This year's session of the Georgia Legislature will be about relationships and consensus-building, says Rick Price, Republican senator from the 28th District which comprises parts of Fayette, Coweta, and Spalding counties. He plans to sponsor or cosponsor bills to lower taxes, punish vehicular evasion of arrest, and give tax breaks as a form of private school voucher system.

The first week was largely ceremonial, Price said in a car-phone interview recently, "just listening to speeches so far. I think we're laying the template. Charlie Tanksley (R-Cobb Co.) will be one of three floor leaders, and he's a very, very decent, honest guy."

He believes the session started off questionably with Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor's realignment of committees, seen by Republicans as a winning Democrat's punishment of the minority party.

Price called the new assignments demotions. "The way that's coming out of the chute, it's going to be contentious," he said.

Even Tom Murphy, Speaker of the House, expects the Senate to have "more conflict than the House," Price said, adding that that analysis is not meant to be "acrimonious or discordant, but that's just the personality of it."

"Ninety-five percent of the legislative agenda, our caucus won't have a problem with," said the senator. "The real story will be relationships among the members and leaders."

Price does, however, give Gov. Roy Barnes high marks for cooperation. "He's going to be bi-partisan in what is best for his vision of Georgia. So far, he's doing the right things, making everyone feel like part of the process.

"I'm not as impressed with Taylor already he has gaveled down speeches. I think the governor is disappointed."

As for public transportation issues, high on the governor's agenda: "I haven't seen the governor's proposal. I sit on the Transportation Committee, and next week's meeting is going to be at central station [the hub of traffic control in Atlanta]. Also, I've had nothing in writing that tells me what the governor intends to do and no communication from city and county officials. Like you, I am waiting for particulars."

Price also continues as a member of the Consumer Affairs Committee and the Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Committee. In addition, the former Fayette County Commissioner is on the State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

Price ticked off three bills he plans to introduce or cosponsor:

To cut the personal tax rate one-quarter percent a year beginning in 2000.

Mandatory prison for fleeing a police officer in a motorized vehicle. "You and I are the ones at risk [during high-speed chases]."

A bill that gives tax credit up to $500 year for donating that amount to a nonprofit organization, the purpose of which is to give vouchers for private education and/or parochial school to poor children. "In the state of Texas [where a voucher program is in place] about 50 percent of the student population is minority, about 65 percent under the school lunch program. They now have inner city schools out-performing neighborhood schools."

He made a prediction: "Pay attention to what may be a defining issue among relationships in the Senate the optometrists' bill to allow them to write prescriptions they may not now write. That will mark the dividing line, the first big play."