Wednesday, January 9, 2002
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Wednesday, January 9, 2002 |
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Cox ready to get to work in 2002 By MONROE
ROARK
Kathy Cox is gearing up for her fourth session in the Georgia General Assembly, which starts Monday, and to say she's fired up and ready to go would be an understatement. Cox, who is entering her final year as the representative from the 105th District to the state House of Representatives, has pegged gas deregulation's effects on citizens and education issues as her top priorities in 2002. The veteran teacher will run for state school superintendent in this year's election. She said Tuesday morning that she expects the budget to be a "hot and heavy part" of this year's activity for all legislators, as this is the first year since she has been in office that the state does not have a sizeable surplus going into the annual budget debate. "We're all going to make sure no one hurts the things we need," she said, referring to possible cutbacks. Cox does not expect any really big initiatives from Gov. Roy Barnes, in no small part due to the fact that he will be running for a second term this year. "I think he'll lay low," she said, adding that teen driving and education reform are among Barnes' previous initiatives likely to be on the front burner this year. Speaking of burners, Cox wants to turn up the heat on natural gas suppliers this year, after months of what she says is a lack of consideration and cooperation with customers since deregulation a few years ago. Her first meeting as a member of the Industry Committee after being elected in 1999 was in a room packed with angry consumers, she said. Since then, the rate increases and threats to turn off people's gas amid huge bills have created "one headache after another. I'm tired of it." She has received numerous phone calls from what she called "desperate people" facing gas bills of several hundred dollars, with gas suppliers threatening to shut off service if complete payment is not made immediately. She has called the suppliers personally on customers' behalf and even contacted local charities to get help for customers, after what she said was a total lack of cooperation from suppliers to even allow for payment plans to make the huge bills good. "This is my top priority [for 2002]," she said. "I've got nothing to lose [since she's not running again]. If I make some gas companies mad, so what?" In other matters, Cox is keeping an eye on road construction and wants to make sure improvement plans for Ga. highways 54 and 74 stay on track. And, as can be expected from a 15-year teacher, she has some ideas in the area of education. One problem she sees is the lack of opportunity for principals and administrators to have any discretion in "zero tolerance" matters, such as weapons. While she thinks much of the policy is good, and she feels quite safe on campus, there are things that could use some improvement, she said. For instance, she was told of an incident in another county where a student was suspended for bringing a seam ripper to school for a sewing class. "Let's make room for some common sense," she said. She also sees a lot of room for improvement where teacher issues are concerned. She said that she has never seen teacher morale any lower in her career than it is right now. "They've been left out of the process, continually insulted, and told they're the problem and not the solution," she said. "And this won't be solved with a pay raise. It's not just about money. Teachers are not stupid." In addition to the Industry Committee, Cox serves on the Education and Health & Ecology committees.
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