Metro Atlanta communities left off of Kemp’s committees to allocate federal aid
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Months after President Joe Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief American Rescue Plan bill, Georgia is finally focusing its attention on how to use its allocation of the funds in the Peach State.
Gov. Brian Kemp has tapped what he calls a “bipartisan group” of Georgia lawmakers, state agency heads and other state officials to assist him in determining how to spend $4.8 billion in funds allocated to Georgia.
In a planned statement, Kemp said, “These committees will ensure federal coronavirus relief dollars are allocated strategically across our state and address one-time funding needs in these three key areas.” However, some are concerned that Gov. Kemp is playing politics with the federal funds from the Biden administration based on who he has appointed and who he has not. The communities that comprise Metro Atlanta are the largest in the state, yet they were virtually overlooked by Kemp in participating on any of these committees. Only two of the 20 lawmakers Kemp appointed are from metro Atlanta counties, and not one is from Atlanta. Many say Kemp could not see beyond his public feud with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to appoint the person who heads the largest city in the state or anyone else from metro Atlanta.
Democrats named to the panels include Georgia Rep. Calvin Smyre of Columbus, the longest serving member of the House, and State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims of Dawson. House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, and Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, will serve on all three committees.
Of the 14 – 18 members assigned to each committee, two Democrats will serve on the Economic Impact Committee and two will serve on the Broadband Infrastructure Committee. One Democrat will serve on the Water and Sewer Infrastructure Committee, which speaks little to bipartisanship on Kemp’s part. Not only is metro Atlanta being excluded from the “big table”, but some also say Kemp is ensuring that Democrats and other metro Atlanta leaders have little to no say in how the federal money is spent in Georgia. With him coming up for re-election in 2022, some say his partisan handling of this could come back to bite him in the form of voters being turned off with federal funds being used as a political football.
Kemp says the committees will focus on broadband expansion, water and sewer infrastructure, and ways to mitigate the economic fallout from the pandemic and state agencies, local governments, industries and nonprofits will be eligible to apply for the funds. In addition to funding infrastructure projects and responding to COVID-19, the funds can be used for making direct payments to Georgians, providing aid to small businesses, and extra pay for “essential workers.” Expanding high-speed internet access, especially in rural Georgia, has been a topic of discussion at the Gold Dome, with no viable way for lawmakers to pay for it. These federal funds could be used to spur that action around the state.
The committees will accept applications at opb.georgia.gov from August 1 to August 31. Grants will be announced the week of October 18 but are subject to change based on guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department. Committee recommendations will be subject to approval by Gov. Kemp.
As part of the federal relief package, Georgia has received the first half of the money and will get the second half next year. The committees are as follows:
Economic Impact Committee
Alex Atwood, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Administrative Services
Gerlda Hines, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Resources
Pat Wilson, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development
Jeffrey Dorfman, State Economist and University of Georgia professor
Robyn Crittenden, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue
Tim Lowrimore, State Forester
Brian Marlowe, Deputy Commissioner for rural Georgia
Terry England, R-Auburn House Appropriations Chairman
Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia Senate Appropriations Chairman
Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire House Ways and Means Chairman
Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus
Rep. Josh Bonner, R-Fayetteville
Rep. John LaHood, R-Valdosta
Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford
Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Ellenwood
Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome
Broadband Infrastructure Committee
Russell McMurry, Transportation Commissioner
Jannine Miller, Transportation Planning Director
Christopher Nunn, Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs
Teresa MacCartney, Interim Chancellor of the University System of Georgia
Greg Dozier, Technical College System Commissioner
Shawnzia Thomas, Executive Director, Georgia Technology Authority
Richard Woods, State School Superintendent
Eric Toler, Executive Director, Georgia Cyber Center
Michael Nix, Executive Director, Georgia Emergency Communications Authority
Frank Smith, Deputy Executive Director, State Properties Commission
House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn
Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia
Rep. Clay Pirkle, R-Ashburn
Rep. Patty Bentley, D-Butler
Rep. Jodi Lott, R-Evans
Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia
Sen. Harold Jones, D-Augusta
Senate Majority Whip Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega
Water and Sewer Infrastructure Committee
Chris Carr, Attorney General
David Dove, Executive Counsel to Kemp
Mark Williams, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources
Rick Dunn, Director of the Environmental Protection Division
Kevin Clark, Executive Director of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
John Eunice, Deputy Director, EPD
Andrew Pinson, Georgia Solicitor General
James Capp, Watershed Protection Branch Chief, EPD
Wei Zeng, Water Protection Program Manager, EPD
Terry England, R-Auburn House Appropriations Chairman
Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia Senate Appropriations Chairman
Rep. Dominic LaRiccia, R-Douglas
House Agriculture Chairman Robert Dickey, R-Musella
Sen. Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell
Senate Agriculture Chairman Larry Walker, R-Perry
Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Dawson