It’s Friday!
Quotes of Note
“The (state) Constitution clearly says that all taxes derived from the sale of motor fuel has to be put on transportation … so I think that, before we answer anything from anybody else, we have to go there first.” – Georgia Senator Steve Gooch, Senate Transportation Committee Chairman
“People who pay for their own consumption don’t have the luxury of being able to pretend that tradeoffs don’t exist. Walk into a BMW dealership and announce, ‘I want a 7-series at Hyundai prices!’ and the dealer will laugh at you.” – Michael Cannon
“[W]hat if we simply flipped transit-oriented development on its head? Call it development-oriented transit. In short, look to add transit in places where people are already flocking, especially where the road infrastructure and room for improving it are limited.” – Kyle Wingfield
Events
January 21: “School Choice: The Next Frontier,” an 8 a.m. Leadership Breakfast at Cobb County’s Georgian Club celebrates National School Choice Week. The keynote speaker is Dr. Ben Scafidi, Foundation Senior Fellow and the new director of Kennesaw State University’s Education Economics Center. $30. Register by Monday, January 19, at http://bit.ly/1yeTHbm.
January 17: Foundation Vice President Benita Dodd keynotes a community forum, 10 a.m. at the Pat Haralson Memorial Civic Center in Blairsville, sponsored by the Union County GOP. Information: Patrick Malone at .
February 18: The Georgia Public Policy Foundation and Reason Foundation will tackle Georgia transportation and funding solutions in a panel discussion, “Transportation Money Matters.” $30. To register, go here.
Transportation
Transit: Focusing transit on providing low-income individuals with greater access to jobs is a good subject for Georgia’s transportation debate. Source: American Enterprise Institute
Technology
Game changer: Federal Communications Commission efforts to reclassify broadband as a public utility could add a host of new state and local taxes and fees totaling $15 billion annually, stifle innovation and restrict the openness of the Internet, according to Americans for Tax Reform. Source: Reuters
Energy and environment
Cut waste: Instead of stockpiling nuclear waste from power plants, this country should follow the example of the French and recycle it for safe reuse, Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols writes in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Health care
Leaps and bounds: The Galen Institute’s list of significant changes to the Affordable Care Act made by the administration, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court now numbers more than 46: “at least 28 that President Obama has made unilaterally, 16 that Congress has passed and the president has signed, and two by the Supreme Court.”
Education
School choice: Donations to Georgia’s tuition tax credit scholarship program reached the $58 million cap on January 1, meaning no more donations can be made for 2015. Last year, it reached the cap on January 21. The Foundation would like to see the funding cap increased.
Friday Flashback
This month in the archives: In January 2005, the Foundation published, “From Flexibility Flows Sound Water Policy,” noting, “[A] restrictive one-size-fits-all policy is hardly sound environmentally or economically for Georgia.”
Media
Foundation in the media: Benita Dodd’s op-ed on MARTA in Clayton County appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; read Kelly McCutchen’s op-ed on Georgia’s 2015 issues in the AJC on Sunday.
Web site of the week: Mackinac Center’s ForTheRecord shares candid and hard-hitting Michigan tidbits like former Gov. Jennifer Granholm teaching a university class on job creation even though, under her leadership, Michigan led the nation in job loss.
Social media: “Like” us (Facebook), join us (twitter.com/gppf) and share us (Friday Facts)!
The Forum: Benita Dodd’s, “Checking Up On Health,” shares news about combating colds and the bitter cold, the flu and Medicaid reimbursement cuts for doctors.
Visit www.georgiapolicy.org to read the latest commentary, “Make Foundation’s 2015 Wish List a To-Do List,” by Benita Dodd.
Have a great weekend!
Kelly McCutchen and Benita Dodd
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