Painful budget cuts ahead for state agencies when legislature returns
News June 6, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Appearing on FYNTV.COM’s “Good Morning from the Office” program Thursday (June 4) State Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) said legislators will tackle the difficult task of balancing the fiscal year 2021 budget when the Georgia’s General Assembly is back in session on June 15.
The full legislature has not met since Gov. Brian Kemp declared a Public Health State of Emergency to address the COVID-19 crisis on March 14. When they return, legislators will have to pass a supplemental 2020 budget as well as a FY 2021 budget.
“There are going to be some painful cuts,” Tanner said, “The appropriations committees have already been working. We’ve drafted cuts for the governor for 14 percent across the board, no exceptions for every agency.”
Agency directors have testified before the joint appropriations committee. So the appropriations committees are well underway with the budget process.
“Fortunately in Georgia, we are required to balance the budget unlike in Washington which I think is one of the biggest issues in D.C. now,” said Tanner. “In addition to that, one of the things leadership in the House has done is they have taken a look at our important bills that are outstanding and I think you will see several other bills come before the House and Senate.”
Tanner is one of nine Republican candidates campaigning for the 9th District Congressional seat vacated by Congressman Doug Collins who is seeking to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Two of other’s – Georgia State Senator John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) and Ethan Underwood appeared on Thursday’s program. Fetch Your News will also have separate articles on those candidates.
Regarding issues he wants to address if elected, Tanner said the biggest issue is spending.
“The special interest groups that are driving the conversation in Washington are part of the problem,” he said. “They are driving the insanity in D.C. that is geared around spending. Spending is completely out of control and it has been for several decades. It’s not just one party. All parties are to blame for the spending problem we have and I’m not sure that ever gets under control until we force a balanced budget amendment into the Constitution. I fully support a balanced budget amendment.”
Asked about the bitter divisiveness going on in Washington, Tanner said, “There’s people out there who would like to divide us. There’s people who want to create turmoil. A lot of those people are funding candidates on both sides, Republican and Democrat. They want to create anarchy in this country so they can destroy an institution we have built and our forefathers have built. I’m not willing to sit by while my country is being destroyed without jumping into the fight. We have got to bring some common sense back to Washington.
Underwood says experience in fighting government makes him best candidate
Business, News June 6, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Ethan Underwood, one of nine Republican candidates running to replace Doug Collins as Georgia’s Ninth District Congressman, said conservatives will lose one of the most articulate fighters we have when Congressman Doug Collins leaves to run for Senate.
A guest on FYNTV.COM’s Good Morning From the Office Thursday, Underwood told host Brian Pritchard, “We can’t lose that. We’ve got to replace that with somebody with energy who can articulate the conservative message and I’m the right candidate for this time.”
Underwood, a property rights attorney, has built his campaign around the fact that he is an effective fighter for conservative values.
“I’m an attorney. I’m one who fights government. It’s what I do for a living and I’m pretty darn good at it,” he said. “I’m good at wading into hostile situations and getting good results. That is the skill set for this time with the hostile situation in D.C.”
Underwood, 42, has worked for Republican causes for 25 years and has served as chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party and as a district officer for the Republican Party.
As an attorney, Underwood said he is good at understanding procedure. “The first thing I’m going to do is learn the procedures and study the budget when I get up there to see what we can do to reduce spending and make sure I can act effectively for the people of the Ninth District. We need somebody who can go to D.C. and understand how the procedures work. You can get things done or you can stop bad legislation if you understand how the procedures work.”
On the subject of the protests going on throughout the country, Underwood said, “George Floyd should not have been killed. He was murdered. I hope they throw the people who did it under the jail. I’m glad to have friendly discussions about how we can get over the racial tension in this country. I’m excited about people saying, ‘We’re tired of racism. We want to end it.’ But when that devolves into destroying personal property and rioting that has got to be stopped immediately.”
Underwood said it is imperative that Republicans win back the House, lower taxes and reduce spending.
“That is where Republicans always drop the ball. They lower taxes but they don’t reduce spending. We also need to change the CARES Act.” Underwood said he hears from employers who say they want to hire their employees back and they can’t get them back because they’re getting more money going on unemployment than they are if they come back to work.”
He also said if Democrat governors are keeping their states shut down in hopes of winning the November election. “We need to be pounding that (message) to the media. Show the Democrats for what they are doing, which is manipulating the crisis in order to win the election.”
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