Columbus leaders present 2027 legislative requests to state lawmakers
List includes election costs, community paramedicine and probate judge pay
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Columbus city councilors, state lawmakers and community partners went over the city’s 2027 legislative agenda Wednesday, ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The list asks the state for help on election costs, community paramedicine and probate judge pay.
The meeting took place in the Sycamore Room at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. Some of the requests are not new.
“A lot of the things that we are bringing are repeat things that did not get all the way through and didn’t get legislative approval, and so we just keep on bringing them back,” said Charmaine Crabb, District 5 city councilor.
Election costs
One request is about elections. If Georgia changes its voting system, possibly to paper ballots, Columbus wants the state to cover the added costs for counties and elections boards.
“We’re going to have something coming up pretty soon where they are going to look at changing the way we do elections, maybe with the systems, paper ballots, whatever the case may be. That’s a huge, heavy load for our budget, so we’re asking for the state to provide funding,” said Toyia Tucker, District 4 city councilor.
Paramedicine, judge pay and property tax bill
The list also asks for state support for community paramedicine, which treats patients without an ambulance ride, and for higher pay for the probate judge.
State Rep. Teddy Reese said the meeting made him think about a property tax bill lawmakers considered.
“We are certainly learning about revenue sources, where our money is coming in and how it’s being impacted, and they made me think directly about the property tax bill that was in contemplation at the state Capitol,” Reese said. “If that bill would have passed, it would have cut over $100 million out of the revenue source for Muscogee County.”
What happens next
A delegation meeting will follow Wednesday’s meeting, said Carmen Rice, a state legislator.
“Today was more of an organization meeting of just listing, taking what they have, and then we will have a delegation meeting that follows up with this, and we will divvy up who is carrying what and how we can do,” Rice said. “Speaking with the city council and nonprofit organizations that came to us with their legislative priorities was really the business of today.”
Local lawmakers will decide who carries the requests after the legislative session starts. Early voting ends Friday.
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