SmithForGeorgia

Remember the Real meaning of the 4th of July

Richard Smith — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:19:22 +0000

“God Bless America.”

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do Ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

James Madison, President of the United States of America

“I am sure there never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe, that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God, who is alone able to protect them.”

George Washington, President of the United States of America

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

George Washington, President of the United States of America

“Patriotism is not a short outburst of emotion, but it is the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”

Adlai Stevenson, Jr., United States Senator

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY FOURTH !!

Columbus, GA Reapportionment Hearing

Richard Smith — Tue, 17 May 2011 17:06:39 +0000

Mark your calendar:

Monday, June 6
Time: 5 – 7 pm

Columbus Public Library
3000 Macon Road
Columbus, Georgia 31906
706-243-2669

Yesterday in Athens, each person who wanted to speak was given 3 minutes to
say what was on their mind. This allowed everyone an opportunity to address the
Reapportionment Committee. This is a hearing only.

Committee members are not allowed to answer questions or ask questions.

You can follow the public hearings in each community. They are being
recorded and will be available on the web.

Go to www.legis.ga.gov. and tap on
House of Representatives.

This is a a critical step in governance. Once the new district lines
are drawn, they will not be revisited for 10 years. It is important that it is
done right.

Goal of the finished product:

Fair, equitable and constitutional.

Girl Scout Cookies will not be taxed

Richard Smith — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:00:06 +0000

There has been a lot of apprehension about what the tax reform will look like. The proposal I am about to outline is the JOBS bill everyone has been waiting for this year and the TAX REFORM that the tax council and members of the General Assembly have spent countless hours developing.

THIS PROPOSAL IS REVENUE NEUTRAL.

Let me tell you what this proposal WILL NOT do:

NO TAXES ON GIRL SCOUT COOKIES or BOY SCOUT POPCORN.
NO TAXES ON GROCERIES
NO TAX ON YOUR DOG OR CAT WHEN YOU TAKE THEM TO THE VET.
NO TAXES ON HAIRCUTS, LEGAL SERVICES, AAA MEMBERSHIPS, SAM’S CLUB MEMBERSHIP, DRY CLEANING, PEDICURES, PRESCRIPTIONS.
We are not going to eliminate the exemption on Georgia’s cherished non-profit organizations.
We are not going to eliminate the senior income tax exemption

Now that I have told you what it will not do, lets see what the JOBS BILL & TAX REFORM looks like:

The Georgia General Assembly understands that the greatest way to pull itself out of this prolonged economic crisis is to provide its citizens workforce with high paying job opportunities. These initiatives are the result of the first comprehensive analysis of Georgia’s tax code through the lens of global competition and a greater amount of technology-oriented job opportunities.

The question is, “What will make Georgia a better destination for business partners that will bring job opportunities for Georgia’s citizens?”.

Cutting personal income tax rates would be the most advantageous change Georgia could make to attract high-technology companies and high paying jobs for Georgians.

Specific to legislative action:

Alterations to the tax code are intended to be revenue neutral.

This will not eliminate the Senior Income Tax Exemption. This proposal will maintain the current $35,000 ($70,000 for a married couple) exemption.

Flattens the Personal Income Tax Rate.
1. Lowers the personal income tax rate by 25%, from 6% to as low as 4.5% or possibly even lower
2. Our neighbors to the North and South (TN & FL have no personal income tax and AL taxes personal income at 5%.
3. Keeps current deductions for contributions to college savings plans
4. Keeps current social security deduction
Eliminates the sales tax on energy used by manufacturers.
1. Georgia is the ONLY state in the southeast (except for NC which taxes energy at a reduced rate) and only one of only 14 states in the nation that imposes a sales tax on energy used by manufacturers.
2. Manufacturers are among the largest users of electricity and natural gas. High energy cost are repeatedly cited as significant obstacles to the manufacturing sector because they are often the single largest expense in manufacturing process.
Broadens Consumption Taxes (Modernizes tax code)
1. Communications Services Tax
  1. Establishes an across the board 7% tax on all telecommunications including cable, satellite, and all phone services which brings uniformity to telecom service providers
  2. Removes the telecom tax on capital investment, allowing for increased investment on broadband and wireless capacity which could bring more telecommunications access to rural areas.
  3. Increased telecom capital investment will create more job opportunities in Georgia
  4. NC, VA, and 6 other states have already implemented similar flat communication taxes
2. Casual sales to motor vehicles, boats & airplanes
  1. Georgia would join 44 other states that already tax casual sales
3. Automobile Repair Service
  1. Georgia currently taxes parts on auto repairs
  2. At least 21 other states tax automobile labor repair including FL & TN and this proposal calls for the same in GA

Don’t forget, SPECIFIC TO LEGISLATION.

Richard Smith — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:27:54 +0000

I came across this quote & I felt like it should be shared.

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better: The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew victory nor defeat.”

Teddy Roosevelt

“Citizenship in a Republic,”

Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

IMMIGRATION (HB87)

a- General Conclusions:

With every great privilege, comes an inherent responsibility to abide by the laws that protect that privilege.

The Pew Hispanic Center recently determined that Georgia’s immigration population ranks 7th in the nation
That same study estimates an illegal immigration population that nears 425,000, or a city population second only to Atlanta

As our local and state budgets become smaller and smaller, a greater scrutiny has to be given to those who receive services from those budgets.

From 2000-2009, Georgia’s illegal population grew by 115%, the fastest of any state.

The fiscal burdens created by illegal immigrants directly impact the cornerstone services Georgia provides its citizens and the level at which they are provided, the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimate that burden to be $2.4 Billion per year. The services illegal immigration impacts:

Education
Healthcare
Law Enforcement / Corrections

Georgia’s unemployment rate is at historic levels and it is our job as legislators to protect job opportunities for Georgia’s legal citizens.

This legislation is necessary to address Georgia’s serious social and economical problems caused by the federal government’s failure to secure our border.

b- Specific to Legislative Action:
** AS ORIGINALLY Filed**

Expands the use of federal E-VERIFY system.

The E-VERIFY system is an accurate, no-cost, Internet-based federal database designed to verify the eligibility to legally work in the United States. It is only intended for newly hired employees. It is not a screening system. More than 16,000 Georgia businesses already use E-VERIFY.

Require the use of secure and verifiable identification documents for any official use, including the dispensation of public benefits.

Provide greater incentives for law enforcement agencies to participate in federal partnerships that will provide faster and more efficient identification and transfer of illegal aliens.

Provides new tools for law enforcement to allow greater latitude in handling immigration issues:

Provides for greater opportunities to prosecute those that knowingly harbor or transport illegal aliens in our state, or knowingly entice entrance of illegal aliens into our state
Provides greater opportunity for law enforcement officers to identify illegal aliens during the course of an investigation
Provides penalties for government officials who fail to enforce state laws related to immigration

SmithForGeorgia

Remember the Real meaning of the 4th of July

Columbus, GA Reapportionment Hearing

Girl Scout Cookies will not be taxed

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