Tony Lentini for House District 106

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Lentini Calls for Independent Commission to draw Legislative and Congressional District Lines - Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini Candidate for State House District 106 today announced support for a constitutional amendment calling for the appointment of a non-partisan commission to draw legislative and congressional district lines every ten years.

Georgia has a history with the Republican and Democratic parties, when in the majorities, having used their power to pass legislative maps that give their incumbent members safe districts to run campaigns from because they are packed with only likeminded voters. Often times, creating these newly drawn districts has come at the expense of communities of interest by splitting up counties and cities, only to gain political advantage.

"Drawing gerrymandered districts for political gain is wrong, no matter what party has the majority at the time. An independent commission drawing legislative and congressional maps would take some of the politics out of the process and restore public confidence. This has been very successful in the state of Iowa and Georgia voters ought to have the option to have an independent commission drawing fair maps, every ten years."

In conclusion, Lentini said, "I ask my opponent to join me in supporting this bipartisan and fair measure that will only benefit the citizens of Georgia."

Lentini wants to Allow Top High School Graduates Admission to College of Choice - Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106 announced his support for "Georgia's Promise". The legislation, introduced during the 06 session of the General Assembly, ensures high school students from every corner of the state who graduate in the top 10% of their class will be automatically admitted to the state school of their choosing.

Similar legislation was adopted in Texas and Florida and has proven very successful in guaranteeing spots for all top students, no matter where you attend high school, at the flagship institutions and keeping them from going out of state to receive their degree.

"This has been very successful in other states and gives those star students who have worked hard and made outstanding grades in high school the opportunity to go to the their choice of state universities," said Lentini. "It will also keep these kids in Georgia who would have otherwise gone to a university out of state and found a career there after college. With this, more of our brightest students will stay in Georgia, which will benefit our local communities."

Under the legislation, admission is automatically granted to students in the top 10% of their high school graduating class without regard to wealth of the school district or the high school they attended.

In 1997 in Texas around 1,000 high schools, well more than half the high schools in the state, did not send a single student to the University of Texas at Austin's freshman class. After the enactment of their "Ten Percent Plan", endorsed by then Governor George Bush, every one of these 1,000 schools sent at least one student in each graduating class to the flagship university in the state. The University of Texas's own admission policies have also demonstrated that students who are under the 10% law have superior SAT scores and G.P.A.'s than those who fall outside of the top 10%.

Lentini Calls for Ban on Lobbyist Paid Tickets, Gifts and Travel for Lawmakers - Saturday, October 14, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106 today announced his support for HB 47, which was introduced during the 06 Session of the General Assembly. The bill bans all gifts from lobbyists, prohibits lobbyist paid travel for lawmakers, bans lobbyist paid tickets and strengthens whistle blower protections for city and county employees.

"In light of all of the recent scandals in the news, I believe it is important to make Georgia's ethics laws even stronger. This is a common sense approach that will still allow necessary social activity to continue, but at the same time, slow those with deep pockets from directly influencing votes through tickets to the game or a trip on the private jet to the race," said Lentini

"Being chosen to serve is one of the highest honors a community can bestow upon a person and the taxpaying citizens deserve to know that their representative is not going to be persuaded by these methods of influence pedaling," said Lentini.

The legislation would still allow lobbyists to sponsor group receptions, buy meals under $50 for lawmakers, and give legislators trinkets and promotional items generally available to the public.

Candidate Tony Lentini's father Frank passes away suddenly - Saturday, October 14, 2006

Frank A. Lentini, age 69 of Snellville died Wednesday, October 11, 2006. Funeral Mass will be held 11:00 AM, Monday, October 16, 2006 at St. Oliver Catholic Church, Snellville. Father Joseph Mendez will officiate. Entombment Westview Cemetery, Atlanta. Frank was born in Auburn, New York. He moved to Atlanta in 1954. Frank served 8 years in the Air Force with the 820th Squadron (SAC) during the Korean War. He was formerly employed with Railway Express Agency from 1964-1976. Frank was a member of St. Oliver Catholic Church. He owned and operated Frank's Barber & Style Shop in Tucker for over 30 years. He is survived by: his wife of 46 years, Flora Z. Lentini; son, Tony & daughter-in-law, Patricia Lentini, daughter, Sophia & son-in-law, Steven Clanton, all of Snellville; brother, Vincent A. Lentini, Conyers; sister, Bridget R. Mastrogiovanni, Doraville; grandchildren, Frank & Brian Lentini. Family will receive friends from 2-4 & 6-8 PM Sunday, October 15, 2006 with prayer service at 8:00 PM at the Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 2246 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, Georgia 30078. 770-979-5010

Lentini Calls for General Assembly Oversight before changes can be made to Medicaid - Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106, today called for General Assembly approval before any changes to Medicaid or PeachCare. Over the past year, under the sole authority of Governor Perdue, the Department of Community Health has begun transitioning 1.2 million Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids recipients into a managed care delivery system.

The new system is divided into three Community Management Organizations (CMOs) throughout the state and it has proved troublesome. Oversight by the General Assembly is necessary because, according to DCH, there was a 75% reduction in reimbursement payments the first two months of the program. Children in PeachCare have also been assigned to obstetricians rather than Pediatricians and a group of physicians has filed a lawsuit alleging that the new CMOs know they were not capable of for services when they bid on the contracts.

"Doctors have had to lay off employees because they are not being reimbursed by the state under this new system," said Lentini. "Before the Governor moves so many recipients that depend on their health care from the state into a new and unproven system there should be some input from the General Assembly."

"People deserve some assurance that when they need treatment they will get it. They deserve better and they are not getting it now from the state under this new system that was implemented without any oversight or input," said Lentini. "If elected, I will work to change that."

Lentini Calls for a Constitutional Amendment on Open Government - Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106 today announced that if elected, they would work to pass legislation that protects transparency and open government.

"As your next state representative, I would work to pass a constitutional amendment that would require any exceptions to the Open Records and Open Meetings Act be approved by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the General Assembly. I would also work to make members of the General Assembly subject to the Open Records and Meetings Act, which they currently are not," said Lentini.

"We need this because during the past two sessions there were great attempts to close government to you and your family. A constitutional amendment will keep government open and accountable to the people of Georgia," said Lentini.

"During the 05 session of the General Assembly there was an eagerness by the current ruling majority to conduct government business behind closed doors. House Bill 218, Senate Bills 5 and in its original form, Senate Bill 190, were all introduced and would have taken critical property and open government rights away from Georgians. This means a big development could be placed right next to our homes and we would not know about it until we hear the bulldozers outside our window one morning," said Lentini.

"Our government functions better under the scrutiny of the governed," said Lentini. "We must be uncompromising in insisting on open government. The citizens of the 106th House District deserve better."

Lentini Wants to Lower Property Taxes - Friday, September 22, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for State House District 106, announced his support today for gubernatorial candidate Mark Taylor's plan to lower property taxes by eliminating the quarter-mill tax which the state adds to property tax bills. According to the Taylor campaign, the estimated impact is $76 million a year for 2.5 million taxpayers. It comes out to be roughly a $30.40 savings per homeowner.

"As a homeowner myself I know the impact on the family budget when local property taxes rise," said Lentini. "With many families seeing stagnant wages we should do all we can to lower these property tax bills. This is a good solid plan considering the state has a $550 million surplus and it is a way to give something back our citizens in a fiscally responsible manner."

Property taxes have risen in over 100 counties and cities throughout Georgia because the state has cut $1.25 billion from education over the last four budgets. School systems across Georgia have had to freeze teacher pay, stop hiring new teachers, increased class size and eliminate classes and programs for students as a result, to try to help make up for the cuts. Listed below is the impact on Gwinnett County.

Gov. Perdue cut Gwinnett Schools by $105,248,097 over the last four budget years - $103,156,642 for Gwinnett and $2,091,455 for Buford; that's a cut of $768 to the average Gwinnett County student.

In the past three years, Gwinnett property taxes have increased by $63 for every $100,000 in taxable assets. The cuts to education have been devastating and have placed a heavy tax burden on our communities. If elected, I work every day to protect local property taxes and restore the cuts to education," said Lentini.

Fact Check : [The Governor's Budget Report, FY 2007, p. 142; Comparative Summary of HB 121, S.F.Y. 2003 Amended General Appropriations Act, p.18; Millage Rates from Georgia School Superintendents Association; Calculations from GA DOE Earnings Sheets] ***

Candidate for State House Denounces cuts from Gwinnett County Schools - Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for House District 106, vowed today to work relentlessly towards restoring funding cuts to Gwinnett County Schools that have occurred over the last four years. Local school districts throughout the state have suffered from the cuts, and many have been forced to raise property taxes to make up the difference.

Over the last four budgets, Gwinnett has $105,248,097 in cuts, with a cut of $768 to the average county student.

School systems across Georgia have had to freeze teacher pay, stop hiring new teachers, increased class size and cut classes and programs for students as a result. Those cuts come even as property taxes rise in many districts to try to make up for the cuts.

"Once I am elected I will work everyday to restore these cuts to our schools while protecting our local property taxes. Taking away valuable funding from each of our students that would have been used to better educate and prepare them for college is wrong," said Lentini. "How can we make education better in our community if our leaders at the State Capitol fail to provide necessary funding for even the basic essentials?"

In four years, over $1.25 billion has been cut from Georgia's local schools forcing nearly 100 districts to increase property taxes. Countless other districts cut educational programs for the students of Georgia. On average, $828.68 has been taken away from each student in the state of Georgia. [The Governor's Budget Report, FY 2007, p. 142; Comparative Summary of HB 121, S.F.Y. 2003 Amended General Appropriations Act, p.18; Millage Rates from Georgia School Superintendents Association; Calculations from GA DOE Earnings Sheets]

Candidate Calls for Better Pay for Law Enforcement - Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Snellville - Candidate for State House District 106, Tony Lentini, today called for better pay for troopers with the State Patrol and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents. It was recently reported (For Cops, State Pay Just Not Enough, AJC 8/15/06) that officers in these two agencies are leaving in droves because of low salaries and long hours.

Instead they are choosing to work in the private sector or for the federal government where they can get better paying jobs and work fewer hours.

"We can not afford to have these fine men and women who are experienced at protecting us leave when they are desperately needed," said Lentini. "If elected, I will work hard to increase their pay because I realize what a sacrifice they are making and the positive impact they have on our community. They deserve better and should not be overlooked by our leaders at the State Capitol."

As stated in the AJC article, Col. Bill Hitchens, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said the State Patrol struggles just to recruit. Not only is there a problem keeping troopers and radio operators, it's hard to find interested candidates upfront. Almost 20 percent of trooper positions are vacant.

Also according to the AJC article, GBI agents can make almost twice as much with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Candidate for State House wants to Provide Quality, Affordable Health Insurance to all Children, regardless of Income - Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106 today urged passage of PeachKids, which is gubernatorial candidate Mark Taylor's plan to guarantee health insurance to all Georgia's children, regardless of the parent's income.

"We can provide access to quality, affordable health insurance for all of Georgia's children with Mark Taylor's PeachKids," said Lentini. "The cost for the program would be minimal and can be easily done considering the state's current revenue surplus. The high price of health insurance is a burden to families in this district and throughout the state and is why I will make it a top priority if elected."

PeachKids would expand on the current PeachCare program by providing access to health insurance to all children, regardless of their parent's income. It is estimated to cost $10 million the first year and $20 million every following year. The price would be small considering the present state budget is at $18.6 billion and Georgia currently has a large revenue surplus.

On the subject of new statistics showing the number of Georgians without health insurance has increased, Lentini, continued, "We also recently learned that Georgia saw an increase in the amount of citizens who lack health insurance. Georgia was one of only 8 states to see this happen and it is simply unacceptable. Our lawmakers must start providing real solutions to solve the healthcare crisis in Georgia, which is what I want to do as your next state representative, and PeachKids is a great place to start."

According to the latest Census Bureau data, the number of uninsured has increased from 1.5 million in 2004 to 1.7 million in 2005. Georgia was also one of eight states whose two-year rolling average of uninsured rose. The figure leaves Georgia tied for eighth among states with the highest rate of people with no health insurance (Macon Telegraph, "Census: State's poverty rate, number without health insurance increase", August 31st).

Lentini Supports an End to Parole for Violent Offenders - Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Snellville - Tony Lentini, candidate for state house district 106 supports gubernatorial Candidate Mark Taylor's plan to end parole for violent offenders. Taylor is proposing a new law and a companion constitutional amendment that would end parole for 19 violent crimes, making criminals serve every minute, of every hour, of every day of their sentences received.

"We need to take all of these violent people, like those who attempt rape and murder, off of our streets and out of our communities, which is why I support Mark Taylor's plan ," said Lentini. "Our lawmakers serving at the State Capitol ought to do all they can to lock up dangerous thugs and criminals. If I am elected as your state representative, I would be a strong advocate for ending parole for all violent offenders and keeping house district 106 safe."

Under the Two Strikes and Your Out Law passed in the 1990's, anyone who commits one of the seven deadly sins -- aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape and murder - must receive a mandatory minimum sentence of at least ten years, and serve every day of the sentence received. If that criminal commits a second offense, the sentence is life in prison with no chance of parole, ever.

The constitutional amendment proposed by Mark Taylor would cover the next 19 violent crimes.

According to Taylor's campaign website, in 2005, Governor Sonny Perdue's Board of Pardons and Paroles changed a policy that required persons convicted of certain violent crimes to serve at least 90% of their sentences. Now, many of these criminals, including those convicted of child molestation, robbery, involuntary manslaughter, attempted rape or murder are eligible for parole before they have served even two-thirds of their sentences. Because the Board of Pardons and Paroles is a constitutionally created body and part of the executive branch of state government, the companion constitutional amendment will ensure that the tough new law is upheld in court by giving the General Assembly the constitutional power to restrict the Parole Board's authority. In addition, the referendum on the amendment will give Georgians the chance to express their strong support for making sure violent criminals serve every day of their sentences in prison.

Also according to the website, the bill will eliminate the possibility of parole for criminals convicted of criminal attempt to commit murder, voluntary manslaughter, felony involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated assault against a peace officer, aggravated battery, aggravated battery against a peace officer, hijacking a motor vehicle, cruelty to children in the first degree, feticide, aggravated stalking, attempted rape, statutory rape, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, incest, robbery, bus hijacking, and vehicular homicide in the first degree.

The Taylor proposal would require that criminals convicted of these crimes serve 100% of their prison sentences incarcerated, and would make them ineligible for parole.