Oxendine Statement on Disclosure of State Pensions

Insider Advantage writer Dick Pettys reports that according to ERS, it no longer is possible for the taxpayers of Georgia to find out a full disclosure on state pensions. This means that taxpayers cannot discover which pensioner is getting what from state government.



Mr. Pettys reminds us that state employees, while on active duty, have their salaries easily accessible for all to see. But when a taxpayer-funded employee retires, their pension information is protected from their bosses, the taxpayers of Georgia.

Mr. Pettys reports state law was changed during the 1997 session of the Legislature, when Democrats still were in control of both chambers.



O.C.G.A. 47-1-14(b) “…the following records maintained by a retirement system are exempted from being open to inspection by the general public:…(4) any business, financial, or personal information in the possession of such retirement system concerning a party other than such retirement system."



I want to congratulate WGCL (TV 46) reporter Wendy Saltzman and the station’s owner, Meredith Corp, for their initial work on this matter. I also congratulate Dick Pettys for his work on this issue too.



Let me be perfectly clear on this issue. If it is in fact true that ERS is refusing to release this information based on any interpretation of any state law, that will change in January, 2011. Should I become Governor, I will direct my legal counsel in the first days of an Oxendine Administration to meet with the heads of every Georgia retirement system and the Attorney General.



If I receive confirmation that these reports are true, I will direct my Administration Floor Leaders to immediately introduce legislation to reverse this outrageous policy and practice.



Every state employee needs to understand that all of us, including me, are employees of the taxpayers of Georgia. They are our bosses and they have every right to know about our compensation. Period.



I call on Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle, and Speaker Richardson to act prior to 2011 and move legislation early in the 2010 Session to address these allegations and provide facts to the taxpayers that they remain in charge of their state employees.

John Oxendine
Governor 2010

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Five Days of the Obama ACORN Connection: Day 1 - Deep Roots

Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"While serving as the director of Project Vote, Barack Obama formed the roots of his political career alongside ACORN, which is currently under investigation in thirteen states for election fraud and is also under investigation by the FBI. As more information becomes clear about Obama's associations, Americans are realizing his decisions are made using a combination of poor judgment and blind ambition. It is imperative that Barack Obama fully disclose the specifics of his relationship with ACORN, allowing the American people to determine its merit in this contest."

The Facts

· Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992, And Earlier This Year Said He Had Been Fighting Alongside ACORN His Entire Career
· Obama Worked As An Organizer For Project Vote, An ACORN Offshoot
· ACORN'S Website Lists Project Vote As An Allied Organization

As A Community Organizer, Obama Worked With ACORN

Obama: "I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work." (Barack Obama 2008 Website, Accessed 10/8/08)

Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992. "What's more, Obama worked as executive director of ACORN's voter-registration arm, Project Vote, in 1992. Joined by two other community organizers on Chicago's South Side, Obama conducted the voter-registration drive that helped elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the Senate that year." (Editorial, "Is ACORN Stealing The Election?" Investor's Business Daily, 10/8/08)

"Obama Worked As An Organizer For Project Vote, An Acorn Offshoot." "Early in his career, Obama worked as an organizer for Project Vote, an ACORN offshoot, and represented ACORN in legal actions, according to various published reports, including Associated Press articles. ACORN's political action committee endorsed Obama in the primary." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 8/22/08)

Time Magazine Described Project Vote As A "Non-Partisan Arm" Of ACORN. "David Leland [is] national director of Project Vote, a nonpartisan arm of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which claims it has registered more than 50,000 voters in the Columbus area." (Karen Tumulty and Perry Bacon, "Fighting For Every Last Vote," Time Magazine, 10/18/04)

To This Very Day, ACORN'S Website Lists Project Vote As An Allied Organization. (ACORN Website, Accessed 10/14/08)

Todd and Governor Sarah Palin's Tax Returns Released

Today, the McCain-Palin campaign released Governor and Todd Palin's tax returns for 2006 and 2007. The Palins' tax returns show that they paid $36,682 in federal taxes for 2006 and 2007. In the past two years, Governor and Todd Palin have contributed $8,205 to charitable causes. Below please find summary information about the Palins' 2006 and 2007 tax returns.

The McCain-Palin campaign also released Governor and Todd Palin's Public Financial Disclosure Report.

To view the relevant documents, please see: http://www.johnmccain.com/palinfinancial

SUMMARY OF TAX RETURNS

Taxes Paid:

For 2006, the Palins paid $11,944 (LINE 63) in total taxes on gross income of $127,869 (LINE 37), which is a 9.3% tax rate.

For 2007, the Palins paid $24,738 (LINE 63) in total taxes on gross income of $166,080 (LINE 37), which is a 14.9% tax rate.

Charitable Contributions:

2006
In 2006, Sarah and Todd Palin donated $4,250 to charity in cash/check donations and $630 in non-cash/check donations, for a total of $4,880. This is 3.3% of their adjusted gross income.

2007
In 2007, Sarah and Todd Palin donated $2,500 to charity in cash/check donations and $825 in non-cash/check donations, for a total of $3,325. This is 1.5% of their adjusted gross income.