State Senate Democratic Caucus members get real-world take of rural issues

ALBANY – At times, state Sen. Freddie Powell Sims said she’s felt like a lone voice calling out in the wilderness, telling her colleagues under the Gold Dome about the issues that plague poor and rural areas like most of her district in southwest Georgia.

But Sims realized a long-held wish Tuesday when she brought members of the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus to Albany to get an up-close-and-personal look at those issues and hear the concerns of the people who endure them.

Sims and caucus members like Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Elena Parent were among the senators who came south from Atlanta for a listening session at the downtown Flint restaurant, a tour of new facilities at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and a visit to the McLendon Acres farm in Calhoun County.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do throughout my almost 20 years in the Senate,” Sims said as stakeholders from throughout the community invited to be a part of the session gathered at The Flint. “I think it’s important for our state officials to get outside Atlanta, to see for themselves the issues that are having an impact on rural Georgia.

“And I think it’s important that they get the information from the people who are most affected, to see how rural Georgia is impacted by issues like health care, education, agriculture, economic development, work force development and all the other issues that we face on a daily basis.”

Jones, an Augusta attorney, said he and his fellow caucus members gained valuable information from the “connection points” gathered at the downtown meeting.

“A meeting like this emboldens us, helps us gain a clearer picture of the issues that face rural Georgia,” Jones said. “We talk a lot about what government can do, and this event helps us understand te needs of ‘regular folks’ outside the government who deserve to have the government do for them.

“The things that were discussed today – HBCUs, tariffs, health care, education, all of these important issues – show us we’re on the right track as it relates to the things we’re working on in the Senate.”

Parent echoed the minority leader’s comments.

“These issues are issues that impact all of Georgia,” the caucus chair said. “The things discussed today are crucial parts of our agenda, and our agenda embodies our values.”

Invited audience members were given the opportunity to ask a question of the senators, and the group gave answers that frequently led to an extended discussion.

Asked about the newly implemented voucher system in Georgia that gives millions of public dollars to private schools, Sens. RaShaun Kemp of Fulton County and Parent offered their take on the Republican-backed initiative.

“Currently, there is no accountability as to how that money is being spent by parents of private school students who receive the vouchers,” Kemp said. “Of course, the private schools do not want accountability, so I think it is up to us to push for audits that seek the same accountability required of public schools.”

Parent offered a strongly worded response to the question.

“What (the voucher program) is doing is one of the most insidious things going on in the state,” she said. “Parents basically take that taxpayer-funded voucher and spend it on pretty much anything they want. If they get their school officials to say something is ‘educational,’ they spend the money on superficial things.

“In that case, tickets to Disneyland, new TVs, sports equipment … it’s all ‘educational,’ so that’s where some of our tax dollars are going.”

Albany State University President Robert Scott said one of his primary concerns is the safety of ASU students.

“One of the things that keeps me up at night is worrying about the safety of our students,” Scott said. “This campus carry thing really scares me.”

Sen. Sally Harrell of DeKalb County said fighting legislation that allowed guns on college campuses was one of her first, and most important, efforts in the Senate.

“I agree that allowing guns on college campuses is dangerous, and I fought it,” she said. “I’m working to try and require some kind of mandatory storage of weapons on campus now.”

Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission President/CEO Jana Dyke brought an “ask” to the table for the senators.

“I thank you for all you’ve done, but I brought an ask to this meeting,” Dyke said. “One of our economic priorities going into the next legislative session is for a veterans center, an assisted living community. This is not a huge economic driver, but there’s nothing like it in southwest Georgia. The county has agreed to donate land for the center, so we’re asking for funds to build it.”

Sen. Tonya Anderson, who serves metro Atlanta communities of Rockdale, Newton and DeKalb County and who served in the U.S. Air Force, said she supports the proposal.

“This is something that I feel is very necessary and needed,” Anderson said.

Following a brief news conference after the meeting, the caucus members toured facilities at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and at McLendon Farms.