Georgia Trend Daily – Dec. 8, 2021
Dec. 8, 2021 The Center Square
Georgia tax collection eclipses $2B in November
Jason Schaumburg reports that Georgia’s net tax collections in November amounted to $2.29 billion, a 17% increase compared with collections in November 2020, Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said. November’s tax collections brought the state’s fiscal year 2022 total to $11.87 billion, which represents a $1.7 billion year-over-year increase.
Dec. 8, 2021 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Nominations for Georgia’s 500 Most Influential Leaders
Staff reports that nominations are open now through January 31, 2022 for the premiere edition of Georgia Trend’s Georgia 500. It will publish next Fall and will be an engaging look at Georgia’s most powerful people across major industries and organizations.
Dec. 8, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Evictions up as Georgia lags behind in rental assistance disbursement
Michael E. Kanell reports that Heather Somerstein lost her job earlier in the pandemic and fell behind on rent. Before long, she was facing imminent eviction from her Smyrna apartment. The Cobb County woman filed for rental assistance offered through federal pandemic relief programs.
Dec. 8, 2021 University of North Georgia
College of Education earns national seal of approval
J.K. Devine reports, in the past four years, an average of 239 University of North Georgia (UNG) students per year completed the College of Education (COE) educator preparation program to become kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers. For their final two years, pre-service teachers were immersed inside a K-12 classroom with a professional educator.
Dec. 8, 2021 Albany Herald
Lee County’s Frank Griffin appointed to State Board of Education
Staff reports that Gov. Brian Kemp issued an Executive Order on Monday appointing Frank Griffin, chairman of the Lee County Board of Education, to the State Board of Education. As a result, Griffin announced he will, as required, resign from his position as Lee County board chairman.
Dec. 8, 2021 Gainesville Times
Judicial circuit applies for federal funds to address court’s backlog
Nick Watson reports, with more than 1,000 unindicted cases in Hall County alone, the Northeastern Judicial Circuit has applied for more than $1 million in federal funds to address the court’s backlog. In October, Gov. Brian Kemp announced he would allocate up to $110 million in American Rescue Plan funds for court backlogs.
Dec. 8, 2021 Fox 5
Georgia judge blocks President Biden’s federal contractor vaccine mandate
Staff reports that a federal judge in Georgia has blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors, the latest in a string of victories for Republican-led states pushing back against Biden’s pandemic policies. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker, in Augusta, Georgia, issued a stay to bar enforcement of the mandate nationwide Tuesday.
Dec. 8, 2021 The Current
Petitioners aim to force a vote on Spaceport Camden
Mary Landers reports that opponents of the proposed Spaceport Camden are closing in on the number of Camden County signatures needed to force a special election on the issue. While a Camden spokesman dismissed the effort as unlikely to succeed, organizer Steve Wienkle said he has more than 3,900 of about 4,100 signatures required by the repeal procedure outlined in the Georgia Constitution.
Dec. 8, 2021 Capitol Beat News
Sierra Club appealing coal ash ruling to Georgia Supreme Court
Dave Williams reports that the Sierra Club is asking the Georgia Supreme Court to take up its challenge of Georgia Power’s plan to collect from customers $525 million in coal ash pond closure costs. Both a trial court in Fulton County and the Georgia Court of Appeals have upheld a decision by the state Public Service Commission (PSC) to let the Atlanta-based utility recover a portion of the costs of closing all 29 of its ash ponds at 11 coal-burning power plants across Georgia, nearly $9 billion according to the latest estimate.
Dec. 8, 2021 Covington News
Belton will not pursue another term in state House
Taylor Beck reports that Dave Belton, R-Buckhead, announced Tuesday he would not pursue another term representing District 112 in the Georgia House of Representatives. District 112 includes portions of Newton and Morgan counties. Belton has represented the area since 2015.
Dec. 8, 2021 Georgia Recorder
Raffensperger defends record, voting law heading into busy 2022
Stanley Dunlap reports that embattled Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger defended his record Monday as he faces continued criticism from his own party heading into next year’s election. In an appearance before the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Republican state official pushed back on accusations that he is to blame for 2020 election losses.
Dec. 8, 2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Get ready for 2022, Georgia: It’s going to be wild
Greg Bluestein reports that Georgia was already positioned to be one of the nation’s key 2022 battlegrounds, but the rapid-fire transformation of the governor’s race into a three-way battle between political giants only cemented the state’s consequential role in the next election. The decisions by Democrat Stacey Abrams and former Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue to challenge Gov. Brian Kemp assured Georgia of yet another high-profile matchup that will define the 2022 midterm and shape the next presidential vote.
