Wednesday, October 3, 2001
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Wednesday, October 3, 2001 |
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Hecht formally announces congressional bid By DAVE
HAMRICK
State Sen. Greg Hecht made it official Tuesday ... he is running for Congress. The new 13th District that Hecht will court includes a small portion of northeast Fayette County, the Europe and Kenwood precincts. His current 34th District state Senate seat also includes part of Fayette. Running with the theme "Give 'em Hecht in the U.S. House," Hecht announced his candidacy on the state Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon, four days after the state Legislature finished redrawing the congressional districts to accommodate two new districts in keeping with the 2000 U.S. Census. He is the first candidate to formally announce, having filed the necessary paperwork to begin fund-raising earlier this year. He also has already conducted one fund-raising event, bringing in more than $100,000. Approximately 36 percent of the new district is in Hecht's home county, Clayton. The district also includes parts of south Fulton, Spalding, Henry, Rockdale, Newton, Walton, Gwinnett, Butts and DeKalb counties. "It's a great map," Hecht said of the new district. With 11 counties to cover, though, Hecht said he believes he can give people in north Fayette adequate representation. "Europe and Kenwood will always get a lot of my attention," he said. In his announcement, Hecht said he will focus on six major issues in his campaign: National security He said he will propose measures to increase the numbers of intelligence agents adn airport security agents, plus preventive measures against chemical/biological terrorism. Senior citizens He will work for secure social security benefits and prescription drug coverage, he said. Economic development Hecht promised to work to entice quality and large employers to the nine counties in the 13th District. Energy Incentives for clean energy technology and "a heightened supply of energy to lower prices" are among his proposals, Hecht said. Education Measures he will propose include safe school measures, transfer of designated felony records, and programs to attract and keep high level teachers in low performing schools. Equal opportunity protections Hecht did not specify proposals in this area. Hecht, who is finishing his second term in the state Senate after serving two terms in the state House, is chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee, vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee, chairman of an Appropriations subcommittee and a member of the Insurance and Labor Committee. Among bills Hecht has authored in the House and Senate, he points with pride to the Elder Georgian and Disabled Adult Abuse Prevention Act, a bill requiring criminal background checks for day care employees, natural gas billing relief legislation, domestic violence prevention, more than $2 billion in tax cuts, DUI and child abuse prevention bills, and safe schools and ethics legislation, among others. In 2000, Georgia's counties gave Hecht their Legislative Service Award, adn Georgie Trend magazine recognized him as one of the Top 40 Georgians under 40. The Georgia Council on Aging named him one of two Legislators of the Year in 1999, and in 1998 he received the Speak up for a Child Legislative Awrad from a children's organization. Hecht also points with pride to a $350,000 grant he secured for Fayette County's McCurry Park, and $150,000 for Tyrone's recreation programs. A native of Columbus, Ga., Hecht is a lawyer living in Jonesboro with his wife, Cherie, and daughter. A graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, he served four years as an assistant district attorney and two years as a county attorney before being elected to a seat in the state House of Representatives. he served one term in the House and was elected to the Senate in 1998.
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