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In the wake of the devastation in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Governor Sonny Perdue has reacted swiftly and boldly to meet the needs of those directly and indirectly impacted by hurricane Katrina.
Mobilizes State Resources
The Department of Human Resources Department of Family and Children’s Services opened seven shelters throughout Georgia including three in Southwest Georgia in Albany, Columbus, and Valdosta. The DHR Public Health Division began receiving patients being flown in to Dobbins Air Force Base and will transport them to hospitals in Atlanta and Augusta. In addition, residency requirements for food stamps and other emergency financial support programs are being waived for survivors who come to Georgia.
Governor Perdue sent a strategic team from the Georgia Department of Homeland Security to Mississippi for the month of September. He directed a team from Georgia Forestry Commission to help with clean-up in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. He also assigned 20 GBI Agents to assist in Mississippi.
Deploys National Guard Assets
The Georgia Army and Air National Guard will be providing an estimated 1500 soldiers and airmen for relief operations. Relief missions will include security, engineering, medical, airlift and support operations. The first Georgia National Guard assets sent to the affected area left on Wednesday (8/31) when three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters left for Louisiana and Mississippi. Additionally, Georgia Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and UH-1 Huey helicopters are also currently positioned in the affected areas. The first Georgia units are expected to be in place on Saturday.
Slashes Government Red-Tape
Due to a disruption in a pipeline to Georgia, Governor Perdue waived environmental regulations that required higher additives in gasoline in some parts of the state. He also obtained a waiver from the Federal Department of Transportation to lift truck driving restrictions which now allow deliveries by truck 24 hours per day.
Gives Stern Warning to Price Gougers
We were all shocked by gasoline pump prices that skyrocketed last Wednesday due to the shortage caused by Katrina. Prices went from around $2.70 per gallon to $3.50 and some places in Atlanta reported prices over $7.00 per gallon. Governor Perdue responded immediately with an Executive order enacting Georgia’s price gouging statute. “We will not tolerate the exploitation of Georgia consumers as we recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Violators of this price gouging statute will be punished to the fullest extent possible.”
Citizens are asked to report any suspected incidences of price gouging to the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs at (404) 651-8600 or (800) 869-1123. Any violators of Georgia’s price gouging statute will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Calf-Ropes and Hog Ties Skyrocketing Gas Prices
In one of the boldest steps taken by any Governor, Sonny Perdue announced today that effective midnight, September 2, he is enacting a one month moratorium on the gasoline tax. Having just enacted the provisions of the price gouging statute, Governor Perdue observed that the state should not gouge its citizens either. “In the present circumstances, keeping that money in the pockets of Georgia motorists is a higher priority than a fattened bank account.” said Perdue.
Recognizing that the vast majority of dealers in Georgia are honest, hard-working, people, Governor Perdue issued a clear warning to those who would attempt to take advantage of this situation when he said, “Let me be very clear. I expect this tax moratorium to be passed on to consumers and Georgia citizens who drive. We will be watching and we trust that our dealers will respect that and will pass on this more than 15 cents per gallon savings to their customers each and every day.”
Literally within minutes of the Governor’s announcement at noon, prices at the pump plummeted to under $3.00 at stations across Southwest Georgia.
Georgia Law requires that the Legislature ratify the Executive Order, therefore Governor Perdue is calling a special session of the legislature from September 6 – 10 to ratify his actions. Let me add a little note here. Someone, somewhere is going to complain that the Governor is wasting money by calling a special session of the legislature. We need to be proactive on this point. A special session is going to cost about 33 thousand dollars per day. The ratification of Sonny Perdue’s bold leadership will save Georgian’s about 75 million dollars in the next 30 days. It ain’t rocket science – it’s just plain common sense – and that’s the kind of Governor we have.
Donald E. Cole, Chairman
Dougherty County Republican Party
P.O.Box 72224
Albany, GA 31708
victory@doughertyrepublicans.org
www.doughertyrepublicans.org
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