Labor Day weekend gives us an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the American worker. But while it’s important to remember both the contributions and ingenuity of workers, we should also address areas where the state makes it more difficult for men and women to contribute to society.
One of the biggest barriers in Georgia, and every other state for that matter, is the landscape of occupational regulations. At a time when most employers are looking for workers, the requirement of a government-issued license to do certain jobs is often overly burdensome and sometimes nonsensical. They frequently make working more difficult, and without ensuring a higher level of expertise or safety.
It wasn’t always this way. In the 1950s, about one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at about one in four.
Research to date – on occupations as diverse as school teachers, interior designers, mortgage brokers, dentists, physicians and others – provides little evidence that government licenses protect public health and safety or improve the quality of products or services.
How does licensing impact Georgia workers?
We look at that in this week’s Labor Day commentary. We also have the latest stories from the past week, including:
- A new way to pay for road construction in Georgia
- Department of Education rolls out literacy improvement steps
- Upward trend in squatter cases being brought to court
- Who was named the top employer in Georgia?
Have a great weekend,
– Kyle Wingfield
Friday’s Freshest
How is road building evolving in Georgia?
The new lanes on Ga. 400 – two in each direction most of the way, with one in each direction at the northernmost end – will not only add capacity, although that’s good. So is the fact that toll revenues will repay almost all of the project’s costs. No, what’s best is that taxpayers needn’t even front the money for the project.
How do Georgia regulations hurt businesses and consumers?
According to a report from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the growth in federal regulations between 1997 and 2015 is associated with the following effects on the Georgia economy: 261,162 additional people living in poverty, 3,594 lost jobs annually (and) 7.35% higher prices.
We don’t do hard things anymore
Americans, and Georgians in particular, need to get back to building. Building what, you ask? Pretty much everything. For starters, we don’t build nearly as many homes as we used to. The peak in Georgia homebuilding – across all types – came in 2005 with more than 109,000 new housing units. Since the Great Recession, we haven’t come close to that number.
Supreme Court returns checks and balances to governing
For four decades, the judiciary has ceded the important power of reviewing executive agencies’ rules and regulations to the agencies themselves. Reasserting the court’s preeminence in interpreting the law is a key step toward more constitutional balance with the executive branch, which is merely meant to carry out laws.
Market correction shows the need for reform for Georgia’s teacher pension
The Teacher Retirement System of Georgia has gone through decades of growing pension debt—now up to $27.7 billion—and stagnant progress on reaching full funding. In addition, recent market plunges show that things can change quite quickly for Georgia’s teacher pension.
The Latest
Economy
Rural jobs, investment dominate Georgia economic growth
Georgia’s economic development efforts are continuing to feature a rural focus. The state Department of Economic Development’s Global Commerce team Thursday reported more than $20.3 billion in investment Georgia during the last fiscal year, with 429 facility expansions and new locations creating 26,900 new private-sector jobs.
Are lawsuits threatening Georgia’s position for business?
While Georgia officials love to tout the state’s purported ranking as the best in the country for business, frivolous lawsuits threaten its position. “It’s important to recognize the economic impact that the civil litigation is creating on our economies,” Matt Jones, chair of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores’ board of directors, said during a roundtable discussion on civil litigation policies last week.
Environmental regulator reevaluating key permit for $7.6B Hyundai plant
A federal regulator is reopening its assessment of the environmental impacts of Hyundai Motor Group’s $7.6 billion electric vehicle factory near Savannah, citing new information and a potential legal challenge for revisiting the case. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a letter last week it will reevaluate a previously issued wetland permit after the Ogeechee Riverkeeper filed an intent-to-sue notice in June over the permit.
Education
Georgia educators rolling out literacy improvement steps
The state Department of Education laid the groundwork for the Georgia Early Literacy Act during the past school year. Now, it’s time to implement legislation the General Assembly passed last year aimed at improving the quality of early reading instruction, Amy Denty, the DOE’s literacy director, told members of the Georgia Council on Literacy this week.
Bus driver shortage plagues schools as districts plead for more support
Another school year has begun, but the shortage of bus drivers remains a significant challenge for many districts across the nation. With fewer people available to transport students, the ongoing issue not only hinders logistics networks but places undue stress on families. Some districts are forcing drivers to double up their drives and others find themselves having to prioritize yellow bus transportation for their most vulnerable students.
Classical schools in America: A movement of hope
Parents are not simply seeking education freedom: They are, in increasing numbers, seeking an education for freedom for their children—a classical liberal arts education that aims to form adults capable of understanding, exercising, and protecting their American rights and responsibilities.
Government accountability
Former Atlanta CFO slapped with three-year prison sentence
Former Atlanta Chief Financial Officer Jim Beard has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a multi-year scheme to obtain money and property from the city for private use. Beard, who now lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., also must serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.
Kemp announces 26 appointments to state boards, commissions and authorities
Gov. Brian Kemp announced the appointment and re-appointment of the following 26 Georgians to various state boards, authorities, and commissions. This includes the Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, Georgia Council for the Arts, State Commission on Family Violence, Georgia Humanities Council and more.
Housing
New developments are on the rise in the northern end of Bryan County
There was a time when people moved to quiet and sleepy Pembroke because they were seeking a small town where the daily pace was set by the railroad running through downtown. With several developments now coming online, townsfolk will have to adjust to a new normal. Pembroke City Council approved the rezoning and annexation of 227 acres for a proposed development of 2,000 homes.
Peach State crawling with vacant housing; more squatting cases head to court in Georgia
Georgia is one state that has seen an uptick in squatter cases being taken to court in recent years, according to a report. A report by the Pacific Legal Foundation found an upward trend in squatter cases being brought to court beginning in 2019. The number of these cases in Georgia rose from three in 2017 to 50 in 2021. In 2023, there were 198 civil court cases involving squatting in the Peach State, according to the report.
Bonus
The top employers in Georgia, according to Forbes
More than 1,200 different organizations were included by Forbes on America’s Best-In-State Employers list. Which were the best in Georgia? Delta Air Lines holds the crown of best employer overall and is the only one of the top five that is based in Georgia. The rest of the top five from top to bottom includes Costco (based in Washington), Apple (from California), Google (from California), and Microsoft (from Washington).
Plastics are better for the climate than aluminum and glass, actually
A new study says that replacing plastics with alternatives is worse for greenhouse gas emissions in most cases. Researchers considered emissions from production, transportation, use and end-of-life disposal, including landfilling, incineration, recycling, and reuse. Calculating the product life cycles, plastic products release 10% to 90% fewer emissions than do plausible alternatives—often because it takes less energy to make and transport them.
Regulating AI, hypothetically and in reality
Regulators and legislators must recognize that if AI is to deliver on its innovative and wealth-enhancing promise, developers alone cannot be held responsible for all consequences. If they are, then the chilling effects will not simply be hypothetical; they will be real.
Quotes of Note
“We salute working people because they have built our land with skill, energy, and resourcefulness, transforming raw materials into a shining edifice of freedom and prosperity. On Labor Day we recognize these achievements and reflect on the meaning and dignity of work and on the values it protects and strengthens — the values we as a nation hold most dear.” – Ronald Reagan
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Georgia’s legal climate has steadily worsened over the years. That’s bad news for everyone, but it puts small businesses in a particularly tough spot. Main Street businesses aren’t sitting on piles of cash, and they can’t afford teams of lawyers to flick away nuisance claims and bogus accusations.” – Hunter Loggins, National Federation of Independent Business State Director