www.jeremyforhousedistrict163.com (blog link)

email: jeremy.scheinbart@gmail.com (email me with your thoughts)



Thank you for visiting my campaign website. You'll find it's simply made, straightforward and updated often... Just how government and public servants ought to be.


I also thank you for taking some time to read through my positions and issues (highlighted red for a quicker read). So often in elections, candidates seek to win votes with political consultant slogans and grand promises. In November, I hope the people of House District 163 look past partisan politics and elect the candidate with real policies for LOCAL prosperity and a steadfast dedication to Georgia's bright future.

It would be my honor to serve you in the State legislature and proudly represent the residents of our District.


Jobs: Local and Statewide


Creating Local Jobs
and Local Economic Growth

Getting Georgians back to work is critically important, however, we can't wait for Atlanta to solve our local unemployment problems. We must find solutions and take action ourselves to create jobs and grow our local economy. As your next representative, I will propose three steps to create local jobs and aid our community's economic recovery:

1) Extend the benefits of the Stephens/Day Homestead Exemption to local, small businesses. Now, maybe more than ever, local, commercial businesses need a tax break. Extending the Stephens/Day exemption would allow local businesses to grow profits, hire employees and increase local sales taxes. While this plan sounds good to me, I would also propose the people of Chatham County take a countywide vote to extend the Stephens/Day Exemption to Chatham County's small businesses.

2) Utilize state resources to identify and begin 'shovel ready' SPLOST projects. Simply put, there are hundreds of millions of dollars worth of SPLOST community improvement projects ready to begin. As your House District 163 representative, I will work with local government to get these projects going. Now is the time to work together and begin these already funded community improvements. They will enhance the quality of life for residents, spur area business growth, and, most importantly, put local people back to work right now.

3) Examine the role of SEDA (Savannah Economic Development Authority) and its track record on job creation. Since SEDA is using taxpayer money to give attractive taxbreaks to businesses that relocate to the area and create a certain amount of jobs, it would be helpful to officially verify these jobs are being created. This is not a condemnation nor implication of SEDA, but rather, a necessary first step toward developing SEDA's role as a job creator in our area. Also, working with other local governmental organizations, such as The Creative Coast Alliance, to bring clean, innovative industry to our community is necessary and important to me.

These are all simple, sensible first steps that would have great, immediate affects on our local economy and job growth. In order to accomplish these goals, however, it will require elected officials working together. As your House Representative, I will extend an open hand to all local elected officials, local governments, local authorities, local labor unions and local businesses to help identify what works, what doesn't work, and the best ways to create jobs, grow our economy and work in cooperation for the taxpayer.

Creating Statewide, 21st Century Jobs

Similar to acting locally, we can't rely on Atlanta's corporate welfare policies and the eventual national economic recovery to create jobs for Georgians. We must create our own jobs and spur our own economic recovery. However, what kind jobs we create and which industries we target for growth is critical to Georgia's future. With forward thinking Representatives working together, our state can experience booming job growth in 21st century industries such as solar and biofuels. Georgia has every opportunity, with the right leadership, to embrace these green industries and reap the economic and environmental benefits for generations to come.

While solar and biofuels are part of the overall jobs picture, these industries present benefits that most other sectors and industries would love to claim. Embracing and fostering these industries through state policies, Georgia can create jobs as well as:

1) Lower our dependency on coal and nuclear electricity. Georgia's dependency on coal for power makes our state's air quality one of the worst in the nation. As you can see by your ever increasing power bill, cheap electricity from coal and nuclear is a thing of the past, too. So far, our state's answer to energy issues has not been alternative energy or energy conservation, but to expand nuclear and coal fired power plants. This is a big move in the wrong direction and private sector solar can be a big part of the solution.

2) Benefit our agricultural sector and reduce the need for foreign oil. In the near future, it will be homegrown biofuels, not off shore oil drilling, that will have the most positive affect on Georgia's economy and the price of gas. Our nation continues to send billions of dollars overseas (daily) for our fuel and Georgia, with the right leadership, can be a national model for biofuel research and utilization. Biofuels mean cleaner air for Georgia and more fuel money staying in our state and country.

3) Create jobs that can't be outsourced overseas. Installing solar panels on a Georgia home, business or land can't be outsourced overseas. Growing biofuel plants and trees on Georgia farms can't be relocated to a third world nation. These are jobs that simply must be done in Georgia. Why should our state policies continue favoring jobs directly tied to international trade and the decisions of foreign leaders? If Georgia is going to help the business community create jobs, let's create jobs that benefit our state and will be here for years to come.

Georgia's Solar Industry

Acting to create jobs on the state level, as representative for House District 163, my focus would be the growth and expansion of Georgia's solar industry. Many other states have adopted solar legislation, not because they were forced to by environmentalists, but because the solar industry means jobs and a reduction in polluting energy use. Policies vary from state to state and can be cumbersome, however. With the goal of keeping legislation simple, Georgia can spur growth of the solar industry with three simple acts:

1) Residential solar energy production tax exemption. The policy is simple: Georgia will not tax residential solar energy production sold into the power grid. By not taxing the solar energy sold, this further motivates the homeowner to purchase solar systems and sell clean energy back into Georgia's power grid. The policy would only apply to owner-occupied, non-commercial residences and be limited to a certain sized solar system (possibly 25 KWh and under). Also, Georgia could adopt a solar homestead exemption, where a homeowner is not assessed property taxes for solar improvements.

2) Create a standardized solar energy buy-back amount. Currently, the PSC (Public Service Commission) sets the rate at which the power company buys back energy sold into the power grid. As a House representative, I would like to see Georgia's elected officials, who speak for taxpayers, have a larger say in the buy-back rate. The rate, which is around 18 cents, should be higher and set for five year periods. Raising the rate and standardizing it for five (or more) years would allow for people to borrow money against their future solar energy production and fund initial solar costs.

3) Fund technical colleges and train for solar applications. Using state funding to train Georgians in solar energy applications seems sensible and forward thinking. Having standard, high quality training across the state means job training for Georgians in a 21st century industry. With the right leadership in Atlanta, Georgia can expand our solar markets and be a national model on solar training in our colleges and high schools.

With the proposed (and unnecessary) expansion of the Plant Vogtle nuclear plant at one end of the Savannah river and the proposed expansion of the Savannah port, our state currently has a backwards policy on energy and a jobs future directly tied to Chinese trade. When Georgia can easily create jobs in clean, alternative energy industries, what sense does it make to hitch our future to nuclear energy and trucking jobs? Georgia is a great state for solar energy and, with the right policymakers in office, we can be a national leader in solar training, green job growth and alternative energy production.


Entertainment/Film, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Recycling and Tourism industries can all flourish in Georgia with the right leadership.

ISSUES

Education

Our public schools have been crippled in the state of Georgia and it's no accident or mystery why. Over the last eight years, 3.5 billion dollars has been funneled away from Georgia's public schools, leaving our educators and students in this current, terrible position. The situation is so dire, legislators are considering and making cuts in necessary academic programs, forcing teacher furloughs and even talking of a four day school week. If we've learned anything from the past eight years of Republican education policy, it's this: Whatever they're doing, it isn't working.

Getting Georgia's public education back on track is a huge legislative challenge and will require some out-of-the-box thinking. Smaller classes are a great start, but more needs to be done to insulate public schools from future budgetary shortfalls and promote positive educational habits at an earlier age. As your Representative for House District 163, I will be an advocate for three changes regarding our public school system:

First, alternative energy sources should be a centerpiece in the future of Georgia's public schools. How much of our education tax dollars are given to the power company? Could you imagine if our school buildings were covered in solar panels, generating free energy in a period of 5-7 years? Could you imagine a school, sitting mostly idle in the summer, creating solar electricity and selling the power back into the power grid (making money)? Could you imagine the jobs that would be created by making every Georgia school energy independent? Solar energy for schools needs to be explored and considered as a viable pursuit. Yes, it will cost money, but it's worth it. (Good investments are never cheap...)

Second, it will be a very difficult task to improve Georgia's public school system all at once. I propose that our elected officials commit to transforming our Pre-K through Middle Schools into the best in the nation. Focusing on this student age group will foster a lifelong passion for learning and will create better, more engaged High School students.

Thirdly, while math, science and reading make up the core education for Georgia students, as the representative for House District 163, I will be a strong advocate for advancing economics curriculum in our public school system. Teaching students the basics of finance, how banking works, how to create a family budget, how the stock market works, how a small business operates, will give students valuable, real world education about money and better ensure life long habits fiscal responsibility.

Transportation

Transportation is essential to our local future and the future of Georgia. Close to home, we have an inefficient and expensive public transit system. Statewide, Georgia missed out on Federal funding to begin building light and high speed rail. Why some lawmakers dismiss public transportation as unimportant is beyond me. Public mobility, throughout a community, state or region, is a determining factor in poverty reduction and consistent economic vitality. As your representative, I will support local and statewide public transit because it means creating vital infrastructure for the future, less cars on our highways and jobs for Georgians.

Local Transportation


Simply stated, let's make CAT work. As representative for House District 163, I will work with all interested parties to help Chatham County develop a world class public transit system. Our residents need it and our business community needs it.


Statewide Transportation

We all understand that Georgia is now competing on a global stage. Our state needs to keep pace and begin designs on our network of light and high speed commuter rail. I will be a House member who supports light and high speed rail because it will create jobs, reduce poverty, boost statewide real estate and attract global economic interests. Without statewide high speed rail and local light rail networks, Georgia will be left behind, committed to clogged highways, worsening air quality, a poor business climate and a backwards policy of paving over our state.

Taxes and Cutting Government Costs

Low taxes benefit citizens and businesses without question. However, we must not simply demand "lower taxes" and expect our problems to be solved. And, hopefully, by now, we can all agree that tax giveaways to the wealthy do not 'trickle down' to the rest of us and corporate welfare in Atlanta does nothing for a majority of Georgians. Low taxes are important, but, for me, fair taxes are just as important.

TCT (Targeted Consumption Taxes)

I support a 5 cent tax on plastic bottles and a 5 cent tax on plastic bags. This would be a great way to generate short term funds for our state, benefit or environment and help clean up Georgia.

Zero-based budgeting

This is practice where every government department must start from zero and build their budgets each and every year. This simple practice would save taxpayer money and help every department to become more efficient and transparent.

Cutting elected official pay

Cut the pay of state elected officials by half. Why not?

LOCAL AND STATEWIDE POSITIONS

Healthcare

Georgia hospitals should implement pilot programs for developing and utilizing simple checklists when administering care to patients. Checklists in hospitals have been proven to lower infection rates and lower complications due to human error. Michigan mandated the use of simple checklists in over 100 hospitals and within a year has seen a savings of over 200 million dollars... and 1,500 lives saved.

Immigration

The only ways to really curtail illegal immigration on a state level is meaningful punishment for business owners whose companies hire illegal workers and the reformation of Georgia drug laws. Either step would be effective, yet politically unpopular.

Prisons

Thousands of low-risk, non-violent prisoners are being housed in Georgia's prison system. Instead of building more jails to accommodate these low risk people, more probation officers, day reporting facilities, and drug treatment centers are needed. These effective, low-cost options are underutilized in Georgia and services can be delivered from already existing structures, rather than building new, taxpayer funded, hundred million dollar jails. As a House member, I will be in favor of reforming Georgia's prison system, which has the fifth largest prison population in the nation.

Drug Laws

Mandatory sentences for non-violent drug offenders do not work and only succeed in overcrowding our jails. I, along with most people, do not condone the early release of violent criminals because non-violent drug offenders need the jail space to serve harsh, mandatory sentences. While drug crimes are serious and shouldn't be taken lightly, jail time, parole, probation and rehabilitation must be utilized when sentencing these people, not just long, expensive jail sentences. As a House member, I will be in favor of returning theses laws to sensibility.

I also support decriminalizing under an ounce marijuana possession in Georgia and replacing legal action with a simple fine of $200. Some believe that doing such opens the door to rampant drug abuse, but I disagree. Decriminalizing under an ounce marijuana possession makes sense and would accomplish three things: Increase revenue for police departments. Allow law enforcement officers to focus on traffickers, dealers and more dangerous drugs, like Meth and narcotics. Free the court system from time consuming, costly prosecutions of petty marijuana infractions. Some people will surely disagree with me on this, however we must seriously ask ourselves if the current costs of apprehension and punishment are an effective use of taxpayer time and money.

Port Expansion

The expansion of Savannah's port will bring jobs, however it will also present long term safety, infrastructure and environmental costs to the region. A five ($5) dollar Container Fee would help fund such things as port security updates, BEACH RE-NOURISHMENT and road improvements. As the port grows, so too will the impact of crime, poor air quality and stresses on local roads and infrastructure.


Wich issues are most important to you?

What ideas sound good to you?

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