THOMASVILLE — State Rep. Mike Keown gave the legislative session that ended April 4 a grade of “C,” noting that much of lawmakers’ time was spent trying to keep pace with ever-changing tax proposals.

The result, said Keown, R-Coolidge, was that no tax relief was passed during the Georgia General Assembly’s 40-day session. Keown, who represents part of Grady and Thomas counties, spoke Tuesday at the Thomas County Republican Party’s monthly meeting at The Plaza Restaurant.

“This session was not so much about what we did as what we didn’t do,” he said. “Honestly I worked as hard this time fighting bills as I did supporting bills.”

Keown said he has encouraged Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson to get together and discuss a shared agenda. Even with a Republican majority in both houses and a Republican governor, the legislative accomplishments were lacking.

“We should be able to do what we need to do,” Keown said. “Right now, I believe we have a leadership issue. We’re looking for someone to lead us, someone to bring us all together. I’m asking, where is the leadership in Georgia?”

During the legislative session, Richardson put forward a tax plan that would have replaced property taxes. The initially named “GREAT” plan would have enacted sales taxes on services that currently are not taxed, and was fiercely opposed by municipal, county and school board officials.

A Senate plan backed by Cagle would have cut state income taxes 10 percent across the board.

And toward the end of the session, lawmakers struggled to find a way to reduce automobile tag taxes.

The House passed a measure eliminating the tag tax, but that bill did not make it to the Senate before the close of the session, Keown said during an interview following his remarks to the audience.

“Really, leadership could not decide whether they wanted to eliminate the tag tax or eliminate part of the state income tax,” Keown said. “The tag tax got hung up between the House and the Senate.”

The “GREAT” proposal “was presented to us as if it was a done deal,” Keown said. “That plan changed almost daily. It was changed so much you knew nobody was doing the homework on what the ramifications were going to be.”

Another major item on the legislature’s agenda — transportation funding — also were not resolved, Keown said.

The Legislature did agree on a statewide water plan that Keown said is important, as evidenced by the ongoing drought.”

The one issue that Keown hoped to see action on this year —adding a second consumer member to the State Medical Board — also failed, he said.

“One of the things we’re looking at right now is that we could lose some seats, particularly with that (Barrack) Obama train that’s running,” Keown told his audience.



Reporter Alan Mauldin can be reached by calling (229) 226-2400, ext. 226.