Economy – Page 13 – Better Georgia

2016 Legislative Session

The biggest progressive victories of the year (so far)

The final progressive victory of this year’s legislative session came yesterday with a veto of the disastrous “Campus Carry” bill, which would have legalized guns on college campuses throughout the state. Gov. Deal’s veto announcement came just before his deadline to sign or veto bills passed during the surprisingly successful 2016 session, which ended in March. Here are a few of the biggest progressive victories of the year (so far): Campus Carry (VETOED). Gov. Deal seemed

May 4, 2016 10:04 am

Public Transit

MARTA one step closer to $2.5B; Political leadership lacking

Let’s take a moment to celebrate. MARTA is one step closer to getting $2.5 billion, funded by a half penny sales tax in Atlanta, after Gov. Deal signed the much-heralded measure into law last Tuesday. The compromise measure, which still must go before voters as a referendum before going into effect, focuses narrowly on the City of Atlanta, with an option for Fulton County to pursue a small sales tax as well. SB 369 allows

May 1, 2016 7:42 am

Economy

Big Bucks for Anti-Abortion Centers that Bully Women

This past Tuesday, Gov. Deal signed a bill, which allows the state of Georgia to fund anti-abortion clinics, into law. Georgia has 70 anti-abortion “clinics,” however, only 40 are licensed to give medical care — and most of those don’t offer all of the services a pregnant woman needs. The sole purpose of these centers is to dissuade women from getting an abortion and they use a variety of tactics to do so. The people who

April 29, 2016 8:27 am

Economy

Transparency trans-shmarency

With little fanfare, a new anti-transparency measure just became law. Last week, Gov. Nathan Deal signed a new anti-transparency measure into law. SB 323 exempts all economic development projects — from any state agency — from public disclosure, until after a contract has been signed. The House and Senate approved the measure late in the evening on the second-to-last day of session. It received near universal support in the House, with a vote of 166-2,

April 21, 2016 11:30 am

Economy

The Fight Wages On

April 14 was a day of action for those fighting to raise the minimum wage. Groups like Fight for 15 and 9 to 5 gathered outside of a McDonald’s in Atlanta to protest for livable wages and the right to form workers’ unions. This ongoing fight is growing in recognition as we get closer to the presidential election. Both Democratic candidates have raising the minimum wage as a part of their platforms, but that would only affect

April 20, 2016 9:42 am

Economy

5,000 Georgians lose food stamps; told get a job or get lost

This month, 5,000 Georgians lost their food stamp benefits after the state made changes to the program eligibility in three counties — Cobb, Hall and Gwinnett. Able-bodied adults without children must now meet work requirements, long hailed by proponents as a way to incentivize finding paid work. “We have to find a way to motivate them,” State Rep. David Clark (R – Buford) told the AJC. “This is going to make people step up and

April 19, 2016 11:06 am

The biggest progressive victories of the year (so far)

MARTA one step closer to $2.5B; Political leadership lacking

Big Bucks for Anti-Abortion Centers that Bully Women

Transparency trans-shmarency

The Fight Wages On

5,000 Georgians lose food stamps; told get a job or get lost

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