Cordele senator explains what he’s focusing on in the Georgia Senate

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The 2023 Georgia legislative is just under a month in, and as many items are on the agenda, WALB’s Jim Wallace sat down with a southwest Georgia senator to see what his focuses are this session.

Senator Summers, thanks for joining us.  What’s going on in the legislative session so far, that’s important to South Georgians?

“Well to be truthful, everything is important to South Georgia,” State Senator Carden Summers said. “Whether it’s a part of North Georgia or South Georgia. Of course, we’re strengthening the ag(riculture) industry. We’re working on school safety programs, which everyone is concerned about that. We’re working on school safety programs, which everyone is concerned about that.  We’re working on the homeless problem.  I will assure you homeless doesn’t mean it’s indigenous to Atlanta. Homeless happens in Albany, Georgia just like it would in Cordele, Georgia.  We are working on that. I am working on two gender bills that I will be presented to the full board.  Putting in on the full board pretty soon.  And I worked on tax waiver boards.  For example, the county of Dougherty County would be able to they try to sell a piece of property twice and it doesn’t sell, the county can vote to waive the taxes so that property can be bought at a reasonable price. And be put back on the market. So the next person can start to pay ad valorem tax. So everybody plays by the same rules.”

Now you are the chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions. That’s an important committee right now. What’s happening there?

“Well the committee there, I have no idea. Banking and financial institutions seem like they are over everybody. We’re over the Georgia Banking Association. The Community Banking Association, the Community Banking Association.  Most of your mortgage companies and whatever. We are dealing with possible regulations on pawn. We are dealing with possible regulations on changing, what I call clean-up bills on the banking industry itself. And basically, we are just trying to streamline things so it’s easier for the consumer to get what they need to get done in the banking business. And I have a lot of support on that. A lot of people are working hard on that. I’m just chairing the meeting and making it happen, and that’s where we are at.”

Well I know right now is an important time because we have a lot of huge manufacturing industries coming in that could mean a great deal to the state’s economy. And obviously, education is a big issue right now.

“We have lots, Georgia has been voted for nine years in a row the number one state to do business in. And that kind of can be a somewhat of a hindrance, because of infrastructure issues. Other things you have to deal with. But let me tell you, Georgia is growing by leaps and bounds because there are companies building 200 acre under roof buildings in Georgia right now. For example the car industries, whatever. It’s really growing.”

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