Columbus, Georgia

Columbus Consolidated Government



2004 Proposed Legislative Agenda





1. Health Department Funding:



Oppose state cuts to the Health Department?s funding, which

could impact the amount of funding that the Consolidated

Government must provide them on an annual basis.



2. Charge for State Inmates Usage:



Oppose the proposal to charge local governments for use of

state prison inmates as outlined in the Department of

Corrections proposed budget.



3. Jail Overcrowding:



Introduce/Support legislation that will expedite transfer of

state inmates to the state prison from city/county jail.



4. LOST:



Enact LOST enabling legislation for consolidated governments

as proposed in the 2003 session.



5. Statewide Tourism Advertisement:



Increase funding for statewide tourism advertising and

promotion for the Tourism Division of Georgia?s Department of

Industry, Trade & Tourism.



6. Tourism Support:



Support complete integration of tourism projects into the

economic development investments (incentives) offered by the

state, including Quick Start, job tax credits, etc.







7. Tax - Destination Marketing:



Reform the Georgia Hotel/Motel Tax Code (OCGA 48-51) to

insure significant percentage of funds are used for the original

intended purpose of the tax ?Destination Marketing.



8. Urge Funding for Cooperative Extension County Operations

Staff:



Due to state budget cuts, field staff vacancies are not being

filled.



9. Urge Continued Funding of the Smart Start Georgia Program for

Muscogee County without reduction in funds for FY05:



This project reaches all of the childcare centers and family day

care homes to work with them to improve their quality of care.



10. Trade Center Funding:



Urge funding previously committed to renovate/expand the

Trade Center in the amount of $22,000,000.



11. National Child Crime Search:



Introduce/Support legislation that would permit us to

fingerprint and do a national child crime search on all

employees who have or wish to have one on one contact with

children. This would be consistent with the Federal Child

Abuse Prevention Act. We have an ordinance mandating

such a search, however, since Georgia has not opted in to this

Act, such checks are not currently available.



12. Alcohol Sales on Sunday (Off Premise):



Introduce/Support legislation that will allow Sunday off premise

alcohol sales.



13. Pay Raise for Elected Officials:



Oppose open-ended pay raises for elected officials.