The Myth of Local Control

The Myth of Local Control

Posted on September 27, 2012by dekalbschoolwatch

 

by Nancy Jester, District 1, DeKalb County (GA) Board of Education

 

Let’s set the record straight about who controls education in Georgia. Superintendents and their administrators do. Local boards of education do hire the Superintendent but once in place, these educrats are in the driver’s seat. The legal framework in our state reinforces the supremacy of the superintendent’s position relative to a board.

School system administrations choose who works in the system and what they do. We often hear that the board and administration are a “governance team”. Sadly, “the team” is dominated by board members with “Stockholm Syndrome” or they are accomplices in the abduction of local control. All of this power comes with a hefty contract that insulates superintendents and gives them a golden parachute at taxpayer’s expense even if their tenure is marked by failure. Make no mistake about it. Local control is superintendent control. If you agree with the superintendent and they are making good decisions for your particular community, you’re probably content. But, if they are not, you are in a constant struggle with little to no redress.

The charter school amendment is perceived as an existential threat to the gravy train for educrats throughout the state. That is what the fight is about. The “local control” that is hailed by the current purveyors of the fine educational products in Georgia, is “educrat control”. They push the buttons and pull the levers and try to make you believe that “stakeholders” have a say in it all.

Despite state legislation on school councils, parents don’t get a seat at the table when selecting a principal for their school. In the struggle for power and control, the educrats have failed you and your children; all the while collecting fat paychecks and doling out six-figure jobs and lucrative contracts to more educrats. If you realize that your voice as a citizen is so diminished within the current power structure of education, you will know that voting for the charter amendment is one of the solutions.

Parents deserve more choices. Communities deserve more input into how their schoolhouses are run. Charter schools are innovation incubators and are governed by a volunteer group of parents, teachers, and community members. That’s local control.

They get to choose the companies that provide services to their school. If they do a bad job, they will lose their charter and parents will leave their school for a better product. If they are responsible and create a valuable product for their community they will thrive and our children will get the education they deserve.

This responsiveness is completely missing in education today. In fact, in DeKalb we have some schools that have been labeled “failing” for as long as a decade, yet remain open with no replacement of staff. All of the “turn around” plans, accountability measures and excuses brought to us courtesy of the “local control” we have today do nothing to rid our system of failure or make it more efficient, helpful and valuable for the students and community.

Please join me in supporting real local control. Please join me in advocating for kids and taxpayers in DeKalb County and throughout our state. Please join me by voting YES on the charter school amendment.

You are invited to join in on the conversation with your thoughts and comments on Nancy’s interactive blog at http://whatsupwiththat.nancyjester.com/2012/09/26/the-myth-of-local-control/

 

GTCO-ATL comments:  Despite the knowledge that state-run charter schools are part of an ALEC initiative, we are giving our vote on this issue serious consideration after reading the above article by Ms. Jester.  We do believe she has worked toward the best interest of the children in DeKalb and her opinion carries a significant amount of weight with many voters. 

 

We will continue to keep you updated.  You may subscribe to our blog from the drop down box on the top right of this page.  (Hover to locate it.) 

 

Please continue to check back often, or "Like" us on Facebook to keep up with the latest cell tower news and the many other issues that are tied into it.  You may also email us anytime at sayno2celltowers@yahoo.com.

 

This article is re-printed with permission (without the GTCO-ATL comments in red.) It originally appeared on Nancy Jester’s blog, http://whatsupwiththat.nancyjester.com/

 

 

NOTE:  Parent group sponsors panel on charter schools amendment 

                      

With a constitutional amendment on charter schools on the November ballot, the Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council is sponsoring a panel discussion of the issues.

 

The event is 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 4, at Dunwoody Public Library, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd.

 

The measure calls for a new commission appointed by state officials to approve and fund charter schools. Opposing views:  georgiahope2012.com and votesmartgeorgia.com.

 

More events listed on our EVENTS PAGE (see top banner on home page)

Austerity Mode? More Like "Posh"terity Mode for Some in DeKalb Schools

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- Just a few months ago, DeKalb County's School Board was cutting millions from its budget and eliminating jobs.


Cheryl Atkinson accused of pulling a fast one by scheduling yet
another called meeting with little notice to the public.

Now some are wondering how they can approve raises for 4 top school administrators, especially with very little public notice.

"We didn't even have a full board to even vote on the decision to give those particular people raises," DeKalb County parent Cheryl Miller (GTCO-ATL) told 11Alive News.   The community school activist accuses the school system of pulling a fast one.

They only gave a few hours notice that the salary hikes would be on the agenda for a Monday meeting attended by only five of nine board members.

At the request of new Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson, the board voted 3-to-2 to give higher salaries to four of her top administrators, ranging from $3,400 to $4,000 a year more.

"If anything, I think all the administrators, especially the top tier of the administration, should be taking pay cuts," parent Miller told 11Alive on Tuesday.

VIEW THE VIDEO COVERAGE HERE

Board Chairman Eugene Walker was one of the two who voted 'no', saying the school system was supposed to be in an austerity mode*.

A spokesman for the school system defended the higher salaries, not as raises, but as money those administrators deserve for being given more important jobs with added responsibility.

"If you go out, you get a new job, you should get paid commensurate with that job and with the responsibility and authority with that job," said system spokesman Jeff Dickerson.*

As for why so little advance notice was given of the action, the system said the board had given the new superintendent until the end of September to handle the pay increases and she realized she had to do it this week.



*  Austerity: reduction by a national government of its spending to pay back creditors.
*  GTCO-ATL comment:Someone needs to tell Mr. Dickerson that these folks did not go out and get new jobs.  Their job descriptions are exactly the same as their previous jobs.  The only difference was the change in their titles from Director to Executive Director.  For more on this subject, please read the DeKalb School Watch blog comments, found here and more recently discussed again here.

Your Vote is Your Voice! Register Today!

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and thousands of local, state and national organizations have mobilized to make sure millions of people don’t miss the chance to cast their vote in this year’s elections.

Six million people didn’t vote in the 2008 elections because they either did not know how to register or because they missed the voter registration deadline.

The voter registration deadline for Georgia is Tuesday, Oct. 9, exactly two weeks from today. If you’re unsure of your registration status, visit the Georgia Secretary of State website.
Voter registration forms are attached to this article and also are available at the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office and all Atlanta-DeKalb County Public Library branches.

To register to vote in the state of Georgia, you must be:

• A citizen of the United States
• A legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you wish to vote
• At least 18 years of age by election day
  
  Also, you may not register to vote if you are currently:
• Serving any sentence imposed by the conviction of a felony
• Judicially determined to be mentally incompetent

VOTER GUIDELINES

• In the state of Georgia, you do not have to register by political party to vote in the state's regular primaries or general elections.
• You may register to vote at any time, but you must be registered by the close of registration prior to an election if you wish to vote on election day, i.e., the application must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline. If you are not registered to vote, register today.
• If you are registering for the first time in Georgia, and you register by mail, you are required to provide one of the following acceptable forms of identification by mailing a copy or providing a copy during the absentee voting period.

1. Georgia driver's license, even if it's expired.
2. Valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including one issued by the Department of Driver Services or your county registrar's office.
3. Valid U.S. passport.
4. Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state.
5. Valid U.S. military photo ID.

Precinct cards are mailed within two to three weeks of submitting your voter registration application. If you do not receive your precinct card, please contact your local county registration office to check the status.

Here's the precinct locator and for more information regarding voter registration, please contact the Voter Registration Division at 404-730-7072 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE 404-730-7072 end_of_the_skype_highlighting .

Make sure to check your polling location. Precinct changes are posted here.

UPDATED: Don't Believe the Hype - IPhone 5 Sales Not What You Might Expect

(click headline for full story, which includes new video and updated links to relevent press)

What would Steve Jobs say about the less-than-stellar sales of the I-Phone
and the company's decline in stock prices? 

 

 

From NBC News:  Citizens "Occupy" the Apple Line in New York.  The video above is an interesting report about some of the people you might not expect to see camping out in the IPhone 5 line - like protesters from the Occupy Wall Street movement!

The IPhone 5 line includes Occupy protesters who say they get better treatment by the NYPD if camped out in the name of consumerism than they do in the name of social protest.  They have no plans to actually buy an IPhone.  And, there are others in line for a different reason - they are being PAID by companies who are using them as human billboards.

 No, the IPhone release is just not quite the event it once was. Perhaps this might be a sign that America is finally getting over its infatuation with the phone!











    

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

******************************************************************************      GTCO-ATL Commentary: In these difficult economic times, people are still obessed, or seemingly addicted, to their cell phones.  One person who stood in line to buy the latest version of the IPhone in New York City bragged about he might turn around and sell it for twice what he paid for it, or $1,600.  Is it alright to see middle class Americans, grown adults, who are part of the worst economic recession in history, waiting in a line for the priveledge of buying an $800 telephone and spending hundreds a month to use it?  What exactly can you do with a phone today that we have not been able to do our entire lives?  It's a device that allows us to communicate with other people when we cannot see them in person, right?  But, phones today have evolved into a sort of social crutch - encoraging us to take the easy way out and actually AVOID talking to others in person.  Is that something we should be celebrating?

Bad Apple

Communication is a two-way street and much can be learned from the non-verbal cues in conversations as can be learned by hearing the words alone.  When you have a conversation over a phone, you miss out on those normal visual cues, like when the other person is getting bored and starts to look away, or when they do not quite understand what you are saying and have that puzzled look on their face or when they are distracted.  When we text, we lose another generation of quality in being able to understand one another - the natural inflections in one another's voices.  These verbal cues let us know when someone is being sarcastic versus when they want us to take them seriously.  A hurried voice would tell us that something must be wrong or there is no time for idle chit-chat where the sounds of someone sobbing would tell us the degree to which they are upset.  With text, we have only the words and must put the interpetation on them ourselves and so often we get it wrong.  So, what do the avid IPhone fans get with this latest version of their "anti-communication" gadget modeled after the already inexpensive and equally easy to use version we have had in our homes for years?  Well, the I-Phone 5 is lighter than previous versions and reportedly thinner.  Hmmm... lighter in weight ususally implies it is cheaper, but not in this case.  Apparantly, Apple can use fewer materials, or cheaper ones, and get away with calling it a benefit worthy of a higher price.  Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?      It is reportedly faster.  But, faster at what?  It's a phone.  If you are using it as a phone then you are probably expecting that when you talk into it, the other person can hear what you are saying, right?  That's pretty much instantaneous, so how anyone claim their product is faster than "real time." Is the I-Phone FASTER than that?  Does my voice reach the person I'm calling BEFORE the words can come out of my mouth?  If so, then they should probably be charging a LOT more money because these science geniuses have unlocked the secrets to time travel, and not just in their latest round of Dungens and Dragons!  In reality, the speed of delivery is really a product of the cell towers, not the phone, isn't it?  Your phone is merely accessing data on the Internet.  Your Internet access is provided through your connection to the tangled web of cell towers near you at the time you are trying to use this service on your phone.  You do not actually NEED to have a phone in order to access the Internet as computers have given you this possibility for a couple of decades now, but hopefully you already know that.  A desktop computer with a wired Internet connection is also faster than any phone because it is a more direct connection, but we hope you know that, too.  So, the IPhone's speed is really just a potential for speed.  To really use 4G speed, you need 4G towers, which are not in hot demand right now.  To find an area with an entire network of them would be rare.  So, even with your 4G phone, you will likely be using towers with 3G speed.  And, guess what?  If you have any previous version of the IPhone, then that's exactly what you have right now.  They say the IPhone 5 has more trivia and tidbits in the functionaity of "Siri," the electronic assistant.  Siri sounds a lot like "Figit," a kid's toy you can buy for around $25.  The voice-recognition and response technology is a quirkly novelty that adults and children both get bored with quickly.  Not sure if that IPhone is stacking up to the $800 price tag, are you?      Here's one more thing:  It uses a new mapping program.  The mapping program replaces Google Maps which have worked fine in the other IPhone versions.  The new map is supposed to have 3-D maps and better walking directions.  There is just one problem - Apple is receiving complaints for this mapping program being incorrect and sending people to areas of town that do not exist.  One article even stated that Apple misplaced its own Apple store on a particular map.  Others have said the map program has invented entire neighborhoods that do not exist and have told them to exit on the side of an Interstate where there is no off-ramp.  From MSN:

"It's a complete failure," said Jeffrey Jorgensen. "It's slower, its directions are poorer and its location data doesn't seem to be accurate. All around, it's not quite there yet."

Jorgensen, a user interface designer for a San Francisco-based startup, began using Apple Maps months ago, because Apple made it available early to people in its software development program. He said he finds himself relying on Google Maps running on his wife's Android phone instead.

What Steve Jobs would have likely never approved was the fact that the folks at Apple KNEW about these map problems, but allowed the IPhone release to go on sale to the public anyway.  That's not the quality this company was once known for.  And, that's a hard issue to get over when you are shelling out $800 in this economy.  So, what is the problem with land lines, exactly?  What's the problem with surfing the Internet from a desktop computer that's plugged into a cable modem or a fiber optic network?  These options allow you to surf the Internet faster than you can on a phone.  And, if you are seated at a desktop computer workstation and look around, you will likely be able to find something else nearby - like a telephone that plugs into the wall.   If you need to call someone, go ahead!  You can talk while surfing the Internet and you can even do it without pumping radiation into your head and risking a brain tumor!  Now THAT is something worth paying a little extra for, don't you think? But, here's the good news - computers and telephones are communication tools that ALREADY EXIST so there is no need to camp out to get them.  AND, they are likely to be cheaper than the price of your IPhone and its costly monthly data and voice plan.  Even better is the fact that anything you do on your computer is gong to be more secure than a wireless connection.  So, if you are discussing sensitive or private matters, using a credit card or accessing personal account information, your data cannot be as easily intercepted.  Conversations on land lines require wiretapping and search warrents whereas cell phone calls can be plucked out of the air by anyone at anytime and without any special permits.  And, by using the truly faster, cheaper, safer way to access the Internet or make phone calls, you will also be doing a favor to those around you.  You will not have to burden your entire neighborhood (or local school children) with the intrusion of a huge, dangerous, unsightly cell tower that increases the overall background radiation that we are all exposed to all day, every day.

Teach the children well.
Why is it that we feel the need to ditch what is old and buy what is new, even when we are hurting for money?  Shouldn't we be setting better examples for our children so they do not continue the cycle of spending more than they can afford and confusing items they "want" for item they actually "need?" 

If being "mobile" is the best feature your phone can offer, then look at the one you already have.  Is it "mobile?"  Is it affordable?  Then, why fall victim to advertising or peer pressure to have something new, just because it is new? 

Are you setting a good example for your children by not using it while driving?  Are you teaching by example?  Are you participating in meaningful face to face conversations to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence and other misunderstandings?  Or are you relying on texting, emailing and other forms of communication when you know you really should be having these conversations in person? Don't forget that children are like sponges and they often learn more from what we do than what we say. 

Can you help your household budget by cutting back on your monthly cell phone bill?  Are you really going to wait in a line to buy an $800 phone, along with the required new plugs, new monthly data plan and other expenses to go along with it just so you can play a game or use an "App?" 

Do you really "need" a phone that talks to you?

As my six year old would say, "Really?"  (You would have to actually see and hear her in order to get the full effect of that sentiment.  But, then again, that's sort of the whole point of this article, isn't it?) 

DeKalb board gives short notice on vote for school officials’ raises

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Posted: 4:52 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, 2012

DeKalb board gives short notice on vote for school officials’ raises

By Ty Tagami

                                                              

Four administrators in the DeKalb County school system will get a pay raise because of a vote Monday afternoon that occurred with just over four hours public notice.

The money that flows to the central office is typically controversial in this cash-strapped school system, but in this case the critics were quiet, possibly because many didn’t know about the planned vote.

“If they’re not violating the letter of the law, they’re at least violating the spirit,” said parent Cheryl Miller, when told of the 2 p.m. vote, which was added to the agenda just after 9 a.m. The meeting was announced Friday but had nothing on the agenda except disclosure that the board was to meet privately for litigation and personnel matters.



Miller has tussled with DeKalb over transparency involving decisions to build cellphone towers on school grounds, and noted that DeKalb routinely calls meetings with a day’s notice. She suspects officials want to keep the public in the dark.



“They’re calling these meetings at the last minute for an administrative item when they have a regular meeting coming up,” Miller said. “They know there’s no way anyone with a job can just drop what they’re doing and rush down there.”

Four of the nine school board members failed to make the meeting. The five who did voted 3-2 to give four administrators pay commensurate with jobs they were moved into during the summer. At the time of the promotions on July 30 the school board voted against pay raises pending stabilization of the budget.

“As far as I know, it’s balanced,” said Paul Womack, who voted for the raises Monday along with Jay Cunningham and Donna Edler.

Board Chairman Eugene Walker and member Sarah Copelin-Wood voted against the raises. Walker said the school system is in “austerity mode.” He said Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson put the pay item on Monday’s agenda.

The school system is under scrutiny by an accrediting agency over allegations of school board mismanagement. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) will send a team to DeKalb in October because of reports the board failed to oversee the system’s finances and meddled in administrative affairs.

The agenda published online Monday doesn’t say how much the administrators will be paid. Atkinson’s spokesman, Jeff Dickerson, said the board in July gave Atkinson through September to resolve the pay question. She realized “at the last minute” that the month is almost over.

“She wanted to comply with the board’s request,” Dickerson said.

The "No's" Are Stacking Up Against the Charter School Ammendment

Background:  At GTCO-ATL, we are wary of the charter school ammendment as well as the push to support it.  While we had still not formed our own opinon, some pretty hefty opposition came forward, most notably from the state Superintendent, Dr. John Barge. 

As we looked into the role of ALEC, most from what we learned on the website www.alecexposed.org, we found that a similar model bill was created by ALEC in their education task force.  The ALEC committee includes the private company (not a Georgia business) K-12 which already handles the students in the state of Georgia who have opted for a home-school, online program alternative.  It is also co-chaired by David Cascas, a Republican from Gwinett County who is in the state House of Representatives. 

As a reminder, ALEC is not a governmental group.  They claim to be a charity that does not lobby, but rather is a social organization with members of congress as well as corporate executives who wish to spend their down time toether.  In reality, these groups meet, develop model legislation that support the business initiatives and cut the voters out of the loop completely.  The state representatives and senators take the model bills back to their states and try to pass them.  It is their objective to privative education.  In other words, they want to take as many of our tax dollars and divert them toward private companies that will profit, by their stated objectives and entire reason for existence.  As the trend has been lately, that means those private companies will pay out big bonuses to their top executives and CEOs and not create new jobs or reinvest the money into the local economy.  In fact K-12 has absolutely no reason to invest in our local economy as they are not even based in Georgia.  They are based in Baltimore, Maryland.  Maryland is currently listed as one of the richest states in the U.S.

So, how does the charter school bill play into this scenario? 

Well, if we give the state the power to set up charter schools, the first one they will set up will likely be a virtual school that will be run by K-12.  So, that's fewer teachers employed here and more money to the bottom line of a Maryland business with a CEO who already makes a half a million dollars a year.  If the virtual charter does better than our current schools, then more students will likely be sent there, either from home or by watching classes on TV in school with a lower salary employee, not necessarily a teacher, watching over them. 

Our money will leave DeKalb, take a short stop at the state for a little payoff, and then exit to Maryland.  How will that help our local economy?  It won't.  How will that impact our neighborhood schools?  It will likely result in closing many of them.  What harms property values?  Closed, abandoned schools would definitely be on the top of that list.  So would cell towers.  But, if your school system is headed toward state control, state charters and virtual learning, the first step would be a cell tower so that the kids can turn in their homework while using their laptops or tablets to connect to the school intranet. 

We've wondered for a long time if the cell towers were about more than money.  If they were only for the money, then the people making the deal would have tried harder to get a better deal.  What T-mobile agreed to pay is less than they normally pay in commercial areas and we're actually helping them avoid paying their property tax.  If anything, they should be paying our schools a lot more!  So, if it is not for the money, as Paul Womack insisted in a public meeting last September, and it is for the coverage, then why does the school system care about cell tower coverage? 

If those things sound like they might be related to one another to you, as they do to us, then we suggest that you consider a "NO" vote on the charter ammendment.  We do not need more hands on our money or more schools trying to grab funding when our existing schools are failing.  We need to get back to basics, elect quality board members and stop spending money that we simply do not have.  Children need role models, mentors and help learning from real people.  They have plenty of time to play with their gadgets and talk on their cell phones, if they have them.  While in school, they need to be focused on learning, the same thing our school system leaders seem to forget they should focus on as well.

With that in mind, here is a recent posting from our friends at the Unhappy Taxpayer and Voter organization in DeKalb County, one of our most trusted partners in the cell tower opposition.  Knowing that they feel the same way we do only enforces our belief that this ammendment requires serious consideration and is most likely a bad idea.  If you feel differently, we invite you to please comment in our feedback section so we can evaluate both sides to this debate.

 

 

Summary of Unhappy Taxpayer and Voters' Position

on the Charter School Ammendment  Proposed for the State of Georgia.

Chime in with Your Vote in the November Election!

On August 14, 2012, State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge (R ) released a statement about the constitutional amendment (HR1162) on charter schools due to be voted on November 6th and he stated the following:

“I fully support the continued creation of high quality charter schools for Georgia’s students, but after careful consideration of what is best for all of Georgia’s students, I have decided to take a position in opposition to the constitutional amendment that will be on the November 6 ballot.

Until all of our public school students are in school for a full 180-day school year, until essential services like student transportation and student support can return to effective levels, and until teachers regain jobs with full pay for a full school year, we should not redirect one more dollar away from Georgia’s local school districts – much less an additional $430 million in state funds, which is what it would cost to add seven new state charter schools per year over the next five years (the annual average of the Charter Commission that would be revived if the amendment passes).

I cannot support the creation of a new and costly state bureaucracy that takes away local control of schools and unnecessarily duplicates the good work already being done by local districts, the Georgia Department of Education, and the state Board of Education. What’s more, this constitutional amendment would direct taxpayer dollars into the pockets of out-of-state, for-profit charter school companies whose schools perform no better than traditional public schools and locally approved charter schools (and worse, in some cases).”

http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/External-Affairs-and-Policy/communications/Pages/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?PressView=default&pid=54

If the Republican State Superintendent John Barge has decided to take a position in opposition to the Constitutional amendment (HR1162), why are our elected officials claiming that no money will be redirected from our local school systems. There are a large number of school systems demanding additional state funding for their local school system (such as DeKalb County); yet, the state has not provided additional funding. The state of Georgia has extra money to finance an additional commission to oversee the charter schools?

 Where is the money and who will pay the bill?

The voters will decide whether the state or the local school boards will have the ultimate authority to approve charter schools on November 6^th. The serious question boiled down to local control vs. state control. Why? The Georgia Charter Commission members will be appointed by Governor Nathan Deal (R ). If the referendum passes, the Georgia Charter Commission will make the final decision on charter schools instead of the local school boards or State Board of Education.

Why should DeKalb County parents and taxpayers care?

DeKalb County has a long history of being a donor county. Over $100 million dollars were removed from our school district since 2006 under the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula (better known as local 5-mill share) and redistributed to school districts throughout the state. Despite serious budget shortfalls, teachers with pay cuts and furlough days, as well as school teachers and personnel working without a pay raise for over five years, the state wants the taxpayers and voters to believe they can locate over $430 million dollars to fully fund the Georgia Charter Commission without causing any harm to the funding sources of local school systems. Once again, where’s the money to fund the $430 million dollar price tag for the Georgia Charter Commission?

Year Local 5-Mill Share (QBE) State Revenue Received

2011 129.0 323.3

2010 117.4 352.7

2009 120.1 357.0

2008 112.4 387.9

2007 107.4 383.8

2006 101.9 326.6

 What are our elected officials saying about HR1162?

State Representative Rahn Mayo held an informative discussion at the Community Achievement Center on August 21^st on the issue of charter schools. Several questions were asked concerning the funding of the Georgia Charter Commission (HR1162). However, no answer was given to explain where the $430 million dollars would come from to finance the re-established agency (if referendum passes Nov. 6). We must also remember that if $430 million dollars is located, how will we address the funding shortage local school districts are presently having with the QBE formula?

There was not one DeKalb County Board of Education member on the panel; however, there were two members to attend the meeting – Jay Cunningham and Donna Elder. Representative Mayo had a member from the Henry County Board of Education on the panel and a long supporter of charter schools, Representative Alisha Morgan. Representative Morgan reassured everyone that no money from local school systems will be used to finance the Georgia Charter Commission. Once again we asked, “Where will the $430 million come from?”

We also asked about the $100+ million already removed from DeKalb County School System. Would the money for the charter schools come from funding under the QBE formula or another funding source? We have yet to receive an answer. However, we have included a link to Rep. Mayo statement on charter schools in support of HR 1162: http://youtu.be/-2yOVltgU6c and Rep. Morgan statement: http://youtu.be/JMfe9DBLFXw

Happy Birthday to Occupy, From the Green Party

From the Atlanta Green Party,

We want to take a minute to wish a happy birthday to something very special - Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy movement. One year ago, tens of thousands of activists gathered on Wall Street to represent the needs of the 99%. The call for economic justice and real democracy spread to hundreds of cities in the U.S. and abroad. The Green Party is celebrating and participating in this anniversary of action on behalf of the economic rights of working and poor people around the world.

Many Greens, including our Presidential nominee Jill Stein and her running mate Cheri Honkala, have joined Occupy events this week in New York City.

Greens have respected the nonpartisan nature of the Occupy protests and have criticized Democratic Party front groups like MoveOn.org for attempting to hijack the movement and turn it into "Reelect Obama." However, many Occupy grievances and demands match those of the Green Party’s platform. Jill Stein's exclusion from the presidential debates means that Occupy's concerns will be banished from the discussion. This is why we’ve vowed to Occupy The Debates.

"We urge all Americans who share the frustration and anger of the Occupy Movement to learn about the Green Party and the 'Green New Deal' that our candidates are promoting. We urge working Americans to remember that Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala stood with the Chicago Teachers Union, were arrested for protesting foreclosures in Philadelphia, and have spoken at Occupy events -- while Democratic Party leaders were on the wrong side or remained silent," said Drew Langdon, Green candidate for New York State Assembly in Rochester.

The corporations have been funding initiatives that destroy unions, pollute the environment, and pervert our political process. The people are organizing against it on the streets and in the ballot box. So here’s to wishing Occupy Wall Street a happy birthday with many more to come.

Feds May Reevaluate Cellphone Radiation (and GTCO-ATL Writes to FOX Reporter)

(click headline for full story)
From FOX News Atlanta:


FOX5 Atlanta reports on changes coming from the FCC for
how they evaluate cell phone radiation after a review from the
Government Accountability Office.

After a year-long review, the Government Accountability Office reports that the way federal regulators have studied the impact of cellphone radiation is outdated. They're not saying any of this causes cancer, but they are saying it deserves a better and more up-to-date look.

The report said the FCC's regulations of cellphones "may not reflect the latest evidence on the effect."

There is talk in Congress about considering putting labels on phones, similar to those you see on cigarettes, so that you know just how much radiation you are exposed to.

The last time the FCC set a standard for mobile phone radiation was in 1996. The FCC has reported it was already planning to re-visit the study of cellphone radiation.

View the FOX Report Here

To:  Dana Fowle, FOX5 News, Atlanta
From:  Get the Cell Out - Atlanta
Date:  9/20/12
Re:  Correction to your cellphone report of 9/19/12

Hi Dana,

While we greatly appreciate your report about the FCC possibly re-evaluating their standards for cell phone radiation, we take issue with the manner in which you started out your report:

“Is there really any part of the day where your cell phone is not in arm's reach? Most of us have our cellphones up against our ear ... “

You made some pretty big assumptions about the way people use, or don’t use, their cell phones and we are curious about how you arrived at your conclusions. Perhaps you are referencing the way the people YOU know use THEIR phones, but you are in the media, an industry that is likely to be more reliant on technology and fast communications than compared to the “most of us” you were referencing in your report.

We believe that these assumptions are no longer valid in today’s society, as the word about the possible harm that can come from cell phone radiation has spread to a larger audience and many of us, myself included, have drastically changed the way we use our phones as a result.

There are many of us who have educated ourselves on this issue and now we absolutely NEVER hold a phone to our ears, EVER. And, we never let our children hold a phone to their heads. Even the booklet you receive with your new I-Phone or other Smartphone will tell you that you should not press the phone directly to your ear. Most people we know use their phones for texting now and not calling, unless it is absolutely necessary. And, when making a call, many of us are careful to use speaker phone or an earpiece or other “hands free” type of device in order to ensure we are not allowing the radiation to penetrate our skulls and to ensure we are being safe on the road while driving.

To make the statement that “most of us have our cellphones up against our ear...” is not a current viewpoint, especially from someone reporting on the fact that the FCC has said it needs to re-evaluate its standards and possibly put warning labels on cell phone packaging. Your statement made it sound like the practice of putting a phone against one’s ear is very common and “no big deal.” Time will tell, but there are some very credible research studies that suggest it absolutely IS a big deal. Sheryl Crow would likely agree that, if given a choice, people in the media should be advocating for safe and cautious use of items that are being studied out of concern for possible cancer or other health risks.

And, most importantly, if you, yourself, are still actually using your phone this way, we are writing to urge you to stop this practice immediately. There are plenty of alternatives that will allow you to use the technology without putting yourself into a group that is considered to be at a higher risk of developing a brain tumor. Land lines are not as archaic as the wireless industry would like us to believe. They are readily available and have a zero risk associated with them, so use a land line whenever possible. If you must use your phone, rely on texting, speaker phone or use a headset.

Thanks again for the report and we hope you will continue to follow this issue.

Kind regards,

Concerned citizens from Get the Cell Out – Atlanta (GTCO-ATL)

Safety Alert! Cell Phones and Gas Fumes

Static Electricity, Cell Phones and Gas Fumes

March 21, 2012

Here are some reasons why we don’t allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas:

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations. 

• In the first case, the phone was placed on the car’s trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.
• In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car.
• And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes.

Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition.  Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boats, etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (i.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.)

TO sum it up, here are the Four Rules for Safe Refueling:

1. Turn off engine
2. Don’t smoke
3. Don’t use your cell phone – leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
4. Don’t re-enter your vehicle during fueling.

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of ‘static electricity’ at gas pumps.

Renkes stresses to never get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas.  If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure that when you get out you close the door while touching metal before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.

Please share this information with family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time.

Georgia Legislators with ALEC Ties

From the website:  www.ALECexposed.com these are some facts about ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council.  These are the folks who believe big corporations should have the same rights as citizens and that our elected officials should pass legislation to protect them, not us.  And, they can get them to do just that  - for a price.

About ALEC

ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.

(click article headline for full story)

Legislator who has cut ties to ALEC:  Georgia

• Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) - In a statement to the citizens’ action group Better Georgia on April 17, 2012, Orrock denounced ALEC, calling it “radical,” “dangerous” and accused it of “impeding democracy.”^[1]

“As a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council for several years, having joined ALEC with the primary goal of better understanding the corporate-dominated organization, I know first-hand that ALEC is not the innocuous organization it claims to be,” Orrock said.^[1]

 

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} David Ferguson, Georgia lawmaker quits ALEC, calls it ‘radical’ group with ‘dangerous agenda’, Raw Story, April 17, 2012, accessed April 2012

Legislators currently with ties to ALEC:  Georgia

House of Representatives

• Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-24) ^[1]
• Rep. Mark Hatfield (R-177)^[2]
• Rep. Calvin Hill, Jr. (R-21), State Chairman,^[3][4] Communications and Technology Task Force^[5] and International Relations Task Force member^[6] and recipient of ALEC's 2011 State Chair of the Year Award^[7]
• Rep. Don L. Parsons (R-42); Communications and Technology Task Force^[8]
• Rep. David Casas (R-103); ALEC Education Task Force^[9]

(Gwinnett - Lilburn) He serves on the following committees for the Georgia State Assembly: Appropriations, Economic Development and Tourism (Vice Chairman), Education and Rules.^[1]

Casas is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and on their Education Task Force, as of July 2011 (the same month as the cell tower vote in DeKalb County by our Board of Education).
 

He won the ALEC 2008 Legislator of the Year Award.^[2][3]

• Rep. Doug Collins (R-27); Civil Justice Task Force Member ^[10]
• Rep. Edward H. Lindsey, Jr. (R-54); Fulton - Atlanta) Civil Justice Task Force ^[11] 
• Rep. Ed Setzler (R-35); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force ^[12]
• Rep. Larry E. O'Neal (R-146); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force^[13]

• Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-41)^[3]; Health and Human Services Task Force^[14]
• Rep. Ben L. Harbin (R-118); International Relations Task Force^[15]
• Rep. Gerald E. Greene (R-149); International Relations Task Force^[16]
• Rep. Josh S. Clark (R-98); International Relations Task Force^[17]
• Rep. Jack Murphy (R-27); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[18]
• Rep. Mark D. Hamilton (R-23); Public Safety and Elections Task Force^[19]
• Rep. Tom R. Rice (R-51)^[3]; Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[18]
• Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-105)^[3]; Health and Human Services Task Force^[20]
• Rep. Judy Manning (R-32); Health and Human Services Task Force^[21]
• Rep. Lynn Smith (R-70); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[22]
• Rep. Michael Harden (R-28); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[23]
• Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-20)^[3]; Health and Human Services Task Force^[24]
• Rep. Howard R. Maxwell (R-17); Education Task Force^[25]
• Rep. Jan Jones (R-46); ALEC Education Task Force^[26]

Jan Jones is an elected state representative in the U.S. state of Georgia. She serves in the Georgia assembly, which meets in the Capitol building in Atlanta. Her constituents include some of the northern Atlanta suburbs in Georgia's 46th district including parts of Milton and parts of Roswell and Alpharetta. She is a Republican and is currently the majority Speaker Pro Tempore. While in the legislature, she has focused on several initiatives, most notably spearheading the creation of two north Fulton county cities, Milton and Johns Creek.  Outside the legislature, Representative Jones is a former marketing executive. While at HBO, she served as a marketing director for 6 years and as an auditor and analyst for 2 years.

• Rep. Charles E. Martin, Jr. (R-47); (Fulton - Alpharetta)Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[27]
• Rep. Kip Smith (R-129); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force ^[28]
• Rep. James W. Mills (R-25)^[3]; Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[29]
• Rep. Mike Dudgeon (R-24); Education Task Force^[30]
• Rep. Carl Rogers (R-26); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[31]
• Rep. Terry England (R-108); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[32]
• Rep. Paulette Rakestraw-Braddock (R-19); International Relations Task Force^[33]
• Rep. Billy S. Horne (R-71); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[18]
• Rep. Kevin Cooke (R-18); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[18]
• Rep. Lynne Riley (R-50); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force ^[12]
• Rep. Buzz Brockway (R-101); (Gwinnett) Communications and Technology Task Force^[34]
• Rep. Barry D. Loudermilk (R-14); Communications and Technology Task Force^[35]
• Rep. Amos Amerson (R-9)^[3]
• Rep. John Meadows (R-5)^[3]
• Rep. James Mills (R-25)^[3]

Senate

• Sen. Chip Pearson (R-51)^[36]
• Sen. Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-21),^[3][36] State Chairman,^[4] and recipient of ALEC's 2011 State Chair of the Year Award^[7]. Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member. ^[12]
• Former Sen. John Wiles (R-37), former State Chairman^[37]
• Sen. Don Balfour (R-9) ^[38]
• Sen. Jesse Stone (R-23); Civil Justice Task Force^[39]
• Sen. William Hamrick (R-30); Civil Justice Task Force ^[40]
• Sen. Renee Unterman (R-45)^[3]; Health and Human Services Task Force^[41]
• Sen. Judson Hill (R-32)^[3]; Health and Human Services Task Force^[42]
• Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-20); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[43]
• Sen. Fran R. Millar (R-79); ALEC Education Task Force^[44]

First elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1998, Fran Millar is presently serving those in his district through membership on several House committees. He holds membership in the Health and Human Services, Rules, and Economic Development and Tourism Committees.  

 Millar is also presently serving as the Vice Chairman of the Education Committee.  In past years, Millar served as the Treasurer of the DeKalb Delegation.

• Sen. John E. Albers (R-56); Communications and Technology Task Force^[45]

Senator John Albers (born 1972), a Republican, represents Georgia District 56 in the State Senate. State Senate district 56 is located in North Fulton County and Southeast Cherokee County covering all of Roswell and Mountain Park and parts of the cities of: Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Milton and Woodstock, Georgia.

• Sen. Nan G. Orrock (D-36); Communications and Technology Task Force^[46] - Sen. Orrock announced she was cutting ties with and denounced ALEC on April 17, 2012.^[47] See Legislators Who Have Cut Ties to ALEC for more.
• Sen. Bill Heath (R-31); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force^[48]

• Sen. Jack Hill (R-4); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[49]
• Sen. Steve Gooch (R-51); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[50]
• Sen. Greg Goggans (R-7); Education Task Force^[51]
• Sen. Cecil P. Staton (R-18)^[3]; International Relations Task Force^[52]
• Sen. Ronnie W. Chance (R-16); International Relations Task Force^[53]
• Sen. Johnny Grant (R-25); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[18]
• Sen. Lee Hawkins (R-49)^[3]

Former Legislators

• Rep. Tom Graves (R-9),^[3] former member of ALEC's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force^[54]; currently U.S. Rep. for Georgia^[55]

References

1. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Sourcebook, annual organizational publication, 1995
2. ↑ Mark Hatfield, About Mark, state senate campaign website, accessed July 23, 2012
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14} American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Robert C. Byrd and Nancy Pelosi RE: Federal health reform efforts, June 24, 2009
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} American Legislative Exchange Council, "ALEC State Chairmen, organization website, accessed April 2012
5. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
6. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, International and Federal Relations Task Force meeting and Federal Relations Working Group, meeting agenda and materials, August 4, 2011, on file with CMD
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} American Legislative Exchange Council, "Solutions for the States," 38th Annual Meeting agenda, on file with CMD, August 3-6, 2011
8. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Force Membership Directory, August 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
9. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
10. ↑ organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
11. ↑ organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} American Legislative Exchange Council, organizational task force membership directory, June 30, 2011, p. 31, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
13. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/tax_35-daymailing_stfs2011_updated%20Ohio.pdf – Full Name and Address], Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
14. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
15. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
16. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
17. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4} American Legislative Exchange Council, Public Safety & Elections Task Force 2011 Spring Task Force Summit April 29, 2011 Minutes, organizational document, June 30, 2011, p. 5, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
19. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Public Safety Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
20. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
21. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
22. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
23. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
24. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
25. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
26. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
27. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
28. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
29. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
30. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
31. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
32. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
33. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
34. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
35. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
36. ↑ ^{36.0 36.1} American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid, RE: the EPA’s plan to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, March 10, 2010
37. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, State Chairmen, document exposed by the Center for Media and Democracy, July 13, 2011
38. ↑ DonBalfour.com, Meet Don, accessed March 19, 2012.
39. ↑ member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
40. ↑ member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
41. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
42. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
43. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
44. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
45. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
46. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
47. ↑ David Ferguson, Georgia lawmaker quits ALEC, calls it ‘radical’ group with ‘dangerous agenda’, Raw Story, April 17, 2012, accessed April 2012
48. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/tax_35-daymailing_stfs2011_updated%20Ohio.pdf – Full Name and Address], Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
49. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Director – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
50. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Director – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
51. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
52. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
53. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
54. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Inside ALEC, organizational newsletter, June 2012, on file with CMD
55. ↑ State of Georgia. Congressman Tom Graves. Government website. Accessed August 8, 2011.