that for established businesses as well? I would think so.
Of equal importance are the complex regulations placed on businesses and employees. The cost of compliance probably hasn’t been adequately explored. Certainly, businesses would be more creative and resourceful if they didn’t have to spend so much energy making sure they understood the regulations and whether they are in compliance with those regulations.
Do you support a multi-county sales tax to be used for transportation in the state?
No. Don’t we essentially have that with the obtaining of our vehicle tags? Do we need more? Further, what about the participation of counties that are agriculturally based rather than retail based? Would they have to go begging for some of that money in regards to dealing with transportation issues in their areas? They already have to do that. Are the stronger retail based counties going to be willing to pay for transportation in the areas that don’t have the same level of retail based opportunities? I can envision a great deal of conflict over how and where those tax dollars are used with less populated counties being left out or overlooked. Sales tax favors retail areas and puts those counties without lessor resources in a defensive position.
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