Southwest

ATLANTA - Unemployment in Georgia will rise during the next two years as recession hits the national and state economies, according to a Georgia State University economist's forecast.

The state's jobless rate will increase to 7.5 percent in 2009 and to 8 percent in 2010, Rajeev Dhawan, director of the GSU Economic Forecasting Center, said Wednesday.

In 2009, the forecast is for a 2.6 percent decline in jobs statewide and 7.6 percent decline nationally.

I commend Donald Pollock, certified public accountant, for his concern for the pernicious influence of money in subverting our 232-year-old democracy ("Giveaway mentality kills democracy," Nov. 10, guest commentary).

As a civic minded citizen, Mr. Pollock could put his accounting expertise to good use by reading the reports of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to find out who has been buying our democracy.

ROBIN TRIMARCHI Gloria Battle, who owns Battle & Battle Funeral Home in Phenix City, holds a copy of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer front page the day after Illinios Sen. Barak Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States. Battle also has an Atlanta Constitution newspaper page of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. following his death in 1968. "It's truly amazing," Battle said of the election of the first African-American for president.

By ANDY MILLER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

A new report ranks Georgia near the bottom on two key measures of children's health that focus on family education and income.

JOHN'S CREEK, Ga. (AP) - Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin says he opposes the current economic bailout bill because it does not contain enough regulatory oversight and consumer protections.

Martin's comments came soon after the House defeated the $700 billion rescue package, sending the stock market tumbling.

Appearing at a candidate forum Monday, Martin blamed the Bush administration - and his Republican opponent U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss - for the faltering economy.

With Congress weighing a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin on Tuesday blasted GOP rival Saxby Chambliss for rubber stamping anti-regulatory policies he claims have helped lead to the financial mess.

"Georgia voters are tired of Bush-Saxby economics," Martin told reporters.

But a Chambliss spokeswoman said Martin was pointing to bills that won bipartisan support and were signed by a Democratic president.

ATLANTA - State Public Service Commission candidate Jim Powell, a Democrat, picked up an endorsement from the Republican commissioner he hopes to replace.

Republican PSC member Angela Speir, who is not seeking re-election to the PSC's 4th District seat, said she's backing Powell over GOP candidate Lauren "Bubba" McDonald, a former PSC member, because Powell will be a voice for consumers who isn't beholden to the utilities the commission regulates.

A LOT of government decisions provide cause for citizens to get upset ... even angry. But now Georgia has made one in connection with its budget cutting because of the wheezing economy that should get everybody raging, howling mad.

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service, to meet Gov. Sonny Perdue's orders to slash all agency budgets by 6 percent, and prepare for 8 and 10 percent, has determined to do it all in one whack - and at the 10 percent level.

Georgia's Campaign for Change announced yesterday that it will begin accepting non-perishables and other materials at its 31 statewide offices this week in an effort to assist families affected by Hurricane Gustav.

Gov. Sonny Perdue's statement that he'd like to see the homeowner tax grant program scrapped has local officials in a panic and some state lawmakers calling for a special legislative session. storyPhotos();

Richmond County legislative delegation Chairman Quincy Murphy said what Mr. Perdue is proposing is a tax increase, and it will be permanent unless people speak out against it.