Fresh Loaf

…that’s not the real story.

The veteran political reporter’s sources say the state agency wants to avoid ending the fiscal year with a deficit, possibly by tapping $75 million in federal funding. There’s also the question over what exactly Senate Bill 200, a piece of legislation that shakes up Georgia’s transportation power structure, means for GDOT.

At the same time – and this is where it gets interesting – talks have been underway between the DOT staff and the governor’s office over how to implement SB 200, the governance reform bill that gives the governor (through the new planning director) and the Legislature (through new budget authority) broader control over DOT. There are some loose ends that the bill does not address.

Some believe the two issues have become entangled in something of a quid pro quo, with the governor holding both a carrot (the bailout money) and a stick (the new rules which dissidents believe give the planning director – and through the planning director, Perdue – more power over issues like public-private partnerships and funding allocation formulas than the law stipulates.)

Others don’t see any such entanglement, but this week’s meeting should be interesting nonetheless. Even if there is no suspense about the new commissioner.

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Dick Pettys of Insider Advantage reports the halls of the Gold Dome are abuzz with rumors that Gov. Sonny Perdue might use his PAC cash to push a proposed reorganization of the state transportation agencies.

Remember that mysterious Perdue PAC that Gov. Sonny Perdue started in 2007 with almost $800,000 in leftover campaign funds? Remember him explaining only vaguely how he planned to use the money “for educational purposes” and “for influencing public policy?”

He hasn’t spent any of the money yet, but sources on the Capitol’s second floor say he is considering employing it now, if necessary, to get his transportation governance measure through the Legislature.

Sources tell Insider that “all cards are on the table” as the governor ramps up efforts to get the measure through in an acceptable form.

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The money potentially could be used to launch blast e-mails, run advertising campaigns and generate phone calls to lawmakers both before and after the session ends.

The governor is said to be considering “all means necessary” to get the bill passed and is said to consider this a true “legacy” issue.

Please, we take back what we said about the boat ramps! You’ve done enough, sir!

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After narrowly passing the state Senate on March 5, Gov. Sonny Perdue’s re-arranging of the deck chairs is scheduled to be debated in the lower chamber perhaps as soon as tomorrow. And whattya know, the members of the lower chamber aren’t taking too much of a shine — that’s Southern-speak for “unhappy with” — to the legislation.

If approved, Senate Bill 200 would create a new transportation agency led by a governor-appointed “secretary” and overseen by an 11-member board. Five board members would be appointed by the governor. The lieutenant governor and House speaker would each appoint three. The legislation would also neuter the Georgia Department of Transportation and turn it into a glorified road maintenance agency. Currently, state lawmakers elect GDOT board members. UPDATE: The AJC today offers dueling guest editorials about the legislation from Senate President Pro Tem Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, and GDOT Board member Brandon Beach.

The whole proposal has some lawmakers flummoxed.

(more…)

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Hear ye, hear ye! The re-arranging of the deck chairs continues!

The state Senate today narrowly passed Gov. Sonny Perdue’s controversial overhaul of the state’s transportation power structure. The final vote was 30-25.

Under the governor’s plan, a “State Transportation Authority” would be created. The new agency would be led by a transportation secretary and an 11-member board. The governor would appoint the secretary and five board members. The lieutenant governor and speaker would each appoint three. Two other people-moving agencies — the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the State Road and Tollway Authority — would merge.

But it’s what the bill would do to the Georgia Department of Transportation that has some lawmakers in conniptions. Perdue’s plan would strip GDOT of most of its powers, essentially turning it into a glorified road-paving service. That asphalt-spitting power would shift to the new agency, appointed by the state’s leadership.

And that’d be a major loss of influence for state lawmakers who currently elect GDOT’s 13-member board.

(more…)

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For someone who was recently given a pink slip, Gena Evans is chipper.

“If you can’t notice the smile on my face, the best day I’ve had at GDOT was Thursday,” the former Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner says, referring to her ousting last week from the state agency. “I’m very happy to be gone.”

And now that Evans no longer heads one of the state’s most powerful agencies — one that’s facing a drastic restructuring under a controversial plan pushed by Gov. Sonny Perdue — she says she can be frank in her criticism of the department. She speaks lovingly of the employees but paints a grim portrait of a $2 billion agency that’s mired in politics.

Evans, who now earns a paycheck as executive director of the State Road and Tollway Authority, sat down with CL at that agency’s downtown offices looking over the city skyline this afternoon. She talked about Perdue’s grand reorganization plan, the “systemic” problems at GDOT, her occasional thoughts about resigning, and Georgia’s overall transportation landscape. It ain’t pretty and it’s all after the jump.

(more…)

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Ain’t no better time to replace the general than in the middle of battle, right? Uh, right?

Dick Pettys of Insider Advantage reports:

A palace revolt is brewing among members of the state Board of Transportation, and sources say it is poised to try to dump Commissioner Gena Evans on Thursday.

The board has a called meeting that day to take up budget matters. If it goes into closed session, a vote to remove Evans will likely be conducted.

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If she is voted out, look for the governor and likely the lieutenant governor to argue that is exactly the reason why DOT should be relegated to a maintenance agency status and a new State Transportation Authority given power over policy and funding.

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