NEWS . . . FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
From: Martin Hawley, the Office of State Representative Calvin Hill

Daily View From The Hill:

Calvin Hill

University Reimbursibles

Double Dipping?  No, that is not two people skinny dipping; it refers to those who steal the public’s money by accepting reimbursement twice for the same expense.

Now, I may understand if this is an uneducated person who does not know how reimbursements are done. After all, if this concept is totally foreign to somebody, then it might be reasonable if they were a little confused and accepted Per Diem expenses and then turned in an expense account for their lodging, don’t you agree?

But, what would you think if I told you that these people were highly educated? What if I told you that these people were in charge of running all of our 35 State Universities and Colleges? Yes, it is the “revered” University System Board of Regents that is double dipping into your tax monies.

Their excuse? “We have strayed from the state statute governing regents' reimbursement," said the Board’s attorney, Brian Newsome. “I don’t know how it happened”

With this type of lame excuse, you can understand why some of us at the General Assembly would like to do away with the Board. After all, do you really want these people in charge of your Universities? They can not even follow the most simple of rules of common sense and basic tax laws.

We must demand accountability by these board members and should demand their immediate resignation. If they are unable to follow rules, do you think they are able to run our universities?  I don’t!

Let me know what you think about this or any other subjects by writing me at calvin.hill@house.ga.gov or calling my office at 404-656-0129.