April 22, 2009 - Senator Robert Brown today prepared legislation that would repeal SB 31 - known as the Georgia Power Tax - that was signed by the governor earlier in the week. If not repealed, Georgians will face steep increases in their power bills to pre-fund two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle.  A similar effort is now underway in Florida to reverse a similar scheme enacted in that state.

"The Georgia Power Tax is completely unnecessary, and it is high time that the Georgia General Assembly stops allowing big business to treat Georgia taxpayers like ATM machines," Brown said. "This company is guaranteed a profit exceeding 11%, even in this recession, and they now want to pad those profits by having Georgians pay in advance for Georgia Power construction projects."

Brown's legislation likely will not stop Georgia Power's tax increase for Plant Vogtle, since the Public Service Commission has already rubber-stamped Georgia Power's request. However, Brown noted that "most people do not know that this law also gives Georgia Power the authority to ignore the Public Service Commission on future increases for other projects; simply put, the law allows Georgia Power to raise rates even higher to build plants in the future without regard to construction costs for Plant Vogtle."

Senator Brown will work with a grassroots movement to expose how corporate greed has taken over the legislative and administrative functions of Georgia's government.  "The citizens of Georgia need to know who really runs Georgia.  Our ongoing effort will place Georgia Power versus the power of Georgia's people.  It may take more than one session to repeal this law, but the people of Georgia will win in the end," Brown said.

Senator Brown has served in the Senate since 1991. He represents Twiggs and parts of Bibb (Macon), Wilkinson and Houston Counties. He serves on six important committees, Administrative Affairs, Judiciary, Insurance and Labor, Economic Development, Reapportionment and Redistricting, and Veterans and Military Affairs. He is serving a second term as Senate Democratic Leader, one of the top three leaders elected by members of the Senate.4

Ben George
Chief of Staff, Senate Democratic Caucus
121-B State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334