Shocker: Some Georgia lawmakers did not pay taxes!

Nineteen Georgia lawmakers failed to pay state income taxes in 2008. According to the Georgia Revenue Commissioner, the number of legislators who conveniently forgot to pay their taxes in 2009 is less than in 2008. That's comforting.

The names of the legislators are kept confidential (due to an even more convenient state law).

The people who voted for these fine public servants deserve to know who among them has broken their campaign promises of "transparency" and "honesty".  We all know these two fundamental lies are a piece of every legislators campaign platform.  Why bother pretending?  Why don't these crooks simply pledge to rewrite laws to their own advantage? Why don't they simply state, "I am above the law".

Georgia's budget coffers are empty and municipalities all over the state are laying off people who run valuable local programs and essential services.  Yet, a handful of elected officials don't feel they have to pay income taxes.

What constituents need is a mechanism that would enable them to immediately fire elected officials who break the public's trust. We shouldn't have to wait for the next election cycle to oust a crook.