Rep. Earl Ehrhart has prefiled legislation seeking a boost to $250 million for Georgia’s tax-credit program for private school scholarships.
Ehrhart’s HB 35 would raise the tax credit limit from the present $58 million. Program donors reached that amount by the end of New Year’s Day, Ehrhart told this writer in an interview.
“That’s clearcut case of overwhelming demand, and a dramatic indication of the children it helped,” the Powder Springs Republican said.
Under the program, those who donate to student scholarship organizations can receive a state tax credit of up to $2,500 for married couples. Corporate donors can claim up to 75 percent of their income tax liability.
Program supporters say it increases school choice by helping parents place their children in a private school instead of a deficient public school. Opponents say it gives unconstitutional support to private schools, particularly those religiously oriented, and costs the state money that should go to public schools.
But Ehrhart said “those who argue against this are using bogus math.” He said that the program brings the state significant savings because public schools no longer have to bear the education costs of children who receive private school scholarships. A similar program in Florida has a $400 million limit, he said.
The program has drawn a lawsuit by a group backed by the Southern Education Foundation, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The suit remains undecided.
New faces in Legislature: The Georgia Legislature’s makeup will remain largely unchanged when the 2015 session begins next week, but a few new members will join the action.
While incumbents enjoy overwhelming advantages, seven lost re-election bids, four in the Georgia House, according to a survey by the online web site Ballotpedia. In addition, seven Senate and 10 House incumbents didn’t seek re-election.
The 2014 election was marked by a small number of competitive races: only 36 House incumbents and 12 Senate incumbents faced primary competition, Ballotpedia said. A total of 134 House incumbents and 37 in the Senate were re-elected without opposition.
House Republicans gained two seats, giving them a supermajority of 120, while the Democrats lost one seat for a total of 59, with Culver Kidd remaining the sole independent. The Senate breakdown remained the same, 38 Republicans and 18 Democrats.
Each house lost significant leaders. Republican Sen. Majority Leader Ronnie Chance of Tyrone decided not to run again in the 16th District. In the Georgia House, GOP Majority Whip Edward Lindsey won’t be back after an unsuccessful congressional campaign.
Republican Beth Beskin will replace Lindsey in the House’s 54th District. Tea Party candidate Marty Harbin won the Republican primary to replace Chance.
Leaving the Senate’s first district, Earl “Buddy” Carter won the 1st District U.S. House seat Jack Kingston vacated to run for the U.S. Senate. Carter will be replaced by Ben Watson, who previously represented the 166th District in the State House. Cecil Staton, who gave up his 18th District Senate seat after being named the University System of Georgia’s vice chancellor for extended education, will be replaced by John F. Kennedy.
Among prominent Senate incumbents not returning, Sen. Don Balfour of Snellville lost in the primary although he was acquitted of all charges in a case involving use of his legislative expense account. Republican P.K. Martin will replace Balfour after winning a primary runoff.
Elena Parent will replace unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter in the 42nd District after winning in the general election.
Democratic incumbent Alisha Thomas Morgan of the 39th House District was another casualty of a statewide race. She vacated the seat for an unsuccessful run for state school superintendent. Erica R.Thomas won the Democratic primary to replace her and was unopposed in the general election.
Hardie Davis, a Democrat representing the Senate’s 22nd District, took office as Augusta’s mayor in inauguration ceremonies Monday. Davis, who took 75.02 of the vote in May as the first black elected to lead the combined Augusta-Richmond County government, will be replaced by Harold V. Jones.
Among incumbents losing elections, 33rd District Sen. Steve Thompson was upset after 34 years in office as a representative and senator by Michael Rhett’s grass-roots campaign in the Democratic primary. Thompson was the Senate’s longest-serving member. Rhett had no general election opponent.
