ATLANTA - State Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta) encourages Georgians to take advantage of the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. Beginning today, February 12, 2010, the program will provide consumers with rebates ranging from $25 to $199 on ENERGY STAR rated appliances.

 

"In these tough economic times, we all need to save money wherever we can," said Representative Benfield.  "I hope my constituents will take advantage of this program that will result in lower energy bills and also conserve energy."

 

ENERGY STAR appliances eligible for the program include clothes washers, dishwashers, air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers.   The total amount available for rebates is $8.6 million.  Purchases made prior to February 12, 2010 will not be eligible.

The following chart provides a breakdown of the eligible ENERGY STAR appliances and the corresponding rebate levels:

 

Rebate Eligible Products	Rebate Level	Rebate Eligible Products	Rebate Level
Clothes Washer*	$50 or $99	Water Heaters
Dishwasher*	$50 or $99	Gas Condensing	$99
Refrigerators	$50	Electric Heat    Pump	$199
Freezers	$25	Gas Storage*	$50 or $99
Room Air Conditioners	$30	Gas Tankless	$199
Central Air Conditioner	$99	Solar - Electric	$199
Air Source Heat Pump	$199	Solar - Gas	$199
Oil Furnace	$99	Oil and Gas Boilers	$199
Gas Furnace	$199

*Two rebate levels available due to different energy efficiency ratings

Georgia residents with a valid residential address who purchase a qualified ENERGY STAR appliance from a Georgia retailer will be eligible to receive the assigned rebate for that appliance.  Rebates are limited to one rebate per appliance type per household.  For example, a consumer who purchases two of the same appliance would qualify for only one rebate, but a consumer who purchases two different appliances would qualify for two separate rebates.  Separate rebate applications must be completed for each appliance purchased.  The maximum rebate limit per household is $1,200.

 

Consumers and/or retailers can confirm the availability of the remaining $8.6 million rebate funds by checking www.GeorgiaRebate.com or by calling toll-free 1-866-296-1633.  The Web site and phone number will provide a current estimate of the remaining rebate funds in the program and the approximate number of days until funding is depleted.  The rebates will be awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis until the funding is depleted.

 

After Purchasing Appliance - Applying for a Rebate:

Following the appliance purchase, customers will be responsible for immediately applying for a rebate at www.GeorgiaRebate.com or by calling toll-free 1-866-296-1633.  When their application process is complete, a rebate form will be provided through the Georgia Rebate web site or via U.S. mail.  The, the customer should mail the rebate form and a copy of the sales receipt to the address on the rebate form.  The sales receipt must verify that a qualifying ENERGY STAR appliance was purchased.  Qualified appliances must be purchased from a retailer within the state of Georgia.  Online and out-of-state purchases do not qualify. 

 

Receiving Your Rebate:

Once the rebate claim is physically received and the receipt is verified, the customer's rebate will be approved and payment will be mailed.  Rebates will be issued in the form of a Visa^® Prepaid Card* preloaded with the rebate amount and should be received by the customer within 2-3 weeks from time the required forms and receipts were mailed.

 

Program Expectations:

Approximately 100,000 rebates are expected to be issued through the program.  Guides for retailers and consumers are available at www.GeorgiaRebate.com.

 

Recycling:

Participants are required to recycle refrigerators and freezers and are strongly encouraged to recycle all other appliances.  Recycling arrangements can be coordinated with the retailer.

 

More Information:

Participants in the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program will have the opportunity to join the Governor's Energy Challenge, a voluntary program encouraging businesses, individuals, not-for-profit organizations, schools, and local governments to reduce their energy consumption by 15-percent.

 

 

Water Stewardship Act in Both Chambers, HB 1094 and SB 370

 

Governor Perdue Floor Leaders, and the Chairs of the House and Senate Natural Resources Committees, has introduced HB 1094 and SB 370 to require, and/or strongly encourage water conservation in a variety of ways.   The proposed Water Stewardship Act is not a strong measure.  But it is the first meaningful water conservation measure the legislature is likely to pass since the 1990's, when wasteful plumbing fixtures were outlawed. 

 

Legislators who have urged water conservation over the years have long despaired of this day ever arriving.  Rep. Jeff Brown of LaGrange used his own farewell remarks to the House to lament the lack of action on water conservation, saying, "I have served here for 10 years and talked about the need to do this and we have done nothing."  Sen. Seth Harp of Columbus tried to get a bill to require the use of efficient plumbing fixtures a few years ago  and told the Sen. Natural Resources Committee that, "Some day a federal judge is going to make us do the kind of thing this bill does.  Why can't we just go ahead and do it now?"  Those words have proven remarkably prophetic.

 

A federal judge, Paul Magnuson, has effectively told GA to get serious about its water management.  This is not a direct order, but has the effect of such.  The judge told GA that it needs to get the authorization of Congress to continue its current level of reliance on Lake Lanier .  That, in effect, means getting Alabama and Florida to agree to a plan to share the waters the three states have in common.  Since GA has simply used as much as it liked, in any way it liked, up until now, something has to change to reach such agreements, with the downstream states, and with Congress.

 

This Water Stewardship Act is the first concrete public gesture GA has made toward such agreements.  The negotiations with the other states are being conducted in secret, so who knows what else GA may have on that table?  The bill is not strong, as stated above, but it is fairly comprehensive.  It mentions most of the right subjects, but suggests only that users be "encouraged" to act in the right way for each of those.  In the areas of stopping leaks, using the most efficient fixtures, and metering the use of all water, the bill is stronger, but the effective dates provided are in 2010, the same year the judge's order becomes effective.  The downstream states are being asked, in this Act, to "trust us."

 

It is hard to think that plea will not fall on ears that, if not actually deaf, cannot hear clearly, not after the years of negotiation with GA starting in the 1990's that yielded no agreements, only a steady growth in the amount of water GA was using.  Perhaps this Act will be strengthened in the legislative process, and made to be more effective, and sooner.

 

The Water Stewardship Act is something of a "gift horse."  It is hard to say "no" to the gift, but since this particular donation is also supposed to be an instrument of policy in negotiation, it is entirely in the interest of Georgians that it be as good as it can be, and not a series of half-measures, delivered late.Sierrans Should Urge Their Legislators to Make the Stewardship Act Stronger, and Effective Sooner.

Sen. Pearson Bill Would Privatize Drinking Water Supply Reservoirs, SB 321

 

In 2008, the General Assembly passed a bill that created a Water Supply Division within the GA Environmental Facilities Authority that was charged with expediting the development of new water supplies from existing and new reservoirs.  That Division was then left unfunded by chronic and continuing budget shortfalls. SB 321 seeks to modify the 2008 law to allow the Water Supply Division (WSD), to assist private persons, or businesses, who may wish to develop water supply reservoirs.

 

SB 321 contemplates that the WSD would solicit proposals for water projects from interested parties, and when something suitable turned up, it would do the basic investigation and feasibility studies, and be compensated for its expenses by the developer or developers.  In return, after the compensation was paid, the developers would then be exempt from a key provision of the underlying Water Supply Act, one that protects the water quality in the reservoir by prohibiting residential or commercial development around it, and by keeping motorboats off of it.

 

Sen. Pearson had fought against the anti-development provisions in 2008, which are written to apply to any water supply reservoir that has even a single penny of state money in its development cost.  He lost that fight, but now wants another shot at developing around a reservoir by making it a public-private partnership. 

As a practical matter, it is highly unlikely that any private parties will wish to participate in developing a water supply project in GA.  Water is valuable here, and that value is increasing, but so many sources that are less costly that a new reservoir are available that recovering reservoir investment will take much longer than most private firms are willing to wait.  Only by being able to use the reservoir to leverage the development of property around the lake could a private firm recover its investment in a timely way. 

 

The problem with that scenario is that the lake's use as a water supply would be severely compromised, if not sacrificed altogether.  Water quality would be low, and the needed ability to draw it down to an empty mud hole during droughts would also become problematic, since residents of expensive lakefront homes will insist on being on a lake, not a mud hole.

 

Sentiment in the Senate Natural Resources toward going along with Sen. Pearson's idea on this is not high.   This idea is so bad even the Senators can see through it, to borrow a phrase from the late songwriter, Woody Guthrie.   Possibly the charm of Senator Pearson and his money have worn off now that the Pearson Brothers' Paramount Grading and their development companies are all busted.   Pearson can't even fly them around anymore as he had to sell both planes.  Maybe somebody will explain to Pearson that there are other reasons for getting elected besides trying to pass bills for self interest.Sierrans Should Contact Their State Senators.  Tell Them No Developments Around Water Supply Reservoirs.

Two weeks ago, the GDOT Board voted to require the Department of Transportation to change their accounting methods from cash to accrual basis. This decision prompted vociferous backlash from both Governor Sonny Perdue and the General Assembly, prompting the Board to rescind their motion last week.

 

House Transportation Chairman Jay Roberts (R - Camilla) has introduced House Bill 1135 seeking to change GDOT's accounting methods. Rep. Roberts' legislation is in the form of a general statute rather than a constitutional amendment.

 

Rep. Ed Setzler (R - Acworth), Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming), Majority Caucus Chair Donna Sheldon (R - Dacula) and others introduced House Resolution 1358, which would divert 25% of the state's sales and use tax proceeds for general transportation purposes.

 

Rep. Tim Bearden's (R - Villa Rica) proposed transportation plan, not yet introduced, creates 159 special tax districts that can pass T-SPLOSTs either individually or as groups. The unique aspect of the bill transfers the state's portion of the 1/4 cent of the motor fuel tax back to the county in which it was collected to be used on local transportation priorities.

 

On Thursday, Speaker David Ralston (R - Blue Ridge) announced that he would be introducing legislation to place term limits on GDOT Board members. Ralston's proposal would give House members the choice between two, two-year terms or one five-year term. GDOT Board members currently serve five-year terms without term limits.

 

On Thursday afternoon, Governor Sonny Perdue held a press conference to announce his transportation plan, legislation that will institute a one-cent sales tax for transportation statewide across the next 8 years. The vote would take place on project lists in each of the 12 different regional commissions in 2012. All of those projects, however, would have to be approved by the Director of Planning, a position appointed by the governor. The funds would be spent in the regions in which they are collected with no county opt-out. The legislation would send all new revenues to the State Road and Toll way Authority for management and disbursement. Finally, the legislation suspends the 50/50 restriction on MARTA's budget for three years. The bill also calls for $300 million in bonds as previously announced by the governor's office.

 

Reforming State Taxes

On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee met to consider Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers' (R-Woodstock) Senate Bill 346, legislation to reform Georgia's property tax system. Sen. Rogers opened his presentation to the committee by apologizing for bringing such a long, complicated piece of legislation, but stated that a 48-page bill wouldn't be necessary if Georgia's property tax system wasn't so convoluted. Sen. Rogers stated that his legislation had two primary purposes: first, to ensure that when a owner's property taxes are calculated, that the assessment is tied as closely as possible to the fair market value of the property; and second, to make sure that every taxpayer had the option and clear opportunity to appeal his assessment.

 

Senate Bill 346 alters the taxing and appeals process in favor of the taxpayer, while also streamlining the process for local taxing authorities. One of the most concerning portions of the bill to those representing local governments was a year round appeal for taxpayers. Sen. Rogers' substitute will replace that provision with a 45 day time period to appeal upon receiving an assessment notice. One of the other interesting portions of the bill is the re-defining of an arm's length transaction, which in the past has not included homes sales at auctions.

 

While this bill will have some further changes, and some parties will still have concerns, everyone is able to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that went into this legislation over the last year. A complicated issue is rarely addressed with the level of craftsmanship and consideration that Sen. Rogers and every interested stakeholder has brought to this effort on property tax reform.

 

Education

Senate Bill 84, legislation to reform the governance of local school boards, passed out of the House Education Committee on Thursday. Pushed by the governor and the Georgia and Metro Atlanta Chambers of Commerce, the legislation reforms training requirements for school board members, requires codes of ethics for every school board, and provides the state the power to remove a school board if they are put on probation by an accrediting agency.

 

The bill previously allowed the governor sole power to remove a school board if put on a probationary level that preceded the loss of accreditation for a school district or school. However, the House Education Committee chose to amend the bill and have the State Board of Education hold a hearing after a the probation period is initiated, and then recommend to the governor whether or not to remove a school board. The committee also removed a provision that would allow school board members to remove a fellow member, and instead allows a board to sanction another member of the same board.

 

In other education news, the House passed House Bill 908. House Bill 908 provides local school districts the flexibility from state expenditure controls on education programs. In other words, funds that the state provides that must be used for certain purposes can now be used by school districts (for the next 3 year), for other purposes. The goal is to allow school systems much needed flexibility with their budgets in these lean economic times.

The Senate Education Committee held hearings on two major pieces of legislation. Senate Bill 386 would implement a performance pay structure for new teachers and those teachers wishing to opt in, as opposed to the current salary schedule used for teachers. Senate Bill 352 would create a grading system for schools that would be based on an A-F scale, with those schools receiving an F facing penalties for low performance. The legislation would also eliminate the High School Graduation Test and replace it with the current end of course tests.

State Representatives Allen Peake (R - Macon) and Amos Amerson (R - Dahlonega), have introduced legislation that will ban the practice of texting while driving, effective July 1 (House Bill 938 and House Bill 944). Georgia would be the 20th state to outlaw the practice, with one study claiming that California's ban has led to a 70% reduction of texting while driving. A subcommittee of the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee has combined both bills into House Bill 944. The subcommittee passed the legislation under the guidance of Chairman Billy Maddox (R-Zebulon). The full committee is expected to hear the bill this upcoming week.

 

Join seven of Atlanta's favorite chefs for an intimate, family-style dinner that pays homage to food memories of the South and raises funds for Slow Food's Terra Madre Foundation.  In addition to sharing five courses of reinterpreted southern family recipes --- each course inspired by a food memory from the preparing chef --- guests will enjoy a word from Slow Food International Founder Carlo Petrini on the importance of Terra Madre and the future of Slow Food, plus

Chefs for the dinner include

Billy Allin of Cakes & Ale,
Cathy Conway of Avalon Catering
Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill,
Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene,
Kevin Ouzts of The Spotted Trotter
Scott Peacock of Watershed, and
Steven Satterfield of Miller Union.

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Founder of Slow Food International speaking at Emory