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Republican unity in question(Chattanooga Times (Free Press, TN) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jan. 18--Despite divides among GOP leaders in this opening week that echoed the Republican infighting of last year, Georgia lawmakers say the session must go on and be a productive one. "We've got too much to do to be playing the divisiveness game," said Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton. The 2008 legislative session opened Monday with the House voting to override 12 of Gov. Sonny Perdue's vetoes of measures passed last session. "I really think that's just the fireworks at the beginning," said Sen. Don Thomas, R-Dalton, adding, "Hopefully things will settle down and the leadership will work together well." He said they had "a lot of ability" to do so. Some House members are angry the Senate didn't take an immediate vote on the House's overrides. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle assigned the overrides to the Senate Rules Committee, on which Sen. Thomas sits. The committee probably won't hear the overrides until next week, chairman Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, said Thursday. Rep. Williams said the committee was where bills were sent to be delayed or killed. Lt. Gov. Cagle on Thursday admitted the overrides are "not the highest priority of the session." "It is a process, but, again, it is used very, very sparingly in our history, at least here in Georgia," he said about veto overrides. "My focus since I took office is to unite people, to bring them together, to move Georgia forward on issues of significant importance ... water, education, transportation and health care," he said. House members said the divisive action wasGov. Perdue's vetoing the bills last year. "Those bills passed overwhelmingly," Rep. Williams said, noting almost unanimous support for the bills in both chambers. "I don't see anything to create a decision to veto them." The governor is expected to explain his vetoes to the Senate Republican caucus. One of the bills included a measure to create a tax incentive on which hangs the contract for the construction of a $50 million hotel at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center in Dalton. The House had passed that bill unanimously. Gov. Perdue said he vetoed the bill because it contained two tax proposals in one law. The other was a tax incentive for the film industry the Senate tacked on after the tourism tax incentive passed the House. On Monday, the House voted 157-16 to override that veto. Similar margins approved 11 other overrides. Rep. Williams said he doubts the Senate will even vote on the overrides. He thinks the author of the tourism tax incentive bill will introduce it again, and it will pass and hopefully be signed. "I'm hoping that it's not something held against those who voted for an override," Rep. Williams said. "I hope we take everything from here on out on its own merit. Let's work together and eliminate squabbling and divisiveness." But with House Speaker Glenn Richardson, Gov. Perdue, senators and Democrats each pitching tax relief proposals, a tax reform storm could be brewing. Rep. Richardson's proposal to eliminate the school portion of property taxes and replace the revenue with an expanded sales tax is in a House Ways and Means subcommittee. Rep. Williams, a Ways and Means Committee member, said, "Our top priority now is to perfect the (Rep. Richardson's) GREAT (Georgia's Repeal of Every Ad Valorem Tax ) plan." In his speech Wednesday, Gov. Perdue proposed eliminating state ad valorem taxes on homes and vehicles for a $94 million tax cut that amounts to an estimated $30 in savings for individual property owners. He promised to push again for state income tax relief for retired residents. Democratic leaders said they plan a tax relief bill that would require the state to fund fully Georgia's Quality Basic Education formula to take the burden off local governments to raise property taxes for schools. Companion legislation to Rep. Richardson's tax plan has been introduced in the Senate to cap property assessment on homes and local government spending. Lt. Gov. Cagle said the Senate will focus on proposals to limit local government spending and property assessments and applauded Gov. Perdue's tax cut initiatives. He has not voiced support for the speaker's tax plan, but said, "Any tax reduction that is measurable and affordable is a positive thing." All the tax relief proposals are constitutional amendments, which means a majority of Georgia voters would have to approve any plan before it becomes law. To even make it to the ballot, two-thirds of both the House and Senate have to pass it. E-mail Lori Yount at [email protected] To see more of the Chattanooga Times/Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesfreepress.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. 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