The Serve America Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), was passed by the Senate last night. This legislation creates several new volunteer programs and also increases incentives for participation in existing volunteer programs like Americorps. CIS actively supported this legislation and we are please it has passed. The next step is for the House and Senate to meet and reconcile differences between the House-passed version and the Senate-passed version.
Among the new programs created by this legislation:
Education Corps will enlist thousands of volunteers to support improved education in low-income communities. This will present a tremendous new opportunity for CIS affiliates to enhance their staffing with volunteers, similar to how several affiliates have done using AmeriCorps.
The Volunteer Generation Fund will enhance the capacity of organizations, such as CIS, to recruit and manage volunteers effectively beyond full-time corps members. This fund could potentially grow from $50 million in the first year to $100 million in the fifth year.
The bill would also create Youth Engagement Zones in low-income communities to provide grants for local partnerships engaging students in service-learning activities within their communities. Grants would range from $250,000 to $1 million per year for up to five years.
An additional fund in the new legislation would provide competitive grants to expand proven solutions to challenges that our communities face. CIS Affiliates are well-positioned to apply for these grants when they become available. The total fund would grow from $50 million in the first year to $100 million in the fifth year supporting local sub-grants of at least $100,000 per year for up to five years.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
South Georgia at the State Capitol
By State Sen. Greg Goggans
ATLANTA (Mar. 27, 2009)
Home Purchase Tax Break Passed Senate Goes Back To House:
HB 261 authorizes an income tax credit for the purchase of a single-family home; essentially for the final 6 months of 2009. The amount is either 1.2 percent of the purchase price of such eligible single-family residence or $3,600.00, whichever is less.
Tax Credits Spur Job Growth:
The “Georgia Works Tax Credit” suspends levy of filing fees for new businesses as collected by the Secretary of State. HB 481 would give businesses a $2,400 tax credit for each unemployed person they hire and keep on the job. The “Tax Credit” will be available quarterly for amounts between $25 and $125 per unemployed individual hired as an employee for up to four calendar quarters, this applies to unemployment insurance tax obligations. The corporate income tax will be phased out for Georgia corporations by FY 2020 if funds are available.
Property Assessments Frozen:
HB 233 provides for a moratorium period for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and continuing until January, 2011 during which valuation increases of property are limited. This legislation states that the rate of increase of the assessed value of property for county, county school district, municipal or independent school district ad valorem tax purposes is frozen from one taxable year to the succeeding taxable year.
Additional Legislation Awaiting Governor’s Final Signature:
SB 44: Provides for purchasing preferences for certain supplies, materials, equipment, and agricultural products manufactured or produced in Georgia.
SB 165: Authorizes the Department of Community Health to obtain income eligibility verification from the Department of Revenue for all applicants in pursuit of Medicaid and the PeachCare for Kids Program.
SB 210: Allows home schooled students to participate in the student honors program.
HB 123: Changes the definition of “child molestation” to include by means of an electronic device (i.e. webcam).
HB 195: Allows members of electric membership corporations to serve on juries where the EMC is a party, unless the judge finds bias.
HB 237: Allows adoptive parents of hard-to-place foster children to receive financial assistance.
HB 227: Provides that registered voters who have obtained a protective order or who are receiving services for domestic violence may request to have their address remain confidential.
HB 482: Would eliminate the state inventory tax on all Georgia businesses.
HB 484: Provides that dependent children of military personnel stationed in Georgia on active duty are eligible to meet the residency requirements of HOPE scholarships and grants.
HB 552: Extends the ban which states that no well or borehole will be drilled or used for the purpose of injecting any surface water into the Floridian aquifer in any county governed by the Georgia coastal zone management program before July 1, 2014.
Please remember to contact me in my office on the issues that are affecting you and your area. I am here to represent you and it is an honor for me to work on your behalf. As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7thSenate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
ATLANTA (Mar. 27, 2009)
Home Purchase Tax Break Passed Senate Goes Back To House:
HB 261 authorizes an income tax credit for the purchase of a single-family home; essentially for the final 6 months of 2009. The amount is either 1.2 percent of the purchase price of such eligible single-family residence or $3,600.00, whichever is less.
Tax Credits Spur Job Growth:
The “Georgia Works Tax Credit” suspends levy of filing fees for new businesses as collected by the Secretary of State. HB 481 would give businesses a $2,400 tax credit for each unemployed person they hire and keep on the job. The “Tax Credit” will be available quarterly for amounts between $25 and $125 per unemployed individual hired as an employee for up to four calendar quarters, this applies to unemployment insurance tax obligations. The corporate income tax will be phased out for Georgia corporations by FY 2020 if funds are available.
Property Assessments Frozen:
HB 233 provides for a moratorium period for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and continuing until January, 2011 during which valuation increases of property are limited. This legislation states that the rate of increase of the assessed value of property for county, county school district, municipal or independent school district ad valorem tax purposes is frozen from one taxable year to the succeeding taxable year.
Additional Legislation Awaiting Governor’s Final Signature:
SB 44: Provides for purchasing preferences for certain supplies, materials, equipment, and agricultural products manufactured or produced in Georgia.
SB 165: Authorizes the Department of Community Health to obtain income eligibility verification from the Department of Revenue for all applicants in pursuit of Medicaid and the PeachCare for Kids Program.
SB 210: Allows home schooled students to participate in the student honors program.
HB 123: Changes the definition of “child molestation” to include by means of an electronic device (i.e. webcam).
HB 195: Allows members of electric membership corporations to serve on juries where the EMC is a party, unless the judge finds bias.
HB 237: Allows adoptive parents of hard-to-place foster children to receive financial assistance.
HB 227: Provides that registered voters who have obtained a protective order or who are receiving services for domestic violence may request to have their address remain confidential.
HB 482: Would eliminate the state inventory tax on all Georgia businesses.
HB 484: Provides that dependent children of military personnel stationed in Georgia on active duty are eligible to meet the residency requirements of HOPE scholarships and grants.
HB 552: Extends the ban which states that no well or borehole will be drilled or used for the purpose of injecting any surface water into the Floridian aquifer in any county governed by the Georgia coastal zone management program before July 1, 2014.
Please remember to contact me in my office on the issues that are affecting you and your area. I am here to represent you and it is an honor for me to work on your behalf. As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7thSenate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Monday, March 23, 2009
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
Thursday, March 26 2009
SPONSORED BY
Circlestone Country Club
HOSTED BY
Berrien County Chamber of Commerce
Cook County Chamber of Commerce
Lakeland-Lanier Co. Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber s are really excited about being a part of this event!!
Circlestone has some wonderful ideas they want to share with you, and have planned a great afternoon and evening. There will be Door Prizes, so please place your business card in our fish bowl. This is a great opportunity for you to invite a potential new member for both the Country Club and your Chamber.
3:30 PM
SCRAMBLE GOLF TOURNAMENT
RSVP BY MARCH 24
CALL PHILLIP IN THE PRO SHOP
229-896-3893
5 PM
SOCIAL TIME
CULINARY DELIGHTS, DRINKS
DOOR PRIZES
RSVP BY MARCH 24
PLEASE CALL YOUR CHAMBER
Please join us in support of your local
Country Club and Chamber of Commerce
SPONSORED BY
Circlestone Country Club
HOSTED BY
Berrien County Chamber of Commerce
Cook County Chamber of Commerce
Lakeland-Lanier Co. Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber s are really excited about being a part of this event!!
Circlestone has some wonderful ideas they want to share with you, and have planned a great afternoon and evening. There will be Door Prizes, so please place your business card in our fish bowl. This is a great opportunity for you to invite a potential new member for both the Country Club and your Chamber.
3:30 PM
SCRAMBLE GOLF TOURNAMENT
RSVP BY MARCH 24
CALL PHILLIP IN THE PRO SHOP
229-896-3893
5 PM
SOCIAL TIME
CULINARY DELIGHTS, DRINKS
DOOR PRIZES
RSVP BY MARCH 24
PLEASE CALL YOUR CHAMBER
Please join us in support of your local
Country Club and Chamber of Commerce
‘Help Is Here Express’ Bus Tour Comes to Valdosta
To Help Patients in Need Access Prescription Medicines
Valdosta, Georgia – The “Help is Here Express” bus tour will be in Valdosta on Monday, March 23, stopping at Woodlawn Forrest Church of Christ to help uninsured and financially-struggling Georgians access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) – a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies – raising awareness of patient assistance programs among residents who have been face layoffs or a loss of health care benefits in a struggling economy. Additionally patients who visit the bus can also learn about new medicines in development to fight chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.
To date, the PPA has helped more than 5.5 million patients, including more than 230,000 Georgians. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 2,500 cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs. The “Help is Here Express” is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help uninsured patients in need access information on more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. When the “Help is Here Express” moves on, patients can visit PPA’s easy-to-use Web site (www.pparx.org) or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) where trained operators field calls in 150 languages.
WHEN: Monday, March 23, 2009
9 – 11 AM
WHERE: Woodlawn Forrest Church of Christ
1515 N. Forrest St
Valdosta, GA 31601
WHO: Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Karl Uhlendorf
“At a time when national unemployment is the highest in almost two decades, the PPA has become an important lifeline for a growing number of patients,” PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin said. “Millions of Americans have been added to the jobless rolls over the last several months and there could be a sharp increase in the number of our citizens losing health care benefits.’’
Tauzin added that the PPA is currently helping “thousands of people every day,” including those who need treatments to fight such debilitating chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and asthma. In Georgia alone, there are millions of cases of chronic diseases, according to the Milken Institute and the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. Nationwide, more than 133 million Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, which is responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“With the number of people affected by chronic disease going up every year, and economists predicting that unemployment will continue to grow well into 2009, the PPA and its message of hope are now more relevant than ever,” Tauzin said. “No one – and I mean no one – is helped by a medicine that sits on the shelf and is out of reach financially. In Georgia, we will continue to help folks all over the state for as long as the assistance is needed.”
In addition to stopping in Valdosta on Monday, the “Help Is Here Express” will bring the Partnership for Prescription Assistance to several other Georgia cities, including Tifton, Albany, Americus, Columbus, Macon, Gainesville, Athens, Augusta and Waynesboro.
For more information, contact: Abby Horn, (404) 885-9596 x24.
Valdosta, Georgia – The “Help is Here Express” bus tour will be in Valdosta on Monday, March 23, stopping at Woodlawn Forrest Church of Christ to help uninsured and financially-struggling Georgians access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) – a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies – raising awareness of patient assistance programs among residents who have been face layoffs or a loss of health care benefits in a struggling economy. Additionally patients who visit the bus can also learn about new medicines in development to fight chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.
To date, the PPA has helped more than 5.5 million patients, including more than 230,000 Georgians. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 2,500 cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs. The “Help is Here Express” is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help uninsured patients in need access information on more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. When the “Help is Here Express” moves on, patients can visit PPA’s easy-to-use Web site (www.pparx.org) or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) where trained operators field calls in 150 languages.
WHEN: Monday, March 23, 2009
9 – 11 AM
WHERE: Woodlawn Forrest Church of Christ
1515 N. Forrest St
Valdosta, GA 31601
WHO: Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Karl Uhlendorf
“At a time when national unemployment is the highest in almost two decades, the PPA has become an important lifeline for a growing number of patients,” PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin said. “Millions of Americans have been added to the jobless rolls over the last several months and there could be a sharp increase in the number of our citizens losing health care benefits.’’
Tauzin added that the PPA is currently helping “thousands of people every day,” including those who need treatments to fight such debilitating chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and asthma. In Georgia alone, there are millions of cases of chronic diseases, according to the Milken Institute and the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. Nationwide, more than 133 million Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, which is responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“With the number of people affected by chronic disease going up every year, and economists predicting that unemployment will continue to grow well into 2009, the PPA and its message of hope are now more relevant than ever,” Tauzin said. “No one – and I mean no one – is helped by a medicine that sits on the shelf and is out of reach financially. In Georgia, we will continue to help folks all over the state for as long as the assistance is needed.”
In addition to stopping in Valdosta on Monday, the “Help Is Here Express” will bring the Partnership for Prescription Assistance to several other Georgia cities, including Tifton, Albany, Americus, Columbus, Macon, Gainesville, Athens, Augusta and Waynesboro.
For more information, contact: Abby Horn, (404) 885-9596 x24.
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