Author: Scarlet Hawk

To Double Dip or Not Double Dip?

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

I walk a line in Georgia politics.  Many of the policy issues that face the state are ones that are not only passion points for me and for my friends, but also INVOLVE my friends.  As a political consultant, I work to further my clients’ causes and move the state in, what I hope is, the right direction.  More times than not, I find myself on the opposite side of the issue with people whom I admire, value their opinion, and with which I would really love to be on the same side.  In this business, there are professional ethics that are dictated by the Georgia Government Transparency and Finance Committee, otherwise known colloquially as the “Ethics Commission”.  There are also personal ethics that command even a higher standard. I personally take a GREAT DEAL of pride in that I never work for a cause in which I do not fully believe.  It would make me a horrible advocate and I believe would reflect poorly upon my causes.

Earlier this week, the question of Governor Deal’s top education gun, Erin Hames’ ethics came into focus.  The AJC and Creative Loafing posed the ethics question regarding the fact that an open records request has shown Mrs. Hames to have concurrent contracts to continue consulting Governor Deal’s office on education and providing strategies to Atlanta Public Schools for avoidance of being taken over by the Opportunity School District.

I will leave the personal and professional ethical questions to others to debate. 

As a government affairs consultant to Grad High, a statewide charter high school that serves at-risk youth, an Atlanta school district resident, and a person who is glad to see Governor Deal try something new and bold in education reform, I have a nuanced opinion about Mrs. Hames’ concurrent contracts.

Yet what I am more concerned about is the shadow that this focus on Mrs. Hames casts over the ballot initiative to be decided by Georgia voters in November.   The OSD is not a done deal. Yet, education reform is desperately needed in our state.  IMHO, Mrs. Hames has long championed for the Governor the necessary education reforms, and her work is something I am grateful for and I believe has very genuine and noble roots.  However, I have to question why she would wish to cast a pall over these proceedings?
Continue reading “To Double Dip or Not Double Dip?” →

Georgia: Filling the Gaps

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

Gap-AnalysisAfter a weekend of football, and Miss Georgia taking the crown for Miss America, it would be my guess folks around the nation are wondering what other successes and accolades may come from the peach state?  For me, I hope our future is found in growing business and a more developed economy, with meaningful employment for Georgians.  Yet, I cannot help but notice there are some noticeable gaps still linger.  These gaps are not ones that cannot be reconciled, but ones that must be addressed before Georgia is going to be placed on another tier in the marketplace.  Many Georgians speak lovingly of farm life, and of agriculturally based, small town economies.  Yet, if there is one thing I know of growing up on a farm in a small town, I know that you are always busy- there is compelling work to be done for maintenance, repair, and to keep the farm moving forward.

So what might Georgia do next? Continue reading “Georgia: Filling the Gaps” →

Über: Disrupting More Than Just Transportation

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

uber_appThis past week I had a flat tire, unexpectedly.  I was rushing out the door to a meeting and as I turned the corner, saw very plainly that the tire was not a slow leak, but an all-out flat.  Curses were said, patience tried, then I moved on.  Being undeterred, I decided to take Über- my go-to for any event where I avoid driving.  At the end of the day, I had very different drivers, all with a story to tell, all with an interesting perspective, and all who had strong feelings about their commitment to something large than themselves.  Some had children which motivated them, others did not.  Yet all felt compelled to do something- to go beyond the basic and I was left feeling that these were my kind of people.  It was an eye opening experience for me, and I hope it will be interesting for you as well.

First off, I do not typically talk casually about what I do.  For a long time I used to tell people I encountered and was certain I would not meet again I was a secretary or an events planner.  I did this because whenever I say I work in politics, people always want my opinion. Or, more accurately they wish for me to affirm their opinion as right because I am (in their eyes at the moment) some subject matter expert.  I’m not, and I tire of this easily.  It was especially difficult in my early twenties at bars in Buckhead when the boys buying drinks wanted to talk about the latest Presidential election or to impress me with their lack of knowledge of foreign policy. But those are posts for another type of blog; just know that I do not bring up what I do in conversation unless I am asked directly and I try to offer the most basic explanation possible before switching the conversation back to them.  It saves us all some headaches.  Trust me.

My first driver was a fellow Jeep driver, so I felt some level of connection to him with this.  We spent the first part of my thirty minute ride discussing Jeeps and other makes and models we had driven and considered driving.  I learned he was a musician and did some video production as a primary job with Über as his back-up.  Cool.  Made me think of all the film productions going on here in Georgia and I silently thanked the tax credits that have encouraged that sector’s growth.  The driver then asked me what I did and my answer seemed to engage him far more intensely than I had expected.  This could go south, quickly.

…But it didn’t. Continue reading “Über: Disrupting More Than Just Transportation” →

Peachtree-Pine: Atlanta’s Playbook On Kicking The Can

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

Last week I read a teaser from Atlanta Magazine on the Mayor’s use of eminent domain to address the hot mess that is Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter.  This has been an on-going challenge within the City of Atlanta for years and I commend the Mayor for attempting to address it.  I look forward to the full article and better understanding the motives and plans regarding this decision.  At first blush though, this appears to be a page out of the Campbell-Franklin playbook: out of sight, out of mind for the city’s homeless.

I have always admired Mayor Reed’s pragmatism in politics.  He works across the aisle to move policies that are embraced by both sides.  I wish more policy makers were like him- effective, solution oriented, and innovative.  His partnership with Governor Deal has been the lynchpin in getting the Savannah Harbor deepened, opening up trade for the entire state.

Yet the use of eminent domain in this case, to build a police and fire station seems not only overblown, but out of touch.  As a rule, I have a real problem with eminent domain.  I see it as an over reach of the government where the cards are stacked against the private property owner.  While I recognize it has its place in the toolbox of policy, I fear it is far overused already.

Additionally, while as a resident I would certainly value the presence of more police and fire fighters in the area, the plan to disperse the shelter visitors around the city into smaller groups, smacks of former mayors’ prior move to push the poor and panhandling into Clayton County.  In my humble opinion, it is less of a solution, and more of a stop gap approach to sweep the city’s complex challenges under the rug.

The Mayor has asserted that citizens of Atlanta want this shelter gone.  Sort of.  I want the litter, loitering, drug use and sex in the public park gone- I want the people who need treatment and therapy to receive it. 

The reality is that homelessness is complex.  In recognizing that, the solution to address this population must also be.  This broad brush stroke approach probably wins the Mayor some points in some camps, but most recognize this is not actually a solution; this is merely kicking the can.  Continue reading “Peachtree-Pine: Atlanta’s Playbook On Kicking The Can” →

Tax Reform in Georgia: Codified Elitism?

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

Last week, the Georgia House Ways and Means Committee hosted a meeting in which they discussed Rep. John Carson’s (R, 46th) “More Take Home Pay” Bill.  The bill is the first attempt at tax reform in Georgia since 2010, so let’s all be grateful for an attempt at addressing the behemoth that is Georgia’s Swiss cheese tax code.  You may find the bill, as introduced by clicking here.  However, it is my understanding that the bill is a “working document” and has not been updated online.  For whatever reason, the Georgia General Assembly’s process of policy exists largely outside of the sphere of modernity.  The bills are not updated in a timely manner online for easy dissemination.  The fiscal note is not readily available online in conjunction with the bill itself, and if the bill is discussed between sessions of the legislature, it would seem it is perfectly normal and acceptable to not include those discussion documents online in one central area.

Clearly, I am not of the same accord. 

In the #gapol Twitter feed, I posed my questions and graciously Rep. Brett Harrell (R, 106) informed me that (as always) I may contact the Ways and Means staff for any of the documents shared in the meeting.  I have chosen to share them with you below. Continue reading “Tax Reform in Georgia: Codified Elitism?” →

Alpharetta: THE City for Female Entrepreneurs

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

wemadethat_630x420-300x200I love Georgia, business, and promoting women.  So when I see a headline that embraces all three- I’m tickled pink!  It would seem that Alpharetta has been named by Goodcall.com as THE city in the US for female entrepreneurs.  Here’s the full article regarding the stats and other cities that made the top ten. Continue reading “Alpharetta: THE City for Female Entrepreneurs” →

Faux Outrage: Politics in the Era of Trump

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

faux_outrage_rectangle_magnet

I feel I have either recently had an excellent reprisal on history lessons or politics has dwindled to nothing more than reuse and recycle.  This idea crystallized for me watching Netflix (the bastion of intellect and high-minded shows that it is).  Netflix has The Kennedys on tap right now, and after my binge watching of Mad Men and House of Cards in lieu of watching the Republican debates, this seemed like a natural order of viewing pleasure.  The last episode I watched was the one where Kennedy has to send the National Guard down to Ole Miss to allow James Meredith to register for classes that led to a riot that killed two people.  Prior to the riot, Governor Barnett stoked the flames of the already burning anger in the crowd by citing their outrage over all the “wrongs” the Kennedy Administration had done them, not disclosing that he and Kennedy had repeatedly been in discussion over the matter in an attempt to prevent the situation becoming a riot.  The outrage that Barnett fueled reminded me so much of what’s going on now in politics.  Not much has changed since the 1960s: Confederate flags, reproductive rights, belittling of women.  The names have changed, but the song remains the same.

In each situation, the outraged party says someone has gone “too far”.  I don’t disagree. 

Personally, I find outrage to be a poor tool for getting anything actually done policy-wise.  I have done my share of marching and angry finger-wagging to be sure, and once I recognized how little the other side listened to this (and how these stunts are used to manipulate the media), I chose a different path.  There is a place for passionate discourse in politics- lord knows I have my soap boxes.  Yet as soon as the conversation ends, you have no means for a workable solution, only fallout.  You have no ability to interact across the aisle without the courtesy of respect for the other side.

But it sure gets you attention, does it not?  Take a look at the headlines compiled over the weekend. Continue reading “Faux Outrage: Politics in the Era of Trump” →

Georgia: Somewhere Between Koinonia and “The City Too Busy To Hate”

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

I am somewhere firmly in the middle.

Growing up in the bustling metropolis of Social Circle, Georgia was idyllic.  I grew up on a farm where the gravel meets a road named after a Primitive Baptist Church.  My parents believed very deeply in education as a key to my future success, and whereas my clothes and toys may have been limited by budget, my parents never allowed my love of books to be.  The problem with rearing me was that I always asked questions and wanted to understand the hows and whys of things.  My mother is a spitfire optimist who fiercely believes in the potential of all children, especially her own precocious one.  When she hears of something new, she often wishes to try it, much to my father’s consternation.  In me this fostered a love of innovation and an innate curiosity about whether a different method might be more effective.  My father is a resolute pessimist who enjoys stories of yesteryear, traditions, and the quality of developed ritual.  From him my love of folklore, politics, and ambition in business was cultivated.  He is the steady; she is wide open.  As I have aged, I am a strong representation of both and, like my geographical location, I am caught somewhere in the middle of hope and reluctance. Continue reading “Georgia: Somewhere Between Koinonia and “The City Too Busy To Hate”” →

Georgia: Trailblazer or Perennially Lost?

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

appalachian-trail-approachI have had the pleasure of travelling around the Southland a bit lately.  Although I reside in the city of Atlanta, my favorite spot to get away is ALWAYS in the mountains-Georgia or North Carolina; does NOT matter.  Wherever the pine trees are in abundance and the paved roads are not is where I wish to be.  Cooler temperatures and rolling landscapes abound and the elevation of certain points allows me to indulge and get lost metaphorically in my own thoughts.  However, I recently became actually lost-as in could not find my path back to the beginning of the trail.  It’s a very different feeling when one is truly lost- the disorientation, the heat of the midday sun beating down, and my body already tired from the hike I had originally set out on, never expecting to cover this many miles or take THAT much time.

 

Clearly I made it back, but as I was climbing over hills and dodging the brambles in my unorthodox path, I thought much of how this could have been prevented.  Where were the colored blazes marking the path?  Why have the trails not been tended so that the vegetation did not cover my previous steps?  I walked back over the same path many times in hopes of finding the switchback I missed, or the small bridge I had crossed.  The path was there, I had simply forgotten its image and location.  And in my foolhardy arrogance, I had not adequately prepared for if something went wrong.

 

Amateur.

 

One would never have believed I hiked 40 miles on the Appalachian Trail a few years ago and am a regular hiker who enjoys backcountry camping.  Bless MY heart.

 

In more than a decade of Georgia politics, I’ve had the pleasure of sitting at tables of power that others may not have with both the House and the Senate.  I have watched the paths of policy and party emerge from a grassroots level to the fall of some mighty grasstops under Lt. Governor Taylor and Speaker Richardson.  I have been impressed with the larger vision of the present Governor and the efforts of the sitting legislative members to initiate justice reform, a transportation plan and now educational reform.  I’ve watched the rabbit holes of RFRA and the Guns Everywhere bill send the legislature in strange meandering paths so that I’m left wondering where are our markers?  What will be the footprints we leave for others to follow?  More importantly, if Georgia wishes to move forward, what tools will we employ to blaze new paths? Continue reading “Georgia: Trailblazer or Perennially Lost?” →

Winning Requires Planning Ahead

Posted on by Scarlet Hawk

us-womens-world-cupThis past Sunday night, many Southerners huddled around their TVs to watch the Women’s World Cup, or at least those that were not shooting off their remaining fireworks and ammo from the night prior. With this win, the U.S. Women’s Team has become the team with the most wins in Women’s World Cup history.  While a team is climbing to the top there is lots of speculation, but when the victory is claimed, everyone wants to know how they did it.  Aside from hard work, LOTS of practice, and some killer instincts, the case could be made for the fact that the United States is the only country in the Women’s World Cup that provides IX funding, making it equally possible for young, female athletes to pursue their passions just like their male colleagues.  As a shock to no one, I am a big fan of this theory and of IX funding.  While I am no athlete, I do believe that planning ahead tends to make short work of competition.  Turns out, I am not the only one that feels this way.

Early last month, Paul Bowers, Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce spoke with leaders at Berry College about the necessity of a good education.  You see, Mr. Bowers needs Georgians to have a good education so that when they apply to his company, they can actually meet the fundamental requirements of the job.  This isn’t rocket science to anyone.  Most people believe that with a better education, you can rise to the next level with a combination of hard work and integrity.  Yet Mr. Bowers’ statement on education here in the state should not be brushed to the side.  Frankly, it could be read another way: either Georgia needs to get their education act together, or our economy is going to suffer.  This is not the first time the Chamber has tried to get lawmakers’ attention, either.  Click here for the link to the “Economics of Education” report from the Chamber in 2012, or skip to the images below. Continue reading “Winning Requires Planning Ahead” →