Stephen Allison’s column

On Monday January 11, 2010, the Georgia General Assembly rang in a new session and with it brought many leadership changes and new committee assignments.  The new Speaker of the House of Representatives is David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), and he brings with him much needed change.  Among the changes are newly appointed leadership positions as well as new committee assignments.

I was recently appointed a Deputy Whip by House Majority Whip Ed Lindsey (R-Atlanta) and will now take on some added responsibility in this new position of leadership.  I also had my committee assignments changed as I was appointed to serve our district on the Appropriations Committee, which oversees the state’s budget.  I will serve on the General Government Subcommittee, which also oversees the budget for state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources.   In these difficult times it is imperative that our district has a voice on key committees, and will I continue to serve on the Judiciary, Children & Youth, Higher Education and Banks and Banking committees.  Due to our financial situation, and the fact that all fiscal bills are required to originate in the House of Representatives, our placement on the Appropriations subcommittee is significant.

The single biggest priority for this session will be handing the $1.2 billion cuts that are in Governor Perdue’s budget proposal.  In these challenging financial times, cuts must be made across the board and we must all try to do the best we can in terms of spending responsibly.  The effects of the down economy are felt not only at home, but also under the Gold Dome.  As I have said before, I will continue to work for our district and I know that with a little diligence we will make it through to better economic times.

Aside from carefully considering the state budget, we face a number of other important issues that must be addressed like education, ensuring we have an adequate water supply and finding a solution to our states transportation needs, among others.  With the committee assignments in places, we can now get started on these important issues.

As this session moves ahead, I look forward to working with all of you to ensure our district remains the treasure of North Georgia.  I appreciate the trust you have placed in me and it is truly an honor to serve the most beautiful area of our state in the Georgia General Assembly.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any help.  You can reach me at my district office at (706) 781-3929 or my Atlanta office at (404) 656-0177.  Also, please visit my websites, www.stephenallison.net or www.allison08.com.